ASP.NET MVC is a powerful web development framework that allows developers to build dynamic and modern web applications. One of the key aspects of web development is creating a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and visually appealing. In this article, we will explore how to set page titles in ASP.NET MVC views using master pages.
Master pages are a feature in ASP.NET MVC that allows developers to create a consistent layout for their web pages. It acts as a template for multiple pages, making it easier to maintain a consistent design and structure throughout the application. Master pages contain common elements such as headers, footers, and navigation menus, which are shared across all pages that use that particular master page.
Setting page titles in ASP.NET MVC views is essential for several reasons. First, it provides context to the user about the content they are viewing. A page title tells the user what the page is about and helps them to understand the purpose of the page. Secondly, page titles are essential for search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines use page titles to understand the content of a page and rank it in search results. Therefore, having a relevant and descriptive page title can improve the visibility of your page in search engine results.
To set page titles in ASP.NET MVC views with master pages, we first need to create a master page. In Visual Studio, go to File > New > Project and select ASP.NET Web Application. Give your project a name and click OK. In the next window, select MVC as the project template and make sure the option for "Create a unit test project" is unchecked. Click OK to create the project.
Once the project is created, right-click on the Views folder and select Add > New Item. In the Add New Item window, select Master Page and give it a name. Click Add to create the master page. The master page will have a .master extension.
In the master page, we can set the page title using the <title> tag. We can also add other common elements such as a header, footer, and navigation menu. For example:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>My Website</title>
</head>
<body>
<div id="header">
<h1>My Website</h1>
</div>
<div id="menu">
<ul>
<li><a href="#">Home</a></li>
<li><a href="#">About</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Contact</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="content">
<asp:ContentPlaceHolder ID="MainContent" runat="server">
</asp:ContentPlaceHolder>
</div>
<div id="footer">
<p>© 2021 My Website</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Next, we need to create a view that will use this master page. Right-click on the Views folder and select Add > New Item. In the Add New Item window, select MVC View Page and give it a name. Click Add to create the view. In the view, we can set the page title by using the <asp:Content> tag and specifying the content place holder we want to use from the master page. For example:
