1. WebMatrix: See What the
Matrix Can Do For You!!
Frederic Harper
Developer Evangelist
Microsoft Canada
DevTeach Ottawa

2. Agenda
• What is WebMatrix?
• Who is WebMatrix for?
• Razor syntax
• Database access
• Helpers
• App Gallery & OSS Apps

3. My goals

4. My goals

5. My goals
1. Show you how it’s easy to use WebMatrix to
create awesome websites or Web applications

6. WebMatrix

7. What is WebMatrix
It’s a free tool that makes it easy to
Create
Configure
Publish
your websites and web applications

8. What is WebMatrix
1. Web App Gallery & Templates

9. What is WebMatrix
1. Web App Gallery & Templates
2. Web Server: IIS Express

10. What is WebMatrix
1. Web App Gallery & Templates
2. Web Server: IIS Express
3. Standards Support: HTML, CSS, JavaScript

11. What is WebMatrix
1. Web App Gallery & Templates
2. Web Server: IIS Express
3. Standards Support: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
4. Scripting Support: ASP.NET & PHP

12. What is WebMatrix
1. Web App Gallery & Templates
2. Web Server: IIS Express
3. Standards Support: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
4. Scripting Support: ASP.NET & PHP
5. DB Manager: SQL Server & MySQL

13. What is WebMatrix
1. Web App Gallery & Templates
2. Web Server: IIS Express
3. Standards Support: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
4. Scripting Support: ASP.NET & PHP
5. DB Manager: SQL Server & MySQL
6. Optimization Tools: SEO & Performance

14. demo
A lap around WebMatrix

15. Who is WebMatrix for?
I <3 Web Apps. I want to build web I’m a professional
I just need a tool that sites myself with an software developer
makes them easier to easy to learn tool and I build complex,
configure, customize and framework large scale web sites
and publish with a team of
developers

16. Two ways to build

17. Two ways to build
Option A:
From Scratch

18. Two ways to build
Option A: Option B:
From Scratch From Web App

19. demo
Create a website from template

20. Razor

21. What is Razor

22. What is Razor
1. A new view engine

23. What is Razor
1. A new view engine
2. Compact, Expressive, and Fluid

24. What is Razor
1. A new view engine
2. Compact, Expressive, and Fluid
3. Easy to Learn

25. What is Razor
1. A new view engine
2. Compact, Expressive, and Fluid
3. Easy to Learn
4. Is not a new language

26. What is Razor
1. A new view engine
2. Compact, Expressive, and Fluid
3. Easy to Learn
4. Is not a new language
5. Works with any Text Editor

27. What is Razor
1. A new view engine
2. Compact, Expressive, and Fluid
3. Easy to Learn
4. Is not a new language
5. Works with any Text Editor
6. Has great Intellisense

28. What is Razor
1. A new view engine
2. Compact, Expressive, and Fluid
3. Easy to Learn
4. Is not a new language
5. Works with any Text Editor
6. Has great Intellisense
7. Unit Testable

29. Introducing Razor
<ul>
Web Forms <% for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { %>
<li><% =i %></li>
(6 transitions): <% } %>
</ul>
<ul>
<?php
for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) {
PHP echo("<li>$i</li>");
(2 transitions & an echo): }
?>
</ul>
<ul>
@for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
Razor <li>@i</li>
(2 transitions): }
</ul>

30. Code to markup easily
@{
Option 1: var name = “John Doe”;
<div>
HTML Block Your name: @name
</div>
}
@{
var name = “John Doe”;
Option 2: <text>
Text Block Your name: @name
</text>
}
@{
Option 3: var name = “John Doe”;
Single line of output @: Your name: @name
in markup }

31. Commenting
@*
Option 1: <div>
Markup Hello World
</div>
*@
@{
Option 2: //var name = "John Doe”;
Code //@name
}
@*
@{
Option 3: //var name = "John Doe";
Both //@name
}
*@

32. demo
Simple Razor syntax demo

33. Database

34. Database
• SQL Compact Edition
• File-based, so it’s portable. Runs without a server.
• Easy to design, easy to code against
Designing
Coding
@{
var db = Database.Open("ArtGallery");
var product = db.Query("SELECT * FROM PRODUCTS);
}

35. demo
Database access

36. Helpers

37. What are Helpers?
Helpers make it easy to quickly add commonly used
functionality into your websites
and many more…

38. Two categories
HTML Helpers Make is faster and easier to
render commonly used
• Facebook markup to the page.
• Twitter
• …
API Helpers Make is faster and easier
to call complex APIs from
• PayPal your website.
• Windows Azure Storage
• …

39. demo
Helpers

40. App Gallery & OSS Apps

41. OSS Apps
1. Free
2. Popular = large community
3. Gets you close to the solution quickly
4. Easy to configure

42. Build on the success of Web PI
Web Platform Installer WebMatrix
Download  

Install (inc. dependencies) 
Customize 
SEO Analysis 
Publish 

43. demo
App Gallery & Wordpress in the box

44. Conclusion

45. Next steps
1. Install WebMatrix

46. Next steps
1. Install WebMatrix
2. Play with it
1. Create a new website with templates or from scratch
2. Edit an existing one
3. Deploy an app by using the App Gallery

47. Next steps
1. Install WebMatrix
2. Play with it
1. Create a new website with templates or from scratch
2. Edit an existing one
3. Deploy an app by using the App Gallery
3. Unleash the power of the Matrix & have fun

48. Resources
• http://microsoft.com/web/webmatrix
• http://asp.net/webmatrixresource (v1 tutorials)
• http://www.webnotwar.ca/

49. Q&A

50. Contact me
Frederic Harper, Developer Evangelist
fredh@microsoft.com
@fharper
http://webnotwar.ca
http://outofcomfortzone.net

51. © 2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should
not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation.
MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.