View model
A view model is a data structure that supplies a user-interface view with the data required to render a particular output.
.NET MAUI in Action
A view model is a data transfer object that aggregates the data required to render a particular view, without providing application functionality.
- How it is used
- Aggregates all data needed to render a web view into one API response.
- How deep it goes
- Defines the DTO role and contrasts it with an MVVM ViewModel, without detailing API implementation.
- Examples
- Uses a sales leaderboard containing salesperson, monthly-total, and monthly-average data.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate/understand whether a view-specific aggregate DTO can replace multiple web-view API calls.
Pro ASP.NET Core 7, Tenth Edition
A view model is the data supplied to a view for incorporation into its rendered output.
- How it is used
- Supplies controller-selected data to Razor views so actions can produce dynamic HTML responses.
- How deep it goes
- Works from a string through objects, collections, and composite classes, including typed access and nullable model handling.
- Examples
- Uses a time-dependent greeting, RSVP form and response, paged product catalog, and login form.
- What you can do after
- Build it from scratch by passing typed data from an MVC action and rendering its properties or collections in a Razor view.
Read how Pro ASP.NET Core 7, Tenth Edition explains view model →
ASP.NET Core in Action, 3e
A view model is an object or data structure containing the information a user-interface view requires to render a response.
- How it is used
- Supplies Razor views with UI-ready data after a handler or controller obtains application data.
- How deep it goes
- Defines rendering data and works through PageModel properties, ViewResult delivery, and an EF Core projection.
- Examples
- Uses an error page’s request ID and a projected list of recipe summaries.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via MVC’s View(model) or Razor Pages’ PageModel properties to provide rendering data to a Razor view.
Related concepts
- data bindingused by · Data binding is a technique that connects application data or state to user-interface elements or component properties so values or behavior can be represented or synchronized.
- data transfer objectcontrasts with · A data transfer object is a data-carrying structure that conveys defined information between software components or across application boundaries without encapsulating substantial domain behavior.
- for attributeconfigured by · The For attribute is a ValidationMessage component parameter that identifies the model property whose validation errors are displayed.
- razor expressionused by · A Razor expression is an inline construct that evaluates an embedded C# expression and inserts its result into generated output.
- subtemplateused by · A subtemplate is a reusable template fragment that can be rendered independently or included within another template to produce part of an output.
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