🏗️ Technologies Defined
To choose the best tool you must first understand what each option delivers.
Blazor WebAssembly (WASM): A client-side web framework where your C# code runs directly in the user's browser using WebAssembly. It acts like a Single Page Application (SPA) similar to React or Angular.
Blazor Server: A server-side web framework where the app runs on the server. The UI is projected to the client browser and updates are handled over a real-time SignalR WebSocket connection.
Blazor Web App: Introduced in .NET 8 this is the new unified model. It can combine Server and WebAssembly modes. It enables Static Server Rendering (SSR), streaming rendering and progressive enhancement by default.
MAUI Blazor Hybrid: A native application (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows) that hosts a Blazor WebView. It is not a web application accessible via a URL but an installable app that uses web tech for its UI.
MAUI: The evolution of Xamarin Forms. It is purely for building native mobile and desktop apps using C# and XAML (or C# markup). It does not use HTML/CSS.
🏆 The Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?
The Best Choice: Blazor Web App (.NET 8+)
Here is the recommended order of suitability:
Blazor Web App (Perfect match for SSR and security)
Blazor Server (Good alternative but older model)
Blazor WebAssembly (Not suitable for hidden data fetching without a separate API)
MAUI Blazor Hybrid (Incorrect tool: this is for native apps)
MAUI (Incorrect tool: this is for native apps)
🚀 Why Blazor Web App is the Best Fit
Server-Side Execution: In the "Interactive Server" mode or "Static SSR" mode of a Blazor Web App your component logic runs on the server. You can inject your database context or service directly into the component. The browser never sees the API calls or database connection strings.
Modular Monolith Friendly: You can keep your frontend (Razor pages) and backend (Services/Data Layers) in separate projects within the same Solution (e.g.,
MyApp.WebandMyApp.Core). Since they run in the same process on the server you do not need to build a complex HTTP API layer immediately. You can simply call the services via Dependency Injection.SSR: It renders HTML on the server by default which is great for SEO and initial load speed.
⚖️ Pros and Cons
1. Blazor Web App (Recommended)
Pros:
Secure Data Fetching: Code runs on the server so secrets stay safe.
Flexible: Can switch between Server and WASM modes per page if needed later.
Performance: Uses "Streaming Rendering" to show the layout immediately while fetching data in the background.
Simplicity: No need to serialize/deserialize JSON for every interaction if you stay server-side.
Cons:
Complexity: The new .NET 8 hosting model has a slightly steeper learning curve than the old Blazor Server due to the mix of render modes.
2. Blazor Server (Legacy/Stable)
Pros:
Easiest Development: Very simple architecture. Everything is on the server.
True SSR: All logic happens on the server.
Cons:
Latency: Every click requires a round-trip to the server. If the user has a bad internet connection the app feels sluggish.
Connection Heavy: Requires a constant WebSocket connection for every user.
3. Blazor WebAssembly
Pros:
Offline Support: Can work without an internet connection (PWA).
Zero Latency UI: UI updates happen instantly in the browser.
Cons:
Insecure Data Fetching: The user can open the "Network" tab in the browser and see every API call. You cannot hide data fetching logic here without a separate proxy server.
Slow Load: The user must download the entire .NET runtime to their browser on the first visit.
🛠️ Development Experience & Licensing
Which is easier to develop? Blazor Web App (configured for "Interactive Server" mode) or Blazor Server are the easiest. You avoid the complexity of managing a separate Client and Server project or dealing with HTTP Client serialization. You can simply write: var data = _myService.GetData(); inside your component.
📹 Related Video
To understand the specific differences between the modern "Web App" model and the older "WASM" model watch this comparison: