Correct way to reference Javascript in ASP.NET MVC?

Question

What is the correct way to reference Javascript in ASP.NET MVC? Using something like ../../Scripts/Myscript.js seems to work fine for routes that are the traditional {controller}/{action}/{id}, but are more fragile for anything more or less complex than that. Of greater concern is that the rational absolute reference (/Scripts/Myscript.js) breaks Intellisense in Visual Studio.

How do you handle it?

EDIT: This is obviously a very old question at this point, but I'm editing to mention that in MVC4, all you need is this:

src="~/Scripts/Whatever.js"

That's enough for Razor to figure out where you mean, using the root path.

Christian Merat · Accepted Answer · 2009-06-02 03:21:21Z

19

<script src="<%= Url.Content("~/Scripts/Myscript.js") %>" type="text/javascript"></script>

answered Jun 2, 2009 at 3:21

Christian Merat

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Adrian Carr · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-21 21:03:06Z

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In case anyone else finds this answer that is using MVC Razor, here's the syntax for that:

<script type="text/javascript" src="@Url.Content("/Scripts/MyScript.js")"></script>

answered Feb 21, 2012 at 21:03

Adrian Carr

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1 Comment

Jeff Putz Over a year ago

In MVC4, all you need is src="~/Scripts/Myscript.js" and Razor will figure it out.

Matt Kocaj · Accepted Answer · 2009-06-02 05:10:18Z

4

I also reference js the same way as CMerat:

<script type="text/javascript" src="<% =Url.Content("~/Scripts/jquery-1.3.2.min.js") %>"></script>

If you need Intellisense for jquery, you can find instructions on how to set it up here. As far as i know, you cant get Intellisense for any custom js file you reference - you will need to create the Intellisense file for it first.

answered Jun 2, 2009 at 5:10

Matt Kocaj

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2 Comments

Jeff Putz Over a year ago

I'm aware of Scott's instructions, but what I'm getting from these responses are that there's no way to correctly reference the script and have Intellisense work for files that support it (like jQuery), other than using the ScriptManager.

Matt Kocaj Over a year ago

That makes sense.. coz the auto-intellisense (if u want to call it that) is only away of script it can see in the page. As your script it 'linked' it is bound late and so the IDE is not aware of it's contents at design time.

ipodtouch0218 · Accepted Answer · 2025-04-08 16:52:12Z

1

I myself use mvccontrib htmlhelpers for this at the moment.

This can be useful too.

edited Apr 8 at 16:52

ipodtouch0218

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answered Jun 2, 2009 at 5:35

Arnis Lapsa

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ten5peed · Accepted Answer · 2009-06-02 09:36:14Z

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I've created my own HtmlHelper extensions that look like:

public static string MEScriptBlock(this HtmlHelper html, string path, string releasePath)
{
#if DEBUG
#else
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(releasePath))
        path = releasePath;
#endif

    return string.Format("<script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"{0}\"></script>\r\n",
                         path);
}

If intellisense is what you're after you could trick VS into thinking that a JS file has been loaded... E.g.

<% if (false)
   { %>
    <script src="../../Scripts/Myscript.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<% } %>

HTHs, Charles

answered Jun 2, 2009 at 9:36

ten5peed

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