Web API Tutorialprovides basic and advanced concepts of C# for beginners and professionals.

  1. Home
  2. Web API Tutorial

ASP.NET MVC 5 Web API best practice code

Back to: Web API Tutorial

ASP.NET MVC 5 and Web API are commonly used for creating robust and scalable web applications and APIs. Below, I provide best practices along with a real-time example to help structure your Web API application effectively.

1. Folder Structure

Organize your project into logical folders:

  • Models: For data models.
  • ViewModels: For presentation-specific models.
  • Controllers: For API controllers.
  • Repositories: For data access logic.
  • Services: For business logic.
  • DTOs: For Data Transfer Objects.
  • Utilities: For helpers and utilities.

2. Use Dependency Injection

Use a DI container like Unity or Ninject to manage dependencies.

Install Unity:

bash
Install-Package Unity.Mvc

Register Unity in App_Start folder:

public static class UnityConfig
{
public static void RegisterComponents()
{
var container = new UnityContainer();
// Register dependencies
container.RegisterType<IProductService, ProductService>();
container.RegisterType<IProductRepository, ProductRepository>();
DependencyResolver.SetResolver(new UnityDependencyResolver(container));
}
}

3. Use DTOs

Separate API models from database models to prevent over-posting attacks and reduce tight coupling.

4. Implement Repository and Unit of Work Pattern

Repository: Encapsulates data access logic.

Unit of Work: Manages transactions.

Real-Time Example: A Product API

Step 1: Models

Product.cs

public class Product
{
 public int Id { get; set; }
 public string Name { get; set; }
 public decimal Price { get; set; }
 public bool IsAvailable { get; set; }
 }

Step 2: DTOs

ProductDTO.cs

public class ProductDTO
{
 public int Id { get; set; }
 public string Name { get; set; }
 public decimal Price { get; set; }
 }

Step 3: Repository

IProductRepository.cs

public interface IProductRepository
{
 IEnumerable<Product> GetAll();
 Product GetById(int id);
 void Add(Product product);
 void Update(Product product);
 void Delete(int id);
 }

ProductRepository.cs

public class ProductRepository : IProductRepository
{
 private readonly AppDbContext _context;
 public ProductRepository(AppDbContext context)
 { _context = context;
 }
 public IEnumerable<Product> GetAll() => _context.Products.ToList();
 public Product GetById(int id) => _context.Products.Find(id);
 public void Add(Product product)
 {
 _context.Products.Add(product);
 _context.SaveChanges();
 }
 public void Update(Product product)
 {
 _context.Entry(product).State = EntityState.Modified;
 _context.SaveChanges();
 }
 public void Delete(int id)
 {
 var product = _context.Products.Find(id);
 if (product != null)
 {
 _context.Products.Remove(product);
 _context.SaveChanges();
 }
 }
 }

Step 4: Service Layer

IProductService.cs

public interface IProductService
 {
 IEnumerable<ProductDTO> GetProducts();
 ProductDTO GetProductById(int id);
 void CreateProduct(ProductDTO productDto);
 void UpdateProduct(ProductDTO productDto);
 void DeleteProduct(int id);
 }

ProductService.cs

public class ProductService : IProductService
{
 private readonly IProductRepository _productRepository;
 public ProductService(IProductRepository productRepository)
 {
_productRepository = productRepository;
 }
 public IEnumerable<ProductDTO> GetProducts()
 {
return _productRepository.GetAll() .Select(p => new ProductDTO { Id = p.Id, Name = p.Name, Price = p.Price });
}
public ProductDTO GetProductById(int id)
{
var product = _productRepository.GetById(id);
 if (product == null)
 return null;
 return new ProductDTO { Id = product.Id, Name = product.Name, Price = product.Price };
}
 public void CreateProduct(ProductDTO productDto)
 {
var product = new Product { Name = productDto.Name, Price = productDto.Price, IsAvailable = true };
 _productRepository.Add(product);
 }
 public void UpdateProduct(ProductDTO productDto)
{
var product = _productRepository.GetById(productDto.Id);
 if (product != null)
 { product.Name = productDto.Name; product.Price = productDto.Price;
 _productRepository.Update(product);
 }
}
 public void DeleteProduct(int id)
{
 _productRepository.Delete(id);
}
}

Step 5: Controller

ProductsController.cs

[RoutePrefix("api/products")]
 public class ProductsController : ApiController
 {
 private readonly IProductService _productService;
 public ProductsController(IProductService productService)
 {
_productService = productService;
}
 [HttpGet] [Route("")]
 public IHttpActionResult GetProducts()
 {
var products = _productService.GetProducts();
 return Ok(products);
}
[HttpGet] [Route("{id:int}")]
public IHttpActionResult GetProduct(int id)
{
var product = _productService.GetProductById(id);
 if (product == null)
 return NotFound();
 return Ok(product);
 }
 [HttpPost]
 [Route("")]
 public IHttpActionResult CreateProduct(ProductDTO productDto)
 {
 if (!ModelState.IsValid)
 return BadRequest(ModelState);
 _productService.CreateProduct(productDto);
 return Created("", productDto);
 }
 [HttpPut] [Route("{id:int}")]
 public IHttpActionResult UpdateProduct(int id, ProductDTO productDto)
 {
 if (!ModelState.IsValid)
 return BadRequest(ModelState);
 productDto.Id = id;
 _productService.UpdateProduct(productDto);
 return Ok();
 }
 [HttpDelete]
 [Route("{id:int}")]
 public IHttpActionResult DeleteProduct(int id)
{
 _productService.DeleteProduct(id);
 return Ok();
 }
 }

Step 6: Enable CORS (If Needed)

Add CORS support in WebApiConfig.cs:

config.EnableCors();

Step 7: Test with Swagger

Install Swashbuckle for Swagger support:

bash
Install-Package Swashbuckle

Configure in App_Start:

GlobalConfiguration.Configuration .EnableSwagger(c => c.SingleApiVersion("v1", "Product API")) .EnableSwaggerUi();

This approach ensures clean, modular, and scalable Web API development using ASP.NET MVC 5.

Scroll to Top