This article is going to explain the usage of every each MVC 5 action result. Action results define what type of information is going to be received by the view. So, depending on the input that you have you may want to execute a Javascript code, redirect to another view/action, or even send an empty result. To do so, you need to use the correct action result or even create a custom one. Below, you will find a description and a working example of the most used Action Result types.

NuGet packages Used for this solution,

  • https://www.nuget.org/packages/jQuery
  • https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.jQuery.Unobtrusive.Ajax

Step 1

Create a new MVC Project.

Step 2

Add an empty controller named ActionResultsController

Now, check the next steps in the respective Action Result.

ViewResult - Renders a view as a Web page.

Step 3

Create a new method of type ViewResult named ViewResultSample

  1. public ViewResult ViewResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return View();
  4. }

Step 4

Create a new view of its action.

  1. @{
  2. ViewBag.Title = "ViewResultSample";
  3. Layout = "~/Views/Shared/_Layout.cshtml";
  4. }
  6. <h2>ViewResult Sample</h2>

Step 5

Return the view from the index,

  1. @Html.ActionLink("ViewResult Sample", "ViewResultSample", "ActionResults")

PartialViewResult - Renders a partial view, which defines a section of a view that can be rendered inside another view

Step 3

Create a new method of type PartialViewResult named PartialViewResultSample

  1. public PartialViewResult PartialViewResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return PartialView("_PartialViewResultSample");
  4. }

Step 4

Create a partial View named _PartialViewResultSample

Do not forget to check the checkbox "Create a partial view"

partial view

Step 5

Call its method from the Index.

  1. @Html.Action("PartialViewResultSample")

RedirectResult - Redirects to another action method by using its URL.

Step 3

Create a new method of type RedirectResult named RedirectResultSample.

  1. public RedirectResult RedirectResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return Redirect("Index");
  4. }

Step 4

Return the object calling the view to be redirected.

  1. @Html.ActionLink("RedirectResult Sample", "RedirectResultSample", "ActionResults")

RedirectToRouteResult - Redirects to another action method.

Step 3

Create a new method of type RedirectToRouteResult named RedirectToRouteResultSample.

  1. public RedirectToRouteResult RedirectToRouteResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return RedirectToRoute(new { Controller = "Home", Action = "Index" });
  4. }

Step 4

Return the object passing the route values.

ContentResult - Returns a user-defined content type.

Step 3

Create a new method of type ContentResult named ContentResultSample

  1. public ContentResult ContentResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return Content("ContentResult Sample");
  4. }

Step 4

Call the ContentResultSample from the view.

  1. @Html.ActionLink("ContentResult Sample", "ContentResultSample", "ActionResults")

JsonResult - Returns a serialized JSON object.

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

  1. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
  2. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type JsonResult named JsonResultSample.

  1. public JsonResult JsonResultSample()
  2. {
  3. Dictionary<int, string> Clients = new Dictionary<int, string>();
  4. Clients.Add(1, "Client1");
  5. Clients.Add(2, "Client2");
  6. Clients.Add(3, "Client3");
  7. Clients.Add(4, "Client4");
  9. return Json(Clients.ToList(), JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
  10. }

Step 6

Call the JsonResultSample method from the indexed View.

JavaScriptResult - Returns a script that can be executed on the client.

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

  1. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
  2. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type JavaScriptResult named JavaScriptResultSample

  1. public JavaScriptResult JavaScriptResultSample()
  2. {
  3. string jsData = @" $('#updateTime').html('" + DateTime.Now.ToLocalTime() + "')";
  4. return JavaScript(jsData);
  5. }

Step 6

Call the JavascriptResultSample method from the indexed View.

  1. @Ajax.ActionLink("JavascriptResult Sample", "JavaScriptResultSample", "ActionResults", new AjaxOptions
  2. {
  3. HttpMethod = "GET", InsertionMode = InsertionMode.Replace, UpdateTargetId = "updateTime"
  4. })

HttpStatusCodeResult - Returns a specific HTTP response code and description

Step 3

Create a new method of type HttpStatusCodeResult named HttpStatusCodeResultSample

Step 4

Return an object of type HttpStatusCodeResult

  1. public HttpStatusCodeResult HttpStatusCodeResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return new HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.MethodNotAllowed, "HttpStatusCodeResult Sample");
  4. }

HttpUnauthorizedResult - Returns the result of an unauthorized HTTP request

Step 3

Create a new method of type HttpUnauthorizedResult named HttpUnauthorizedResultSample.

Step 4

Return an object of type HttpUnauthorizedResult.

  1. public HttpUnauthorizedResult HttpUnauthorizedResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return new HttpUnauthorizedResult("HttpUnauthorizedResult Sample");
  4. }

HttpNotFoundResult - Indicates the requested resource was not found

Step 3

Create a new method of type HttpNotFoundResult named HttpNotFoundResultSample.

Step 4

Return an object of type HttpNotFoundResult.

  1. public HttpNotFoundResult HttpNotFoundResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return new HttpNotFoundResult("HttpNotFoundResult Sample");
  4. }

FileResult - Returns binary output to write to the response

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

  1. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
  2. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type FileResult named FileResultSample

  1. public FileResult FileResultSample()
  2. {
  4. byte[] data = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("file result sample");
  5. return File(data, "text/plain");
  6. }

Step 6

Call the FileResultSample method from the index View.

  1. @Html.ActionLink("FileResult Sample", "FileResultSample", "ActionResults")

FileContentResult - Sends the contents of a binary file to the response

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

  1. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
  2. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 3

Create a new method of type FileContentResult named FileContentResultSample

  1. public FileContentResult FileContentResultSample()
  2. {
  3. byte[] data = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("file content result sample");
  4. return new FileContentResult(data, "text/plain");
  5. }

Step 6

Call the FileContentResultSample method from the index View

  1. @Html.ActionLink("FileContentResult Sample", "FileContentResultSample", "ActionResults")

FilePathResult - Sends the contents of a file to the response

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

  1. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
  2. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type FilePathResult named FilePathResultSample.

  1. public FilePathResult FilePathResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return new FilePathResult("~\\Content\\bootstrap.css", "application/css");
  4. }

Step 6

Call the FilePathResultSample method from the index View.

  1. @Html.ActionLink("FilePathResult Sample", "FilePathResultSample", "ActionResults")

FileStreamResult - Sends binary content to the response through a stream

Step 3

Make sure that you have Ajax and jQuery installed.

Step 4

Include jQuery and Ajax Libraries into the view.

  1. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"></script>
  2. <script src="~/Scripts/jquery.unobtrusive-ajax.js"></script>

Step 5

Create a new method of type FileStreamResult named FileStreamResultSample.

  1. public FileStreamResult FileStreamResultSample()
  2. {
  3. byte[] data = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("file stream result sample");
  4. var stream = new MemoryStream(data);
  5. var fileStreamResult = new FileStreamResult(stream, "text/plain");
  6. fileStreamResult.FileDownloadName = "FileStreamResultSample.txt";
  7. return fileStreamResult;
  8. }

Step 6

Call the FileStreamResultSample method from the index View.

  1. @Html.ActionLink("FileStreamResult Sample", "FileStreamResultSample", "ActionResults")

EmptyResult

Represents a return value that is used if the action method must return a null result (void).

Step 3

Create a new method of type EmptyResult named EmptyResultSample

Step 4

Return an object of type EmptyResult.

  1. public EmptyResult EmptyResultSample()
  2. {
  3. return new EmptyResult();
  4. }

Congratulations! You have gone through all the action results on MVC 5.