.NET Web Development, Week 8

Meeting Purpose

Introduce binary search trees (BSTs) and implement basic BST operations (insert and contains).

Key Takeaways

• BSTs keep left subtrees less than and right subtrees greater than the root
• Insert and contains are implemented recursively using helper functions
• Duplicate values are typically ignored to maintain the BST invariant

Meeting Purpose

Introduce MVC architecture and routing in C# .NET applications.

Key Takeaways

• MVC separates an application into Model, View, and Controller layers
• Created a first MVC app using the dotnet new mvc command
• Covered conventional and attribute-based routing, route parameters, and query strings

Meeting Purpose

Review routing in MVC applications and run a group activity building "Choose Your Own Adventure" games.

Key Takeaways

• Reviewed route parameters and prefixing routes with attributes
• Teams built branching-story games to practice MVC routing
• Previewed the next day's topics: views, layouts, and partial views

Meeting Purpose

Review and implement five binary search tree algorithms: Min, Max, and three depth-first traversals (in-order, pre-order, post-order).

Key Takeaways

• Min and Max traverse iteratively left or right until reaching the end
• In-order, pre-order, and post-order traversals differ in when each node is processed relative to its children
• Used a call-stack visualization to build intuition for the recursive traversals

Meeting Purpose

Continue learning about MVC, focusing on views, Razor syntax, and layouts in .NET applications.

Key Takeaways

• Views render the UI as .cshtml files that match their action method by convention
• Razor syntax embeds C# in HTML using the @ symbol
• Layouts provide a shared structure for views via @RenderBody(), and partial views enable reusable components

Meeting Purpose

Review binary search tree algorithms and introduce software testing concepts.

Key Takeaways

• Implemented recursive BST height calculation and BST validation
• Introduced the testing pyramid and the 3 A's: Arrange, Act, Assert
• Emphasized unit testing as a way to strengthen portfolio projects

Meeting Purpose

Discuss passing data from controllers to views in ASP.NET MVC, covering ViewData, ViewBag, and strongly typed views.

Key Takeaways

• ViewData and ViewBag are best for simple page metadata, not complex data
• Strongly typed views bound to a model give the best type safety and IntelliSense
• View models help organize and structure data specifically for a view

Meeting Purpose

Review progress on a .NET bug tracker activity and discuss debugging challenges.

Key Takeaways

• Groups practiced passing data with ViewData, ViewBag, and strongly typed models
• Common issues included incorrect view folder structure and collection initialization syntax
• Emphasized starting with minimal working code and systematic troubleshooting

Meeting Purpose

Discuss and implement the removal of nodes from a binary search tree.

Key Takeaways

• Node removal has three cases: leaf node, one child, and two children
• For two-child nodes, the in-order successor replaces the removed node's value
• Careful parent tracking and recursion are crucial for maintaining BST integrity

Meeting Purpose

Introduce form handling, view models, and validation in ASP.NET Core MVC.

Key Takeaways

• Built a dedicated RegisterFormViewModel, separate from entity models
• The PRG (Post-Redirect-Get) pattern prevents accidental form resubmission
• Form validation uses data annotations on the view model plus tag helpers in the view

Meeting Purpose

Cover form handling, validation, and session management in .NET MVC.

Key Takeaways

• Implemented the PRG pattern alongside Session for temporary data persistence
• Added CSRF protection using anti-forgery tokens on POST actions
• Demonstrated the concepts with a Mad Libs story generator project

Meeting Purpose

Wrap up discussion on binary search trees, focusing on balance checking and rebalancing algorithms.

Key Takeaways

• Implemented isBalanced() using a recursive helper that tracks node balance and height
• Built rebalance() to rebuild a balanced tree from an in-order traversal
• Used the day for catch-up and solidifying earlier material