Difference between Private methods and Actions decorated with NonAction in Asp.Net MVC

Question

in Asp.Net MVC if I decorate an action method with attribute NonAction then it wont be allowed to be called by the user visiting the site. same happens when I make it private

So whats the difference between the two and is there a special purpose for which NonAction attribute has been made?

For example whats the difference between

[NonAction]
public ActionResult SomeAction(){}

And

private ActionResult SomeAction(){}

in the context of asp.net MVC of course I know one is public and the other one is private

Answer 1

That's the only difference. The attribute is used when you want a method that has a signature that would make it an action, but that you don't want to be an action.

An example for a use for that is a method that action methods call to produce the ActionResult for them:

[NonAction]
public JsonResult JsonInfo(string id, string value) {
  return Json(new { id = id, value = value });
}

public JsonResult GetBusInfo() {
  return JsonInfo("4", "Bus");
}

public JsonResult GetCarInfo() {
  return JsonInfo("8", "Car");
}

The reason to make it public instead of private would be so that actions in other controllers could also use it.