ASP Tutorial

Introduction to ASP

Introduction to ASP (Active Server Pages)

ASP (Active Server Pages) is a server-side scripting technology developed by Microsoft that enables the creation of dynamic and interactive web pages. ASP runs on the server and generates HTML, CSS, or JavaScript code that is sent to the browser.

Note: ASP is often referred to as “Classic ASP” to distinguish it from ASP.NET, which is its successor built on the .NET framework.

Why Use ASP?

Create dynamic content based on user input or database queries
Support for server-side scripting using VBScript or JScript
Integrates easily with Microsoft tools and technologies (like SQL Server)
Supports reusable components like COM objects

Basic ASP Syntax

ASP code is placed inside special tags: <% ... %>. The server executes this code and sends the result to the client's browser.

<% Response.Write("Hello from ASP!") %>

Explanation: This script uses the built-in Response object to output text to the browser.

ASP File Extension

ASP pages have the extension .asp. These pages are processed on the server before being sent to the user.

Common ASP Objects

Request: Retrieves values from the client (e.g., form data)
Response: Sends output to the browser
Session: Stores user data across multiple pages
Server: Provides access to server methods
Application: Stores global variables across all users

ASP with HTML

You can freely combine HTML and ASP code in one file:

<html> <body>
Welcome
The current time is: <% =Now() %>

ASP Example with Request

You can handle form data with the Request object:

<% name = Request.Form("username") Response.Write("Hello, " & name) %>

Live Output:

Hello, John

Key Features of ASP

Interpreted at runtime (not compiled)
Supports session management
Simple integration with databases like MS Access or SQL Server
Secure – code is not visible to end users

ASP vs ASP.NET

Classic ASP	ASP.NET
Scripting-based (VBScript, JScript)	Compiled, supports multiple languages (.NET)
Older technology	Modern, more powerful

Tips

Use <% =value %> for inline output
Always validate form inputs to avoid errors
Sessions are useful for maintaining login states

✅ Next Step: Learn how to connect ASP to a database like Microsoft Access or SQL Server.

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