Difference between Html TextBox and Html TextBoxFor

In the context of ASP.NET MVC, both Html.TextBox and Html.TextBoxFor are methods that generate HTML input elements for text entry. However, they differ in the way they bind to model properties and provide strongly-typed support.

1. Html.TextBox:

   • This method is typically used when you want to manually specify the name and value of the input element.
   • It does not provide compile-time checking or strongly-typed support for model properties.
   • Example usage: @Html.TextBox("Name", Model.Name)

2. Html.TextBoxFor:

   • This method is used when you want to bind the input element directly to a model property.
   • It provides compile-time checking and strongly-typed support, which helps catch errors at compile-time rather than runtime.
   • Example usage: @Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.Name)

The Html.TextBoxFor method has the advantage of being strongly typed, which means it can automatically infer the type of the model property and generate appropriate input elements (e.g., <input type="text">, <input type="number">, etc.). It also generates the correct name attribute for model binding, allowing the MVC framework to automatically populate the corresponding model property during form submission.

Using Html.TextBoxFor is generally recommended because it provides better type safety and helps catch errors early in the development process. Additionally, it simplifies model binding and reduces the amount of manual code you need to write.