_ViewStart.cshtml
_ViewStart.cshtml is a Razor file that specifies code or common settings applied before views and pages in its directory scope are rendered.
Pro ASP.NET Core 7, Tenth Edition
A Razor view start file, typically _ViewStart.cshtml, specifies common settings such as the layout for views or pages in its scope.
- How it is used
- Sets a default layout for controller views or Razor Pages without repeating the Layout assignment in each file.
- How deep it goes
- Shows file placement, Layout assignment, scoped defaults, per-view overrides, and the malformed HTML caused by wrapping a complete document.
- Examples
- Uses Views/_ViewStart.cshtml, Pages/_ViewStart.cshtml, controller-specific layouts, and a full-document view that produces malformed HTML.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure it to set shared layouts, override them for particular views, or disable them for complete HTML documents.
Read how Pro ASP.NET Core 7, Tenth Edition explains _ViewStart.cshtml →
ASP.NET Core in Action, 3e
_ViewStart.cshtml is a conventionally named Razor file containing code that executes before Razor views or pages in its directory and descendant directories are rendered.
- How it is used
- Sets shared Razor Page behavior, most commonly a default layout, before pages execute.
- How deep it goes
- Explains placement, inheritance, overrides, and execution boundaries, but does not detail the underlying Razor processing pipeline.
- Examples
- Demonstrates a default _Layout assignment and an area-specific layout for Identity Razor Pages.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure Razor Pages with shared layouts and page-level layout exceptions.
Read how ASP.NET Core in Action, 3e explains _ViewStart.cshtml →
Related concepts
- layoutconfigures · A layout is the arrangement and positioning of content or interface elements within a page, screen, or other visual area.
- Razor layoutconfigures · A Razor layout is a reusable template that defines shared page structure around the content of individual Razor views.
- Pages folderpart of · The Pages folder is the conventional ASP.NET Core project directory that contains Razor Pages and their supporting Razor configuration files.
- Razor Pagesconfigures · Razor Pages is an ASP.NET Core page-focused programming model in which independently addressable pages combine Razor markup with request-handling logic.
- Razor syntaxconfigures · Razor syntax is a templating syntax that combines markup with embedded .NET code and directives to generate web content.
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