A Practical Guide to ASP.NET Web API

By | February 17, 2014
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Microsoft ASP.NET Web API framework is the best choice for developing HTTP services in more simpler way. It enables us to reach more wider ranger of clients such as browsers as well as mobile devices.In one of my previous web development tutorial about building RESTful service, I explained that the purpose of HTTP is not just acting as a transport layer (for example, in case of SOAP-based WCF service). However, its a very mature platform for developing Web APIs and utilizing its old simple concepts such as HTTP methods, HTTP status codes and URIs etc.

UPDATE: If you are interested further on ASP.NET Core and ASP.NET Core Web API, you can follow below:

More Practical Implementations using ASP.NET Web API are:

Note: You can download a PDF version of the same “A Practical Guide to ASP.NET Web API” here.

So, we can say that using ASP.NET Web API, we can create HTTP services

  • those are non-SOAP based like plain XML or JSON string.
  • using full features of HTTP.
  • reaching broader range of clients (browsers and mobile devices).

Following is the typical ASP.NET Web API processing architecture.

ASP.NET Web API Service
You are designing an ASP.NET Web API application. You need to select an HTTP verb to allow blog administrators to moderate a comment. Which HTTP verb should you use?

  • A. GET
  • B. POST
  • C. DELETE
  • D. PUT

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 Correct Answer: D

Lets move forward to implement all the above mentioned related features step by step.

Foundation – HTTP & REST Concepts

  • Resources and URIs
  • HTTP Methods
  • HTTP Status Codes
  • HTTP Content
  • Internet Media Types
  • REST
  • JSON & XML

Chapter 1:- Developing your first ASP.NET Web API service
In chapter 1, we will be creating a simple HTTP service using Web API. A step by step approach is used while developing the service and getting results as:

  • Creating a Web API Project in Visual Studio
  • Preparing a Domain Model
  • Adding Controller
  • Finally testing results in browser.

Chapter 2:- Performing CRUD operations using ASP.NET Web API service – Part 1
As chapter 1 only focuses getting records using HTTP GET verb only, this chapter provides complete detail understanding of all CRUD (Create, Retrieve, Update, Delete) operations using Web API. Discussion about all related HTTP verbs i.e. GET, PUT, POST, DELETE is provided.

Chapter 3:- Performing CRUD operations using ASP.NET Web API service – Part 2
As we have already developed Web API service in previous chapter, here in this chapter, we will be consuming already created HTTP service using jQuery. Complete code snippet of jQuery for consuming a Web API service is given with detailed understanding of jQuery AJAX call.

Chapter 4:- What’s new in ASP.NET Web API 2
Web API version 2 is released and this chapter briefly overview the top new features of ASP.NET Web API i.e.

  • Attribute Routing
  • Cross Origin Resource Sharing
  • Open Web Interface for .NET
  • IHttpActionResult
  • Web API OData
Chapter 5:- Model Validation in ASP.NET
Model in MVC framework is a representation of data structure. This Web API Tutorial focuses to understand and implement the data annotation technique for applying validation on a model class for an ASP.NET Web API application.

Chapter 6:- Exception Handling in ASP.NET Web API – Part 1
This chapter discusses about Exception Handling in ASP.NET Web API service. Instead of returning a generic status code i.e. 500 (Internal Server Error), a valid and meaning result should be sent back to client using HttpResponseException type.

Chapter 7:- Exception Handling in ASP.NET Web API – Part 2
To achieve the same purpose, as discussed in previous chapter, for more advanced scenarios: Web API provide Exception Fitlers and focus of the chapter is how to create an Exception Filter and return meaningful response.

Chapter 8:- ASP.NET Web API OData 5.3
Discussing in detail about features of Microsoft ASP.NET Web API OData 5.3 and 5.3.1 beta including:

  • Open Entity Type Support
  • Major Bug Fixes
  • Dynamic Collection Property in Open Type
  • More about flexibility to use $levels and $expand queries
  • Utilizing OData Core Libraries.

Extras:- Top 10 ASP.NET Web API Interview Questions
For a detailed and comprehensive list of Top 10 most important Interview Questions for Microsoft ASP.NET Web API that every Web Developer MUST Know.

This collection of ASP.NET Web API Tutorial will definitely help developers to understand in more practical way.

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