Blazor offers a solid development experience: C# for web UIs with full JavaScript interop when needed. But Microsoft’s UI framework graveyard raises an obvious question: Is this different, or are we repeating history?

Microsoft’s UI Framework Graveyard

  • Web Forms — Hide HTML complexity (abandoned)
  • WPF — The desktop future (niche)
  • Silverlight — (we don’t talk about it)
  • Universal Apps — Run everywhere (dead)
  • MAUI — Unify mobile/desktop (struggling)

Each promised cross-platform simplicity. Each followed the same trajectory.

What’s Different This Time?

Humility. Blazor’s pitch is simply “C# for web UIs,” no grand promises, no “write once, run everywhere” hype.

Microsoft learned from TypeScript and is running dual strategies:

  • TypeScript — Improve JavaScript for everyone
  • Blazor — WebAssembly option for .NET teams

Adoption reality: ~40k websites (growing 200%+ but still tiny). Mostly enterprise internal apps. Even Microsoft doesn’t use Blazor for flagship properties.

The real strategy: This isn’t about replacing JavaScript. It’s positioning for when performance-critical web apps need WebAssembly: AI interfaces, data visualization, browser-based tools. Let JavaScript dominate today; be ready for tomorrow’s performance tier.

Decision Framework

Use Blazor if:

  • .NET-heavy organization needing internal tools
  • Performance-critical web computations (data processing, visualizations)
  • Betting on WebAssembly’s future for AI/computational interfaces

Stick with TypeScript/JavaScript if:

  • Web-first organization
  • Need broad ecosystem and hiring pool
  • Building standard web applications

Will It Survive?

The uncertainty: Microsoft’s track record speaks for itself. Decades of abandoned UI frameworks create justified skepticism.

The difference: WebAssembly isn’t Microsoft-specific. Even if Microsoft abandons Blazor, the compiled output remains usable. That’s more durability than previous frameworks offered, but still not a guarantee.

The reality: Users need performance, not specific technologies. WebAssembly adoption depends on whether the web demands it. AI interfaces and browser-based tools might drive that demand. Or they might not.

The Verdict

Use Blazor where it delivers clear value today. Don’t architect long-term systems assuming it will be supported forever.

Microsoft stopped fighting the web and started complementing it; that’s progress. Whether Blazor is a hedge bet or another experiment remains to be seen.