Learn how to use the brand new minimal API options in ASP.NET Core 8

ASP.NET Core affords a simplified internet hosting mannequin, known as minimal APIs, that enables us to construct light-weight APIs with minimal dependencies. Excellent for constructing quick and easy companies, minimal APIs had been initially launched in ASP.NET Core 6 to strip away the complexity of conventional APIs and make it simpler to construct microservices.

The objective of this submit is to discover the brand new options for constructing minimal APIs launched in ASP.NET Core 8. To make use of the code examples supplied on this article, it is best to have Visible Studio 2022 put in in your system. When you don’t have already got a duplicate, you may obtain Visible Studio 2022 right here.

Create an ASP.NET Core Net API mission in Visible Studio 2022

To create an ASP.NET Core 8 Net API mission in Visible Studio 2022, comply with the steps outlined under.

1. Launch the Visible Studio 2022 IDE.
2. Click on on “Create new mission.”
3. Within the “Create new mission” window, choose “ASP.NET Core Net API” from the checklist of templates displayed.
4. Click on Subsequent.
5. Within the “Configure your new mission” window, specify the identify and placement for the brand new mission. Optionally examine the “Place resolution and mission in the identical listing” examine field, relying in your preferences.
6. Click on Subsequent.
7. Within the “Extra Info” window proven subsequent, choose “.NET 8.0 (Lengthy Time period Help)” because the framework model and uncheck the examine field that claims “Use controllers,” as we’ll be utilizing minimal APIs on this mission.
8. Elsewhere within the “Extra Info” window, go away the “Authentication Sort” set to “None” (the default) and ensure the examine packing containers “Allow Open API Help,” “Configure for HTTPS,” and “Allow Docker” stay unchecked. We gained’t be utilizing any of these options right here.
9. Click on Create.

We’ll use this ASP.NET Core Net API mission to work with the code examples given within the sections under.

Create a minimal API in ASP.NET Core

You may substitute the generated code with the next piece of code to create a minimal minimal API.

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
var app = builder.Construct();
app.MapGet("https://www.infoworld.com/", () => "Hiya, World!");
app.Run();

Once you execute the appliance, the textual content “Hiya World!” will likely be displayed in your internet browser.

We’ll look at the brand new options in minimal API within the sections that comply with.

Use mannequin binding in minimal APIs

Help for FromForm binding was added to minimal APIs with ASP.NET Core 8. Earlier than we discover FromForm binding, let’s take a fast take a look at the opposite forms of mannequin binding we are able to use in minimal APIs.

ASP.NET Core minimal APIs present assist for the next forms of mannequin binding:

• FromBody binding
• FromHeader binding
• FromRoute binding
• FromQuery binding
• FromForm binding

With the brand new assist for FromForm binding in minimal APIs, parameter binding from varieties is now supported for collections comparable to lists and dictionaries and for advanced sorts.

FromBody binding

FromBody binding extracts information from the physique of the HTTP request and assigns it to parameters of your motion strategies. 

[HttpPost]
public IActionResult CreateAuthor([FromBody] Writer creator)
{
    //Traditional code
}

FromHeader binding

FromHeader binding extracts information from the HTTP request headers and assigns it to parameters of your motion strategies.

[HttpGet]
public IActionResult GetAuthors([FromHeader("Authorization")] string authHeader)
{
    //Write your code right here to validate the authorization token
}

FromRoute binding

FromRoute binding is used to retrieve information from request URL path segments and assign it to parameters of your motion strategies. You should use the sort of mannequin binding to establish a particular useful resource.

[HttpGet("{id}")]
public IActionResult GetAuthorById(int id)
{
    //Write your code right here to retrieve an creator occasion primarily based on id
}

FromQuery binding

FromQuery binding is used to retrieve information from the question string of an HTTP request and use it to populate a mannequin object.

[HttpGet]
public ActionResult<Checklist<Writer>> GetAuthors([FromQuery] AuthorFilter filter)
{
    //Write code right here to course of the filter standards and retrieve the checklist of filtered creator information
}

FromForm binding

You should use FromForm binding to extract information from posted kind fields in your minimal APIs. For instance, the next code snippet illustrates how you should use the extracted parameters from a posted kind to construct a brand new Writer occasion.

[HttpPost]
public async Process<IActionResult> CreateAuthor([FromForm] Writer creator)
{
  //Traditional code
}

Use antiforgery tokens in minimal APIs

ASP.NET Core 8 additionally brings assist for antiforgery tokens to minimal APIs. To make use of this characteristic, you’ll want to name the AddAntiForgery methodology to register antiforgery companies with the request processing pipeline as proven within the code snippet given under.

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder();
builder.Companies.AddAntiforgery();
var app = builder.Construct();
app.MapGet("https://www.infoworld.com/",()=>"Hiya World!");
app.Run();

The next code snippet exhibits how you should use antiforgery tokens in your minimal APIs.

app.MapGet("https://www.infoworld.com/", (HttpContext context, IAntiforgery antiforgery) =>
{
    var token = antiforgery.GetAndStoreTokens(context);
    return Outcomes.Okay("Success...");
});

Use Native AOT in minimal APIs

You may straight compile .NET code into native code forward of time (AOT) utilizing the Native AOT capabilities supported by .NET Core. Pre-compiling will enhance the startup time of your utility as a result of it eliminates the requirement for just-in-time (JIT) compilation throughout runtime.

Now you can leverage Native AOT assist in your minimal APIs in ASP.NET Core 8. So as to add assist for Native AOT to your mission, it is best to add the PublishAot property to your mission file as proven within the code snippet under.

<PropertyGroup><PublishAot>true</PublishAot></PropertyGroup>

Observe which you could additionally use the next command within the Visible Studio Developer Command Immediate to create a brand new minimal API mission with Native AOT assist enabled. Then it’s possible you’ll pre-compile your ASP.NET Core minimal API assemblies into native code that can execute straight on the goal system as an alternative of bundling it with the .NET Core runtime.

dotnet new webapiaot

Minimal APIs in ASP.NET Core 9

Within the ASP.NET Core ecosystem, the assist for minimal APIs is being improved by the day. Whereas .NET 9 remains to be in preview standing, a number of new options have been added to minimal APIs in ASP.NET Core 9. I’ll talk about them in a future submit right here when the official launch of ASP.NET Core 9 turns into accessible.