Getting into ASP.NET MVC

It all started when I decided that I'd rewrite a partially-aborted PHP web app of mine in .Net. The PHP version was relatively functional, but PHP is not my strongest skill, so updating and improving it was hard. Combined with a lack of good quality free time, it meant that I didn't have the inclination to update it much.

Much of the design work is already done. The database schema is solid and it isn't trivial - it took me a number of iterations to get right. The UI flow has been decided, and at this point, I'm happy to reuse most of the layout, css and images.

At Tech.Ed this year, I heard a lot of great things about ASP.NET MVC. The Hands-On-Lab I did gave me just enough of it to get me interested, so when I decided I was going to rewrite this thing in .Net, MVC seemed like the way to go.

So I'm now attempting to learn how it all works, and it's going really well. The secret? The NerdDinner tutorial courtesy of Rob Conery, Scott Guthrie, Scott Hanselman, and Phil Haack (actually I get the impression that Scott Guthrie wrote the tutorial, but the originating book is authored by all of them).

Seriously, if you're looking at playing with ASP.NET MVC, run through this tutorial from start to finish. I guarantee by the end of it you'll be all over the basics, and loving the way ASP.NET MVC is put together.

I'm looking forward to getting into some real development with this project.