Global.asax Syntax

The Global.asax file, also known as the ASP.NET application file, is an optional file that contains code for responding to application-level and session-level events raised by ASP.NET or by HTTP modules. The Global.asax file resides in the root directory of an ASP.NET application. At run time, Global.asax is parsed and compiled into a dynamically generated .NET Framework class derived from the HttpApplication base class. ASP.NET is configured so that any direct URL request for the Global.asax file is automatically rejected; external users cannot download or view the code in it.

The Global.asax file is optional. You create it only if you want to handle application or session events.

• Application Directives
  Tags that define optional application-specific settings used by the ASP.NET parser when processing the Global.asax file.

• Code Declaration Blocks
  Tags that define sections of server-side code that can be embedded in the Global.asax file.

• Code Render Blocks
  Tags that define inline code or expressions that can be embedded within the declarative sections of the Global.asax file.

• Server-Side Object Tag Syntax
  Elements that create application and session variables using a declarative syntax.

• Server-Side Include Directive Syntax
  Tags with a syntax for specifying server-side includes of text files within ASP.NET application files.

• ASP.NET Life Cycle
  Provides information about the step-by-step processing that occurs during an ASP.NET application lifetime.

Custom ASP.NET Processing with HTTP Handlers
Extending ASP.NET Processing with HTTP Modules
ASP.NET Page Syntax