Select Web template in the left pane and ASP.NET Web Application in the middle pane. Enter a name of the project, location and Solution name as shown above. Clicking on OK will open a popup as shown below.
Select Project Template
In the above popup, select Empty as a template and click ok. This will create an empty "HelloWebAPI" project.
Now, we need to add latest Web API references using NuGet Package Manager. Right Click on the project and click Manage NuGet Packages.. as shown below.
Open NuGet
This will open Manage NuGet Packages popup. Select Online in the left pane and search for webapi (make sure that internet connection is on). This will display all the Web API related packages. Select Microsoft ASP.NET Web API2.2 package and click on Install as shown below.
Install Web API Package
Accept the license agreement and continue.
Install Web API Package
The following Web API packages are displayed upon successful installation.
Web API Packages
Now, create Controllers and Configuration folder in the HelloWebAPI project as shown below. We will add Web API controller in the Controllers folder and configuration class in the Configuration folder.
Web API Project
Now, add a new class in the configuration folder and name it "HelloWebAPIConfig" with following content. (You may give any appropriate name)
Example: Web API Configuration
Copy
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Http;
namespace HelloWebAPI.Configuration
{
public static class HelloWebAPIConfig
{
public static void Register(HttpConfiguration config)
{
// Web API routes
config.MapHttpAttributeRoutes();
config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
name: "DefaultApi",
routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{id}",
defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional }
);
}
}
}
Now, add Global.asax by right clicking on the project -> select Add -> click New Item.. to open Add New Item popup as below. Select Global Application Class and click OK.
Add Global.asax
This will add Global.asax file into the project. We need to configure our Web API routes when application starts. So call HelloWebAPIConfig.Register() method in the Application_Start event in the Global.asax as shown below.
Web API is configured only using code based configuration using GlobalConfiguration class. The Configure() method requires a callback method where you have configured your Web API.
Thus, when application starts it will call Application_Start event which in turn calls HelloWebAPIConfig.Register() method to configure your Web API.
Now, let's add Web API controller by right clicking on the Controllers folder -> select Controller.. this will open popup as below.
Add Web API Controller
Select Web API in the left pane and Web API 2 Controller - Empty in the middle pane and click Add. This will open another popup to enter a name of your controller as below. Enter controller name and click Add.
Enter Controller Name
This will create following empty HelloController class in Controllers folder.
Example: Web API Controller
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using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Web.Http;
namespace HelloWebAPI.Controller
{
public class HelloController : ApiController
{
}
}
Now, we need to add action methods. Here, we will add simple Get action methods as shown below.
Example: Web API Controller
Copy
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Web.Http;
namespace HelloWebAPI.Controller
{
public class HelloController : ApiController
{
public string Get()
{
return "Hello World";
}
}
}
Now, compile and run the project and navigate to http://localhost:xxxx/api/hello in the browser. It will display following result. (replace xxxx with your local port number)
Access Web API in the Browser
So in this way you can create a simple Web API from scratch with config and controller class.
During the development, programmers often need to test and check the result of Web API. Learn how to test Web API for development in the next section.
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