This is 3rd post of my MVC series that discuss fundamental concepts of MVC with Jumpstart drill.

Model-View-Controller (MVC) is basically a software architecture pattern which  comprises of 3 Tiers, each tier have different functionality. Controller is a main tier of MVC architecture that responsible for collecting request and responding to request. Model is a tier that responsible for validating data structure at database end as well as on the User Interface. While View is front end of MVC application in which data is presented to user.

Speaking of generally MVC does not have any version and can be implemented in any language. Since we are focussing on Microsoft technology therefore we will see different versions of  MVC, which are versioned after updation of libraries.

Currently, in ASP.net MVC we have versions upto 4.  We will be focussing on the latest that is i-e, MVC 4.

Some of the main Features that MVC 4 provides are:

1. Asp.net Web API.
2. New and Modernized default project template.
3. Supports for mobile application.
4. Mobile default project template.
5. Enhanced support for asynchronous projects and many more.

You can find detail list by following this link

Now we can go to real staff, creating our own First MVC 4 application.

Open you Visual Studio 2012 and Go to File > New Project

In New Project window select Web from left hand side menu under Template and Select MVC 4 Web Application from the list and name the project "MyFirstMVC4WebApp".


After pressing OK a new window will appear select a template as a Internet Application and make sure view engine is selected as a Razor.

Display Attributes defines how data is being displayed from Data Model.

Some of the Display attributes are:-

1. DataTypeAttribute - Specifies a perticular type of data such as email or phone number.
2. DisplayAttribute - Specifies a string for data type and members used that are used in user interface.
3. DisplayFormatAttribute - Specifies how data field is displayed or formatted.

Data Modelling Attributes

Data Modelling Attribute is used for specifying data members and the relation in between them.

Few of  the main attribute of this category are:-

1. KeyAttribute - use for defining unique key one or more time.
2. TimestampAttribute - Use for defining a timestamp for data versioning.

Open each of the model file from your previous project add following attributes as shown below

Always remeber that these Attributes while implimenting doesnot need full name for example RequiredAttribute will be written like [Required] without keyword Attribute.
Rest of the Code remains same.

After Running a project you will get following changes in your database that can be viewed from SQL Object Explorer

This is my first article of MVC 4 Development series, which is based on basic guidance of implementation of the code first approach, initially this project is build on Console Application to avoid complexities for the starters.

Before starting the drill, I would first like to tell you that all of my example will base on Restaurant Management System and i will try to keep this example consistent through out this series.

Following is an ERD of the system, I hope the naming conventions are self explanatory to all the viewers.


Create a new console application project in your visual studio, by going to File > New Project in menu bar or Ctrl + Shift + N