ASP.NET profiles are used to store and retrieve user settings in a data source such as a database. Profile information and property values are managed by using a profile provider. Profile information can be stored in a Microsoft SQL Server database by using the SqlProfileProvider class, or in a custom data source by using an implementation of the ProfileProvider abstract class.

ASP.NET profiles are configured by using the profile configuration section.

When an application starts that has profiles enabled, ASP.NET creates a new class of type ProfileCommon, which inherits from the ProfileBase class. Strongly typed accessors are added to the ProfileCommon class for each property that is defined in the profile configuration section. An instance of the ProfileCommon class is set as the value of the Profile property of the current HttpContext object. You can create a custom profile implementation that inherits from the ProfileBase abstract class and that defines properties for the user profile that are not specified in the profile configuration element.

 Classes

	Class	Description
	CustomProviderDataAttribute	Provides a string of custom data to the provider for a profile property.
	DefaultProfile	Represents a user-profile instance when no profile properties are defined.
	ProfileAutoSaveEventArgs	Provides data for the ProfileAutoSaving event of the ProfileModule class.
	ProfileBase	Provides untyped access to profile property values and information.
	ProfileEventArgs	Provides data for the Personalize event of the ProfileModule class.
	ProfileGroupBase	Provides untyped access to grouped ASP.NET profile property values.
	ProfileInfo	Provides information about a user profile.
	ProfileInfoCollection	A collection of ProfileInfo objects.
	ProfileManager	Manages user profile data and settings.
	ProfileMigrateEventArgs	Provides data for the MigrateAnonymous event of the ProfileModule class.
	ProfileModule	Manages the creation of the user profile and profile events. This class cannot be inherited.
	ProfileProvider	Defines the contract that ASP.NET implements to provide profile services using custom profile providers.
	ProfileProviderAttribute	Identifies the profile provider for a user-profile property.
	ProfileProviderCollection	A collection of objects that inherit the ProfileProvider abstract class.
	SettingsAllowAnonymousAttribute	Identifies whether a profile property can be set or accessed for an anonymous user.
	SqlProfileProvider	Manages storage of profile information for an ASP.NET application in a SQL Server database.

 Delegates

	Delegate	Description
	ProfileAutoSaveEventHandler	Represents the method that will handle the ProfileAutoSaving event of a ProfileModule.
	ProfileEventHandler	Represents the method that will handle the Personalize event of a ProfileModule.
	ProfileMigrateEventHandler	Represents the method that will handle the MigrateAnonymous event of the ProfileModule class.

 Enumerations

	Enumeration	Description
	ProfileAuthenticationOption	Describes the authentication type of user profiles to be searched.