Getting Started with Blazor WebAssembly: A Complete Guide

Blazor WebAssembly is a powerful framework that allows you to build interactive web applications using C# and .NET that run directly in the browser via WebAssembly (WASM). This guide will walk you through the steps of getting started with Blazor WebAssembly, setting up your development environment, and creating your first Blazor WebAssembly app.

---

1. Install .NET SDK

Before you can start developing with Blazor WebAssembly, you need to install the .NET SDK on your machine. The .NET SDK includes everything you need to create, build, and run .NET applications.

• Visit the official .NET download page: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download.
• Download and install the .NET SDK. Be sure to select the latest version.

After installation, verify the setup by running the following command in your terminal:

dotnet --version

This should return the version of the .NET SDK installed on your system.

---

2. Set Up Your Development Environment

You can develop Blazor WebAssembly applications using Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code. Here's how to set up each:

• Visual Studio:

  • Download Visual Studio from here.
  • During installation, select the ASP.NET and web development workload to get the necessary tools for web development with .NET.

• Visual Studio Code:

  • Download Visual Studio Code from here.
  • Install the C# extension from the Extensions Marketplace to add support for .NET development.

---

3. Create a Blazor WebAssembly Project

Once your development environment is set up, you're ready to create your first Blazor WebAssembly application. Open a terminal and run the following command to create a new Blazor WebAssembly project:

dotnet new blazorwasm -o MyBlazorApp

This command will generate a new Blazor WebAssembly project inside a folder named MyBlazorApp. Next, navigate to the project folder:

cd MyBlazorApp

---

4. Run Your Application

To start your Blazor WebAssembly app, use the following command:

dotnet run

This will build and run your app. By default, it will be accessible at https://localhost:5001 in your web browser. Open the URL to see your Blazor app running.

---

5. Explore the Project Structure

Once the project is created, let’s take a look at the default structure:

• wwwroot: Contains static files like CSS, images, and JavaScript.
• Pages: Holds Razor Pages that represent the UI components of the application.
• Shared: Includes shared components used across different pages (e.g., layout).
• Program.cs: Configures services, including dependency injection, for the app.
• App.razor: The main entry point for the app, defining routing and layout.

Each of these folders and files plays a specific role in the structure of a Blazor WebAssembly app.

---

6. Create a Blazor Component

Blazor uses components to build reusable UI elements. A component in Blazor is typically a .razor file. Let’s create a simple counter component.

• In the Pages folder, create a new Razor component called Counter.razor with the following code:

@page "/counter"

<h3>Counter</h3>

<p>Current count: @count</p>

<button class="btn btn-primary" @onclick="IncrementCount">Click me</button>

@code {
    private int count = 0;

    private void IncrementCount()
    {
        count++;
    }
}

This component will display a button that increments a counter when clicked. The @page "/counter" directive defines the route for this component, so you can access it via /counter in the browser.

---

7. JavaScript Interoperability (JS Interop)

Blazor WebAssembly allows you to call JavaScript functions from C# and vice versa through JavaScript Interop. This is useful when you need to interact with browser-specific APIs or third-party JavaScript libraries.

Here’s an example of calling a JavaScript function from C#:

• First, create a JavaScript file in the wwwroot folder (e.g., site.js):

function showAlert(message) {
    alert(message);
}

• Then, in the Pages folder, create a new Razor component (e.g., Alert.razor) to call this JavaScript function:

@page "/alert"

<h3>JavaScript Interop Example</h3>

<button class="btn btn-primary" @onclick="ShowAlert">Show Alert</button>

@code {
    private async Task ShowAlert()
    {
        await JS.InvokeVoidAsync("showAlert", "Hello from Blazor!");
    }

    [Inject]
    public IJSRuntime JS { get; set; }
}

In this example, when the button is clicked, a JavaScript alert will display, showing the message passed from the Blazor component.

---

8. Deploy Your Blazor WebAssembly Application

Once you're satisfied with your Blazor WebAssembly app, it's time to deploy it. The app is a static web app, which means it can be hosted on any server that supports static files.

To publish your app locally, run the following command:

dotnet publish -c Release

For cloud hosting, you can deploy your Blazor app to platforms like Azure, AWS, or other static hosting services.

---

9. Learn More

Blazor WebAssembly is a powerful framework, but there’s much more to explore. Here are some resources to dive deeper:

• Official Blazor Documentation: Blazor WebAssembly Docs
• Blazor Samples: Blazor Samples on GitHub

---

10. Next Steps

Now that you've gotten a taste of Blazor WebAssembly, here are some next steps you can take:

• Learn more about routing, forms, and authentication in Blazor.
• Start integrating APIs, databases, and other services into your app.
• Explore advanced Blazor features like signalR, dependency injection, and component lifecycle.

With this guide, you're well on your way to building interactive web apps with Blazor WebAssembly! If you need help with any specific part of the framework, feel free to reach out or explore additional tutorials and resources online.

---

This article provides a complete roadmap to get started with Blazor WebAssembly. Whether you're a .NET developer or just looking to explore new web technologies, Blazor WebAssembly offers a modern way to build fast, interactive web applications. Happy coding!

🚀 Want to take your career and business to the next level?

Follow me on LinkedIn for more insights on mastering .NET Core development, microservices, and business strategies that can help you grow and achieve success! 💡

💻 Whether you're looking to sharpen your technical skills or learn actionable strategies to scale your business, I've got you covered with valuable tips, articles, and resources.

👉 Follow me now for more exclusive content: LinkedIn Profile

Let’s connect and grow together! 🚀