What is @section scripts and what it is used for

Question

I have downloaded a chat example from the Microsoft website. I have been following several tutorials but I have never seen the @section script{} before I have done scripts without this block of c# code (@section script{}) and it seem to work fine but in this instance of the chat application using signal R when I do take the scripts outside the block it does not work.

@section scripts { <!--Script references. --> <!--The jQuery library is required and is referenced by default in _Layout.cshtml. --> <!--Reference the SignalR library. --> <script src="~/Scripts/jquery.signalR-2.2.0.min.js"></script> <!--Reference the autogenerated SignalR hub script. --> <script src="~/signalr/hubs"></script> <!--SignalR script to update the chat page and send messages.--> <script>     $(function () {         // Reference the auto-generated proxy for the hub.         var chat = $.connection.chatHub;         // Create a function that the hub can call back to display messages.         chat.client.addNewMessageToPage = function (name, message) {             // Add the message to the page.             $('#discussion').append('<li><strong>' + htmlEncode(name)                 + '</strong>: ' + htmlEncode(message) + '</li>');         };         // Get the user name and store it to prepend to messages.         $('#displayname').val(prompt('Enter your name:', ''));         // Set initial focus to message input box.         $('#message').focus();         // Start the connection.         $.connection.hub.start().done(function () {             $('#sendmessage').click(function () {                 // Call the Send method on the hub.                 chat.server.send($('#displayname').val(), $('#message').val());                 // Clear text box and reset focus for next comment.                 $('#message').val('').focus();             });         });     });     // This optional function html-encodes messages for display in the page.     function htmlEncode(value) {         var encodedValue = $('<div />').text(value).html();         return encodedValue;     } </script> } 

Answer 1

A section allows you to add something in a view which will be added in the layout. ie:-

view

@section scripts {      <script>        alert('foo');      </script>  } 

layout

@RenderSection("scripts", false) 

now this named section scripts will be rendered where you have specified in the layout.

@RenderSection also has 2 signatures:-

public HelperResult RenderSection(string name) // section required in the view public HelperResult RenderSection(string name, bool required)