OutputText

OutputText is a lightweight server‑side control used primarily in Web Forms applications to render text to a web page. It derives from the base class WebControl and implements the IRenderControl interface, providing a minimal set of properties and methods for displaying literal text. The control’s text can be set through its Text property, which accepts a string that will be HTML‑encoded before rendering unless the HtmlEncode property is explicitly set to false. OutputText is often employed within data‑binding scenarios, where the control’s Text property is bound to a database field, allowing dynamic display of information such as titles, labels, or results of a calculation.

Because the control produces no additional markup beyond the encoded text, it is ideal for situations that require efficient rendering, such as lists or tables that may contain a large number of items. Developers can also subclass OutputText to add custom behavior, for instance to support custom formatting or to integrate with a client‑side date picker.

Unlike more feature‑rich controls like Label or Literal, OutputText offers a narrower API, with fewer properties such as EnableViewState, CssClass, and ValidationGroup. Its typical usage pattern involves declaring the control in an .aspx page:

<asp:OutputText ID="OutputText1" runat="server" Text="Hello, World!" />

In code‑behind, a value can be assigned or changed during the page lifecycle:

OutputText1.Text = GetGreeting();

Keep in mind that because OutputText performs automatic HTML encoding, it is safe for displaying user‑generated content and helps mitigate cross‑site scripting vulnerabilities. When unencoded output is required, developers must set HtmlEncode to false and ensure proper input validation.