In this article I will introduce you to the changes that ASP.NET has undergone in more recent times,
Data Controls
Data access can be accomplished declaratively (without code) using new data source controls. New data source controls can represent different data back-ends such as SQL and XML, and there are new data-bound controls for rendering common UI for data, such as grids, details, and forms.
Login Controls
These controls provide the building blocks to add authentication and authorization-based UI. For example, login forms, user forms, password retrieval, and custom UI for logged-in users or roles.
Master Pages
This feature provides the ability to define a common structure for your site, such as a page header, footer, or navigation bar, in a common location, to be shared by many different pages from within your site.
Navigation Controls
These controls provide a common UI for navigating between pages within your site, such as breadcrumbs, tree-views, and menus.
Server Controls
ASP.NET 2.0 includes 45 new server controls that enable powerful support for data access, login security, wizard navigation, image generation, menus, treeviews, portals ...etc. Many of the new controls take advantage of core application services in ASP.NET for data access, membership and roles, and personalization.
Themes and Skins
Themes and skins allow for easy customization of a site's look-and-feel. You can define style information in a common location ("theme") and apply that style information globally to pages or controls.
Web Part Controls
Web Parts is a new family of controls that enable developers to add rich, personalized content and layout to a website, in addition to the ability to edit that content and layout directly from an application page.
There are many more administration, extensibility, management, performance, and scalability enhancements.
