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A reliable star-rating feature is more than a row of clickable stars: it needs an accessible control, a clear preview, a request to an MVC endpoint, server-side validation, persistence, and a response-driven update. The interaction pattern in a 2010 jQuery tutorial remains useful, but its jQuery 1.4 Alpha 2 and image-based code should be treated as historical, not copied into a current application.
How the rating interaction should work
Keep the rating already on record separate from the value the visitor is currently choosing. Render the current value as the displayed state, and maintain a distinct pending value while the visitor interacts. On pointer movement, preview the corresponding stars; on selection, submit the value. The historical tutorial follows this pattern with image changes on hover and a click that sends a request using jQuery $.post, then updates a result element from the callback. Its implementation uses image assets and jQuery 1.4 Alpha 2, so use it to understand the flow rather than as a modern dependency recipe: the 2010 tutorial.
For a custom control, render a clearly labeled set of choices and expose the selected value in a way assistive technology can understand. Provide concise instructions, such as the valid range, and announce submission status and errors. Do not make color or star imagery the only indication of the current or previewed value. The aggregate rating for an item, if shown, is informational; it should not be confused with the visitor’s pending selection.
Send a focused request to an MVC endpoint
Send the content identifier and selected numeric value to a purpose-built action. The old example uses a hard-coded URL and $.post; a current application should follow its own routing, authentication, and request-format conventions instead of inheriting that URL or assuming the same response shape. Keep the input model narrow: accept only the fields needed to identify the item and the proposed rating, rather than binding an entire domain object from the browser.
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Choose an endpoint contract that fits the application: for example, a form submission or an asynchronous request returning the updated rating state. Handle both success and failure. Change the displayed state only after the server confirms the result, and base the updated value on the server’s response rather than treating the browser’s submitted value as authoritative. The historical sample demonstrates a response callback, but does not define a modern response schema.
Validate and authorize on the server before saving
Every value received from the browser is untrusted, even if the interface restricts choices or client-side validation is enabled. ASP.NET Core MVC performs model binding and validation before the controller action runs. Microsoft’s validation guidance states: “Both model binding and model validation occur before the execution of a controller action or a Razor Pages handler method.” In the action, check ModelState.IsValid and enforce the rating range and any application-specific rules before persistence: Microsoft’s ASP.NET Core model validation documentation.
A valid number is not, by itself, a valid vote. Depending on the product, check that the content exists and can be rated, that the requester is allowed to rate it, and that duplicate submissions follow the intended policy. Those rules belong to the application; the framework’s model validation does not define them. If checks pass, save through the application’s normal persistence layer and return a response that reflects the saved state.
Use client validation for feedback, not as a security boundary
Client-side validation can make form errors visible sooner, but it cannot replace server-side checks: requests can be sent without using the page’s scripts. For ASP.NET Core MVC unobtrusive validation, include compatible jQuery, jQuery Validation, and jQuery Unobtrusive Validation scripts. Microsoft explains how these pieces work together and how to handle dynamically added forms: Microsoft’s client-side validation guidance.
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If an AJAX operation inserts a new form into the page, call $.validator.unobtrusive.parse on that form after insertion so unobtrusive rules are attached. When adding controls to a form that has already been parsed, clear the stored validator data and reparse as needed; otherwise the new controls may not receive validation. These scripts improve interaction, but the endpoint must still validate every submission on the server.
Choose between a custom widget and a component
A custom jQuery control offers direct control over presentation and behavior, while a component can provide ready-made interaction and model integration. The right choice depends on the application’s MVC generation, accessibility needs, customization requirements, deployment fit, and willingness to maintain the widget.
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| Consideration | Custom jQuery widget | Telerik MVC Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and maintenance | You build and maintain the control, request behavior, and state updates. | Uses a vendor component; confirm its fit with the project’s maintenance and deployment approach. |
| Model integration | Implement the request and binding behavior for your endpoint. | Telerik documents model binding for its MVC Rating component. |
| Interaction and accessibility | You are responsible for keyboard operation, accessible labeling, and status or error communication. | Telerik documents keyboard and mouse operation and screen-reader interaction; this is a vendor capability claim, not an independent accessibility audit. |
| Customization | Control precision, labeling, and presentation directly, at the cost of implementation work. | Check that the component supports the precision, labels, and visual behavior the application needs. |
| Compatibility and licensing | Verify dependencies and behavior against the application’s MVC version. | Verify compatibility with the target MVC generation and review current licensing and deployment terms before adoption. |
Telerik documents its MVC Rating component as a wrapper around its Kendo UI for jQuery widget. That makes it a concrete alternative when model integration and built-in interaction matter, but does not remove the need to verify project compatibility, licensing, or accessibility in the application where it will be used.
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