ASP Basic Syntax Rules
In our ASP tutorial, every example shows the hidden ASP source code. This will make it easier for you to understand how it works.
Write Output to a Browser
An ASP file normally contains HTML tags, just like an HTML file. However, an ASP file can also contain server scripts, surrounded by the delimiters <% and %>.
Server scripts are executed on the server, and can contain any expressions, statements, procedures, or operators valid for the scripting language you prefer to use.
The response.write Command
The response.write command is used to write output to a browser. The following example sends the text "Hello World" to the browser:
Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<%
response.write("Hello World!")
%>
</body>
</html>
Show Example »
There is also a shorthand method for the response.write command. The following example also sends the text "Hello World" to the browser:
Using VBScript in ASP
You can use several scripting languages in ASP. However, the default scripting language is VBScript:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<%
response.write("Hello World!")
%>
</body>
</html>
The example above writes "Hello World!" into the body of the document.
Using JavaScript in ASP
To set JavaScript as the default scripting language for a particular page you must insert a language specification at the top of the page:
<%@ language="javascript"%>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<%
Response.Write("Hello World!")
%>
</body>
</html>
Note: JavaScript is case sensitive! You will have to write your ASP code with uppercase letters and lowercase letters when the language requires it.
Other Scripting Languages
ASP is shipped with VBScript and JScript (Microsoft's implementation of JavaScript). If you want to script in another language, like PERL, REXX, or Python, you will have to install script engines for them.
