HTML, ASPX, what's the difference?

Question

I'm not at all too great with computer languages. Up until now HTML is the only one I know properly, but recently I noticed that the script for HTML and ASPX is quite similar... so I ask you, what is the difference???

Answer 1

ASP is a scripting language, HTML is a format.

When a server reads html it sends it as is, but when a server reads an asp script, it processes the script(as a program) and then sends the results to the browser.

Answer 2

ASPX web pages are no different to HTML pages on your browser, the difference is how they are generated.



An HTML page is stored on the Server exactly as it is sent. There is no change. An ASPX page though, is effectively a program that runs 'at-server' that generates HTML to be sent to a browser. The advantage is an ASPX page can bind-to things like databases, web services and even other page fragments called ASCX pages.



ASPX pages are built using Microsoft's Dot Net Framework technology - which is a subject that fills lots of really thick books! When used for web applications, this is called 'ASP.NET' (Active Server Pages Dot Net).



ASP.NET should not be confused with 'ASP', which is the now depreciated 'Active Server Pages.'

Answer 3

ASPX is a Microsoft proprietary mark-up language for server interaction.



HTML is the industry standard for mark-up language. That's why HTML means Hyper-Text Mark-up Langauge.



Use HTML unless you're going for something specifically that is ASPX only. In other words, don't use ASPX at all.