What is the difference between MVC and Razor Pages?
Quick Answer
MVC routes to controller actions; a controller can serve many views. Razor Pages is page-centric — each .cshtml file has a matching PageModel class with OnGet/OnPost handlers, and routing maps to the file path. Razor Pages is simpler for page-focused apps (forms, CRUD screens); MVC suits complex flows and APIs.
MVC is controller-based — a request routes to an action method, and one controller can render lots of different views. Razor Pages is page-based — each page is a .cshtml file with its own PageModel class right next to it, containing OnGet and OnPost handlers, and the routing follows the folder structure. They share all the underlying pieces — Razor, binding, validation, DI. Razor Pages is nicer for straightforward form and CRUD pages because the code is right there; MVC is better for APIs and for complex multi-step flows.
- Razor Pages keeps the handler code next to the markup, reducing the “jump to a distant controller” friction for simple pages.
- Both use the same Razor, model binding, validation, tag helpers, DI and filters.
- MVC controllers are still the model for Web APIs and for pages that share a lot of logic.
- You can use both in one app.