Practical ASP.NET Web API

Introduction

“I hear...I forget, I see...and I remember, I do...and I understand”

—Confucius

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the application-level protocol that powers the World Wide Web. One of the greatest characteristics of HTTP is that it finds support in multiple platforms. HTTP is the lowest common denominator of many platforms and devices. Hence, the primary benefit of creating an HTTP-based service is reachability. A broad range of clients in disparate platforms can consume your HTTP services.

ASP.NET Web API is a framework from Microsoft for building HTTP services. It is not the only possible means for building HTTP services in the .NET technology stack; there is Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) as well, but the ASP.NET ...