Microsoft’s ASPX (ASP.NET Web Forms) is often criticized and considered problematic ("B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T." by some developers) for several key reasons:
Legacy and Maintenance Mode: ASP.NET Web Forms is effectively a legacy technology. Microsoft no longer actively develops new features for it, only security patches. It is not supported on the modern .NET Core/.NET 5+ platforms and is tied to the older Windows-only .NET Framework 4.8, limiting its future viability[2][4].
Performance Issues: The framework relies heavily on server-side rendering with frequent postbacks and ViewState, which increases page size and slows down response times. This makes applications built with Web Forms less performant compared to modern frameworks[5][6].
Limited Control Over HTML and Client-Side Behavior: Web Forms abstracts HTML generation through server controls, often producing bloated and complex markup. This limits developers’ ability to create clean, semantic HTML and hinders integration with modern frontend JavaScript frameworks like React or Angular[5][6].
Complex and Confusing Page Lifecycle: The event-driven model and complex page lifecycle (Init, Load, PreRender, etc.) make the framework difficult to learn and maintain, especially for new developers[6].
Poor Support for Modern Web Development Practices: Web Forms does not natively support RESTful APIs, asynchronous programming, or modern client-side development patterns, making it ill-suited for building highly interactive, responsive single-page applications[5][6][8].
SEO and URL Routing Limitations: The default URL structure with .aspx extensions is less SEO-friendly, and routing capabilities are limited compared to newer frameworks like ASP.NET MVC or Core[6].
Shrinking Developer Pool: As the technology ages, fewer developers are skilled in Web Forms, increasing maintenance costs and making it hard to find talent[2][5].
Windows and IIS Dependency: Web Forms is tightly coupled to Windows Server and IIS, limiting deployment flexibility, especially in modern containerized or Linux-based environments[5].
Testing Difficulties: Automated testing is complicated due to dynamically generated control IDs and the complex request lifecycle, reducing testability compared to MVC or Blazor[5].
In essence, ASP.NET Web Forms was revolutionary in its time, simplifying web development by mimicking desktop app patterns. But today, it is seen as outdated, cumbersome, and inflexible compared to modern alternatives. Developers and businesses are encouraged to migrate to newer frameworks like ASP.NET Core MVC or Blazor, which offer better performance, cleaner architecture, modern tooling, and cross-platform support[2][5][8].
ASP.NET Web Forms in 2025 is like a reliable old car: it still works but parts are getting harder to find, and mechanics who know how to work on it are becoming rare[2].
This explains why many consider ASPX "bullshit" today-it no longer fits modern web development needs and imposes significant limitations and maintenance burdens.
Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASP.NET_Web_Forms
[2] https://www.thatsoftwaredude.com/content/14001/asp-web-forms-in-2025
[3] https://graffersid.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-using-net/
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/csharp/comments/1hhw10t/is_webforms_still_popular_or_is_it_still_active/
[5] https://candf.com/our-insights/articles/modernizing-webforms-migrating-to-net-for-better-performance/
[6] https://www.surfsidemedia.in/post/what-are-the-limitations-of-aspnet-web-forms
[7] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7674102/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-asp-net-webforms-vs-asp-net-mvc-some-points
[8] https://devessence.com/blog/!/31/asp-net-web-forms-vs-blazor-reasons-to-migrate-and-short-transition-guide