how to improve MVC Application Performance-Tricks

In this post we will cover a few tips and tricks to improve ASP.NET MVC Application Performance.

Run in Release mode

Make sure your production application always runs in release mode in the web.config

1	<compilation debug="false"></compilation>

or change this in the machine.config on the production servers

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<configuration>     <system.web>           <deployment retail="true"></deployment>     </system.web> </configuration>

Only use the View Engines that you require

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protected void Application_Start() {     ViewEngines.Engines.Clear();     ViewEngines.Engines.Add(new RazorViewEngine()); }

Use the CachedDataAnnotationsModelMetadataProvider

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1	ModelMetadataProviders.Current = new CachedDataAnnotationsModelMetadataProvider();

Avoid passing null models to views

Because a NullReferenceException will be thrown when the expression gets evaluated, which .NET then has to handle gracefully.

// BAD

public ActionResult Profile()

{

    return View();

}

// GOOD

public ActionResult Profile()

{

    return View(new Profile());

}

Use OutputCacheAttribute when appropriate

For content that does not change often, use the OutputCacheAttribute to save unnecessary and action executions.

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[OutputCache(VaryByParam = "none", Duration = 3600)] public ActionResult Categories() {     return View(new Categories()); }

Use HTTP Compression

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<system.webserver> <urlcompression dodynamiccompression="true" dostaticcompression="true" dynamiccompressionbeforecache="true"></urlcompression> </system.webserver>

Remove unused HTTP Modules

If you run into any problems after removing them, try adding them back in.

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<httpmodules>       <remove name="WindowsAuthentication"></remove>       <remove name="PassportAuthentication"></remove>       <remove name="Profile"></remove>       <remove name="AnonymousIdentification"></remove> </httpmodules>

Flush your HTML as soon as it is generated

1	<pages buffer="true" enableviewstate="false"></pages>

Turn off Tracing

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<configuration>      <system.web>           <trace enabled="false"></trace>      </system.web> </configuration>

Remove HTTP Headers

This is more of a security thing

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<system.web>     <httpruntime enableversionheader="false"></httpruntime> </system.web>

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<httpprotocol>  <customheaders>   <remove name="X-Powered-By"></remove>  </customheaders> </httpprotocol>

Uninstall the URL Rewrite module if not required

This saves CPU cycles used to check the server variable for each request.

1	Go to "Add or Remove Programs" and find "Microsoft URL Rewrite Module" and select uninstall.