I am developing an MVC5 application and use Entity Framewerok 6 code first on this. Now we we will also develop an android application that will interact with the MVC application (CRUD operations) by using the web services. At this stage I want to be clarified about the issues below:
1) I think WebAPI is better option for us as we use the services on android apps. What do you suggest?
2) In order to integrate WebAPI to an MVC project, which changes should be made? On the other hand, can we use the same controller and data layer methods (i.e. SaveChanges, etc.) by making some modifications i.e. inheritance? Or do we have to create a seperate methods for web services? Could you give an example by code?
3) Does integrating WebAPI to the MVC project affect the MVC project's abilities or methods? I mean that is there any disadvantage integrating WebAPI to an MVC project?
Any help would be appreciated.
1) That's a good idea. Web API is easy to implement and consume
2) You don't need to make changes to intergate Web API in your application: just start using it. As you want to expose CRUD operations from EF a good idea would be to implement ODATA services. Or use something like Breeze (depending on how you want to consume the services). See "MVC and Web API" bwelow
3) Web API doesn't affect at all the MVC part, unless you make a mistake setting the routes. Although they run in the same host, they work completely independent of each other.
MVC and Web API
Unless you need to do something special, like exposing Web API in a different URL or "domain name", MVC and Web API are implemented in the same web application project. To start using Web API in your MVC project simply add a new controller. Perhaps you'll have to include also the WEB API route configuration, and some other Web API configuration.
If you want to expose the EF model throug Web API you simply have to follow the instructions in the link to create an ODATA controller, which will expose the EF model as a RESTful service, allowing you to execute the CRUD operations to the EF model through URLs.
NOTE: What you want to do is a very frequesnt pattern in MVC applications: MVC is used for generating the views, and Web API fos exposing functionalities that can be easily consumed from the views usin Javascript + AJAX. Don't be afraid to use it. You'll find no problems at all
Related
I am planning to create a service oriented application. For creating service I will be using WebApi and for web application MVC.
I have thought of two approach for the same kindly let me know which one better.
Create one business logic shared across MVC and WebApi and dont consume WebApi in MVC application. Just business logic will be shared.
Consume API in MVC application from WebApi project using HttpClient.
The question was a bit unclear but now, after comments it makes more sense.
I would go with option 1.
The first reason is that you can avoid a lot of traffic to the API if you can simply use the layer and don't bother with any APi calls at all.
The second reason, it will be a little quicker since it doesn't need to wait for the API responses.
Less pressure on the API means the mobile app has more resources to play with.
You can basically build your own Nuget packages, use them in both your Web and Api layers and you don't have to repeat the code.
I have an MVC application that uses MVC Controllers to return views. Now I want to expose an API to other applications to consume, as well as returning JSON data types for some SPA features in the same MVC. What are the differences between adding Web API Controllers to my MVC Project vs adding a whole new Web API Project?
returning JSON data types for some SPA features in the same MVC
For that case, I'll place Web API inside existing MVC. By doing so, you can share business logic, services and even models.
In my case, I have SPA silos using AngularJS, and both MVC and Web API live happily in the same web application, and share business logic and data access layers.
It is worth noting that you can share Authentication cookie if you keep MVC and Web API together. Otherwise, it is pain in the neck to authenticate in both places at the same time, because Web API is token based and MVC is cookie based by default.
FYI: In new ASP.Net MVC 5, there won't be separate MVC and Web API anymore.
The only difference between the two is reusability and good design practice. I highly recommend to use it in a separate project. Then, later on, you will be able to reuse it without much or any effort.
Another advantage to segregate is the impact on testing required for any changes made. If you keep the projects different then if later on you change anything, the domain for the re-testing efforts would also be just the second project.
I've a web site developed using MVC 4 ASP.net application. I'm new to .net platform & I want to add web service which would return me operating system name of users device based on certain input.
Assuming I've logic to capture OS information using inputted data, how do I go forward in building this web service?
Do I need to have a complete separate solution file which will have a web service or in existing MVC 4 asp.net application itself, should I create a new project which would be of type "WCF Service Application"? Again I don't know much about WCF service either, if I use it, how would the URL be accessible, etc?
Can anyone give me some insights?
Note: I've also a separate REST web service which is a completely separate solution with separate projects but deployed on same IIS.
Thanks in Advance!
You don't need to create a WebAPI project just for what you described (i'm assuming one or a few end points).
Simply use MVC controllers that return JSON for example, this way you deal with a single framework.
Reasons to move to Web API is if you need support for CORS, need content negotiation for results etc. From what you are describing it's completely fine to stay with MVC.
I have an asp.net mvc3 application built with RavenDB and I want to be able to access the data via an external HTML5 mobile app. I'm thinking of exposing methods via WCF or via MVC controller action methods? Which option is best?
Ok, I have faced similar situation a while ago. This the way I have handled it, I have directly exposed Controller urls to the mobile application clients. Bascially it will help you in reducing the burden of maintaining two code bases and helps you to reuse existing functionality. Even if you go with WCF you need to expose with REST to make HTML5 client developer life easy.
This is the why microsoft released ASP.NET MVC 4 Web Apis to avoid confusion among developers which way to go in these scenarios. So that your services are device agnostic and easily testable.
Since you've already built the app in MVC3, I'd recommend a JsonResult action on an MVC Controller: http://www.asp.net/ajaxlibrary/jquery_json_data_from_controller.ashx
A Guide to Designing and Building RESTful Web Services with WCF 3.5, this article explains the foundations of REST and how it relates to WCF. MVC uses REST as the architectural model. I am guessing one can use the .NET MVC to create web applications that have both a front end and an API point, but I am not sure if the safe way of building the API is to build it with WCF and then use it in the MVC as a controller.
Please comment if the question is not clear, I will add or modify the text.
Theres actually a third option, ADO.NET Data Servies. Anyway, here how I see them.
MVC REST: Gives you full control over how to expose your data, you have to write all the code to get it up an running tho, e.g. serialization, deserialization, all the CRUD methods etc etc. Worht metioning that this being an MVC site means you are limited to exposing your service via IIS over HTTP(S)
WCF REST: More automation than MVC, a much more solid frameowkr than MVC REST, i.e. caching, security, error handling etc (basically all the stff you'd have to write yourself using plain MVC). Being WCF, you can host this in a variety of ways (e.g WS-, TCP) etc.
ADO.NET DATA SERVICES: The quickest way to get up an running with everthing ready to use, all you need todo is configure the global.asax, however you have to use an Entity Data Model, which you many not want to.
Personally, I would use either ADO.NET DATA SERVICES or WCF REST to build an API, consue that API in MVC site and then expose that API either directly, or by passing it through another layer.
ASP.NET MVC can serve as a REST endpoint for light services work, so I guess the answer to your question depends on how you define "safe."
Clearly WCF is designed specifically for creating REST endpoints, with all of the security implications that are implied thereof, whereas ASP.NET MVC is designed to create REST endpoints which can be used by ASP.NET MVC itself.
The following article shows how to create a web service using an ASP.NET MVC controller:
Create REST API using ASP.NET MVC that speaks both Json and plain Xml
http://msmvps.com/blogs/omar/archive/2008/10/03/create-rest-api-using-asp-net-mvc-that-speaks-both-json-and-plain-xml.aspx
See also the following article from Phil Haack, which discusses an SDK the WCF team put together for users of ASP.NET MVC:
Rest For ASP.NET MVC SDK and Sample
http://haacked.com/archive/2009/08/17/rest-for-mvc.aspx
They are two different sets of technologies, only related by being built on .net
MVC is used to create websites and provides a model where URLs are routed to controllers and controllers deliver views to the user as the user interface.
WCF is a set of libraries in .net that are used to abstract the type of service (is it hosted in a windows service, as a webservice in IIS etc.) as well as the protocol (HTTP, TCP, MSMQ etc.) from the client and server which are communicating.
An MVC website may use WCF to connect to a web service, but that is just one of many options.