Here are few differences:
- Razor view engine: ASP.NET MVC3 uses the ASPX view engine by default, while MVC4 and MVC5 introduced the Razor view engine, which is more concise and easier to read.
- Bundling and Minification: MVC4 introduced the new feature of bundling and minification, which makes it easier to combine and compress JavaScript and CSS files into a single file.
- Authentication filters: MVC5 introduced authentication filters that enable developers to apply authentication logic to controller actions or methods. This feature makes it easier to implement authentication logic in a modular and reusable way.
- Attribute routing: MVC5 introduced attribute routing, which provides a more intuitive and flexible way to define the URL routing rules. With attribute routing, you can define the route directly in the controller or action method, rather than in a central location.
- One ASP.NET: MVC5 introduced the concept of "One ASP.NET," which is a unified development model for web applications. It integrates ASP.NET MVC, Web API, and Web Pages into a single framework, making it easier to develop and maintain web applications.
- Bootstrap: MVC5 introduced support for Bootstrap, which is a popular front-end framework for building responsive web applications. With Bootstrap, you can quickly and easily create a modern and professional-looking user interface for your application.
- Filter overrides: MVC5 allows developers to override the filters defined in the global filter collection for a specific controller or action method. This feature makes it easier to customize the behavior of filters for specific parts of the application.
Overall, each version of ASP.NET MVC introduced new features and improvements that made it easier to develop web applications. As such, the latest version, MVC5, is generally the best choice for new projects, as it offers the most up-to-date feature
