Creating a Web API in C# Visual Studio 2019

Do you ever wonder how different software applications communicate with each other? Well, the answer is Web APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Web APIs are essential for creating web services that allow for the seamless exchange of information and data between two software systems. If you are a web developer working with C# and Visual Studio, you can easily create a web API in C#. In this article, we will discuss the step-by-step process for creating a Web API in C# Visual Studio 2019.

Step 1: Open Visual Studio 2019

The first step to creating a web API in C# Visual Studio 2019 is to open Visual Studio 2019. You need to ensure that you have installed the ASP.NET core workload in your Visual Studio. If you haven’t installed this workload, then install it from the Visual Studio installer.

Step 2: Create a new Web API project

Once you have opened Visual Studio 2019, create a new project by clicking on “Create a new project.” Next, select the “ASP.NET Core Web Application” template and click “Next.”

Step 3: Enter Name and Location

In this step, you need to provide a name and location for your Web API project. You can name your project anything and choose any location you prefer.

Step 4: Choose Web API Template

After entering a name and location, you need to choose the Web API template. From the list of templates, select the “API” template and click “Create.”

Step 5: Build and Run the API

Now, it’s time to build and run your Web API. Visual Studio 2019 will create a simple Web API that will return “values” when you run it. The API will have two default methods, “Get” and “Post.” To run the API, click the “Run” button in the toolbar. It will build and run your API on your local machine.

Step 6: Add a New Controller

To add a new controller to your Web API project, right-click on the “Controllers” folder, select “Add,” and then click “Controller.” In the pop-up window, select “API Controller – Empty” and click “Add.”

Step 7: Add a Method to the Controller

After adding a new controller, you need to add a method to it. To do this, add the following code snippet to the method:

[HttpGet(“{id}”)]
public string Get(int id)
{
return “value”;
}

This method will return a string value.

Step 8: Test the API

Now, test your API using a web browser or a tool like Postman. To test the API, you need to enter the URL “https://localhost:44375/api/ControllerName”. Replace “ControllerName” with the name of your controller.

Step 9: Deploy the Web API

Finally, deploy your Web API to a hosting service like AWS, Azure, or any other hosting service. Before deploying your API, make sure your hosting platform supports .NET core. Publish your API to your hosting platform following their specific guidelines.

Conclusion

Creating a Web API in C# Visual Studio 2019 is a straightforward process. You need to create a new project, select the Web API template, add a new controller, and deploy it to a hosting service. Once you’ve created your API, you can easily integrate it with any other software system to exchange information and data in a seamless manner.