If you are a developer or follower of web technologies, you would have certainly heard about the ASP .NET MVC framework. It is a technological framework that used for the development of scalable web applications that follow and meet the standards. The power of the MVC framework lies in the combination of technologies that are used. Moreover, the design patterns used are well established.

The latest version of ASP .NET MVC framework is ASP .NET MVC 4, which is an improvement over its predecessor, ASP .NET MVC 3.

If you have been wondering as to how the former is an improvement over the latter or how the two versions differ, here is the answer – If you ask for a judgment on the question, the answer is short. The shift from the ASP .NET MVC 3 to ASP .NET MVC 4 has meant the addition of a Web API, in addition to a few other features.

If you have been following the evolution of this technology, you must be aware that ASP .NET MVC 3 was a major leap, in terms of functionality, from the ASP .NET MVC 2 version. However, this is not the case for ASP .NET MVC 4. In fact, the two versions are so similar that they can easily be run side by side. For smooth operation, there is a little advice that can be of use to you.

When you plan to use ASP .NET MVC 4, uninstall the previous version, install this version and then reinstall the previous version. One of the most significant additions that have been made to ASP .NET MVC 4 is the inclusion of Web API. This functionality facilitates the development of REST full API and services. This functionality allows you to access the data directly and play around with this data using HTTP requests.

The USP of using the Web API is that the data of the system is returned in the JSON format, which can be used and read by any device that supports this format. Moreover, the development is simple. In fact, it is as easy as designing a normal controller. In addition to this, there are a few other features that have been added to ASP .NET MVC 4. These features include

• The default project template has been improved. Moreover, the project template is designed to support look and feel of mobile devices.
• ASP .NET MVC 4 supports asynchronous controller. The action methods that have to be written for asynchronous controllers can be easily made.
• The updated framework allows the developer to add controllers to any MVC application folder.
• ASP .NET MVC 4 includes OAuth and OpenID, which can be used for implementing Google and Facebook logins. This is one of the most popular functionalities of MVC 4. Nowadays, users prefer integrated logins as adding credentials to several login windows can be annoying.

Although, ASP .NET MVC 4 is ASP .NET MVC 3 with additional features, the features like Web API and integrated login functionality have given the former a lead over the latter. You can use them in congruence with each to get the best of both.