In ASP.NET Web Forms, what is the correct relationship between HTML attributes and server control properties?

Introduction / Context:
In Web Forms, server controls are abstractions over HTML elements. Developers work with properties on server controls in the code behind, while the browser ultimately sees HTML attributes in the rendered markup. This question addresses a common confusion between attributes and properties by asking how these concepts relate when ASP NET renders a page.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• ASP NET server controls are declared with runat server in the markup.
• Each server control exposes a set of properties in the code behind, such as Text, CssClass, or Enabled.
• When the page is rendered, the ASP NET runtime outputs HTML elements with attributes understood by the browser.
• The question asks for the correct mapping between these two layers.

Concept / Approach:
In the object oriented world of ASP NET, a server control is represented as a class with properties. For example, a TextBox control has a Text property. At runtime, the framework takes the values of these properties and generates HTML markup. These become attributes such as value or class on the final input element. Thus properties in the server side object model correspond to attributes in the HTML markup that the browser receives. The browser does not know about server control properties; it only sees attributes. Understanding this mapping helps explain how changes in the code behind influence the rendered page.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Think of a simple server control, such as an ASP NET TextBox with a Text property set in code. Step 2: Remember that when the page is rendered, the TextBox becomes an HTML input element with a value attribute holding the text. Step 3: Recognize that server control properties are strongly typed and exist in the server side object, while HTML attributes are plain string name value pairs in the markup. Step 4: Choose the option that describes properties on server controls mapping to attributes on HTML elements at render time.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by looking at the HTML source of a rendered Web Forms page. Set properties such as Text, BackColor, or CssClass on a control in the code behind. In the browser, these become attributes such as value, style, or class on the HTML element. This shows that the logical relationship is from server side properties to client side attributes, as described in option A.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B reverses the roles and suggests that server controls expose only attributes, which is wrong because they expose properties in the server side object model. Option C incorrectly claims that there are no attributes or properties, which is clearly false. Option D is wrong because the entire Web Forms model depends on mapping properties to attributes. Option E is incorrect since server control properties are used at design time and runtime to compute the output HTML; they are not removed conceptually but translated into markup.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to treat server controls as if they were the same as plain HTML elements and ignore the abstraction layer. Another mistake is to forget that most browser side behavior depends on attributes, so manipulating properties in code must eventually change those attributes. Keeping the mapping between properties and attributes in mind helps you debug rendering issues and understand how changes in the code behind affect the final output.

Final Answer:
HTML elements expose attributes in markup, and ASP NET server controls expose strongly typed properties that are mapped to those attributes when the page is rendered