Introduction to Web API
[Link] Core Web API is a component (part) of [Link] Core, which is used create
HTTP-based RESTful services (also known as HTTP services) that can be consumed
(invoked) by wide range of client applications such as single-page web applications, mobile
applications etc.
[Link] Core:
● [Link] Core MVC
● [Link] Core Web API
● [Link] Core Blazor
● [Link] Core Razor Pages
RESTful / Web API Services
RESTful services (Representational State Transfer) is an architecture style that defines to
create HTTP services that receives HTTP GET, POST, PUT, DELETE requests; perform
CRUD operations on the appropriate data source; and returns JSON / XML data as
response to the client.
Web API Controllers
Should be either or both:
● The class name should be suffixed with "Controller". Eg: ProductsController
● The [ApiController] attribute is applied to the same class or to its base class.
Controller
[ApiController]
class ClassNameController
{
//action methods here
}
Optional:
● Is a public class.
● Inherited from [Link].
Introduction to Swagger
Swagger is a set of open-source tools that help developers to generate interactive UI to
document, test RESTful services.
Swagger is a set of tools to implement Open API.
1. [Link]
Framework that makes it easy to use swagger in [Link] core.
2. Swagger
Set of tools to generate UI to document & test RESTful services.
3. Open API
Specification that defines how to write API specifications in JSON).
API Versions
API Versioning is the practice of transparently managing changes to your API, where the
client requests a specific version of API; and the server executes the same version of the
API code.
Content Negotiation
Content negotiation is the process of selecting the appropriate format or language of the
content to be exchanged between the client (browser) and Web API.
Overview of Minimal API
- It is a Microsoft's API that is used to create HTTP services (or HTTP APIs) with minimal
dependencies on packages.
- Alternative to Web API Controllers. Mainly used to create HTTP services or Microservices.
REST API (Representational State Transfer)
MVC Controller ([Link])
● Full support for model binding and model validation.
● Full support for views.
● Full support for filters & filter pipeline.
API Controller ([Link])
● Full support for model binding and model validation.
● No support for views.
● Full support for filters & filter pipeline.
Minimal API ([Link]* Methods)
● Limited support for custom model binding and custom model validation (needs to
improve).
● No support for views.
● No support for filters & filter pipeline; but supports "Endpoint Filters" alternatively.
Routing in Minimal API
1. MapGet()
Creates an endpoint that receives HTTP GET request.
[Link]("/route", async (HttpContext context) => {
await [Link]("your response");
});
2. MapPost()
Creates an endpoint that receives HTTP DELETE request.
[Link]("/route", async (HttpContext context) => {
await [Link]("your response");
});
3. MapPut()
Creates an endpoint that receives HTTP PUT request.
[Link]("/route", async (HttpContext context) => {
await [Link]("your response");
});
4. MapDelete()
Creates an endpoint that receives HTTP DELETE request.
[Link]("/route", async (HttpContext context) => {
await [Link]("your response");
});
Route Parameters in Minimal API
Route parameters can be created as you were creating them in UseEndpoints() or in MVC
controllers.
[Link]("/route/{parameter}", async (HttpContext context) => {
await [Link]("your response");
});
Route Constraints in Minimal API
Route constraints can be used as you were using them in UseEndpoints() or in MVC
controllers.
[Link]("/route/{parameter:constraint}", async (HttpContext context) => {
await [Link]("your response");
});
Eg: int, bool, datetime, decimal, double, float, guid, long, Minlength, maxlength, length, min,
max, range, alpha, regex, required
Map Groups in Minimal API
A map group (or route group) is a set of endpoints with a common prefix.
A map group is a collection of endpoints created with Map* methods such as MapGet(),
MapPost() etc.
MapGet()
Creates an endpoint that receives HTTP GET request.
var mapGroup = [Link]("/route-prefix");
[Link](…);
[Link](..);
IResult
The [Link] is the base interface that is implemented by different
result types such as Ok, Json, BadRequest etc., which can be returned by endpoints in
minimal API.
1. [Link]( )
2. [Link]( )
3. [Link]( )
4. [Link]( )
5. [Link]( )
6. [Link]( )
7. [Link]( )
8. [Link]( )
IResult Implementations
1. [Link]
Response Content-type: application/json [or] text/plain
Response Status Code: 200
return [Link](response_object); //can be a string or model
2. [Link]
Response Content-type: application/json
Response Status Code: 200
return [Link](response_object); //should be a model
3. [Link]
Response Content-type: text/plain
Response Status Code: 200
return [Link](response_string); //should be a string
4. [Link]
Response Content-type: application/octet-stream
Response Status Code: 200
return [Link](stream_object); //should be '[Link]'
type
5. [Link]
Response Content-type: N/A
Response Status Code: 400
return [Link](response_object); //can be a string or
model
6. [Link]
Response Content-type: N/A
Response Status Code: 404
return [Link](response_object); //can be a string or model
7. [Link]
Response Content-type: N/A
Response Status Code: 401
return [Link](response_object); //can be a string or
model
8. [Link]
Response Content-type: application/json
Response Status Code: 400
return [Link](response_object); //automatically
creates JSON with validation errors
Endpoint Filter
EndPoint Filters execute much like 'action filters' i.e., 'before' and 'after' the execution of
minimal API endpoint.
They are mainly used to validate parameters of the endpoint.
Creating an Endpoint Filter
Endpoint filters can be registered by providing a Delegate that takes a
EndpointFilterInvocationContext and returns a EndpointFilterDelegate.
[Link]("/route", () => {
//your endpoint code here
})
.AddEndpointFilter(async (context, next) => {
//before logic
var result = await next(context); //calls subsequent filter or endpoint
//after logic
return result;
});
IEndpointFilter
Creating an Endpoint Filter by implementing IEndpointFilter interface
The InvokeAsync() method takes a EndpointFilterInvocationContext and returns a
EndpointFilterDelegate.
class CustomEndpointFilter : IEndpointFilter
{
public async ValueTask<object?> InvokeAsync(EndpointFilterInvocationContext context,
EndpointFilterDelegate next)
{
//before logic
var result = await next(context); //calls subsequent filter or endpoint
//after logic
return result;
}
}
