How To Create a Downloadable Web API

Introduction

In this article we will describe how to create a downloadable Web API. Since we know that an API is a framework that can help to create HTTP services to provide the responses of the client request. HTTP services reaches a broad range of clients and also includes the browsers and mobile services. Here we describe the calling of the API application  from the browser.

Step 1

Create the Blank Solution

• Open Visual Studio 2012
• Select "File" -> "New" -> "Project...".
• On the template window select "Installed" > "Template" > "Other Project Type" > "Visual Studio Solution".
• Now choose "Blank Solution" and change the name of this solution to "HelloSolution".
• Now click on the "OK" button.
  
  

Step 2

Create ASP. Net MVC Web API application

After creating the blank solution we can now add an ASP.Net Web API project.

• Right-click on the solution "HelloSolution" in the Solution Explorer.
• Select "Add" > "New Project..."
• In the Installed Templates expand the "Visual C#" node and select "ASP. Net MVC 4 Application".
• Click on "OK" button.
• Select the Web API from the New ASP.Net Web API.
  
  
  
  
  
  Solution Explorer image
  
  
  

Step 3

Add the Controller

Now use the following procedure to create the Controller:

• Right-click on the Controller Folder in the Solution Explorer. Select "Add" > "Controller".
• In the controller window change the name to "helloController".
• And in the template select Empty API controller.
• Click on the "Add" button.
  
  
  
  

Step 4

Write the following code in the helloController.cs:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Web.Http;
namespace helloAPI.Controllers
{
    public class helloController : ApiController
    {
        public string Get()
        {
            return "Mudita Rathore";
        }
        public string Get(string Id)
        {
            return "Mudita " + Id;
        }
    }
}

Step 5

Now to call the Web API from the browser.

For calling the Web API, first we debug the code, then the result will look like this:

 

Now we access the URL "http://localhost:48909/api/hello".

 

Now we click on "Open" and select the browser to access the Web API.

Output

The result will look like this in the Mozilla Firebox browser: