Blazor Server vs WebAssembly
Blazor comes in two hosting models — Server and WebAssembly (WASM). While both use the same component model and syntax, they differ in how and where your app runs.
Blazor Hosting Models at a Glance
| Feature | Blazor Server | Blazor WebAssembly |
|---|---|---|
| Execution Location | Server (via SignalR) | Client (in the browser) |
| Startup Time | Fast | Slower (downloads .NET runtime) |
| Offline Support | No | Yes |
| Code Access | Full .NET API support | Limited (due to browser sandbox) |
| Real-Time Capabilities | Excellent (SignalR built-in) | Needs additional JS/interop |
| Deployment | Requires a server | Static file hosting (e.g., GitHub Pages, CDN) |
When to Choose Blazor Server
- Apps with real-time interactions or frequent data updates
- Corporate intranet systems
- You need access to secure server-side resources (like databases)
When to Choose Blazor WebAssembly
- Apps that must run offline or on edge networks
- Single-page applications (SPA) with minimal server interaction
- Progressive Web Apps (PWA) or apps deployed via static hosting
Both hosting models are powerful and fit different use cases. You can even combine them by using Blazor WebAssembly for the UI and ASP.NET Core Web API for backend logic.
Next, we’ll look at how to create reusable Blazor components to build maintainable UIs.