How to Host ASP.NET Web API on IIS Server

Dear Dev,In this article, we will guide you on how to host an ASP.NET Web API on an IIS server. We will cover the necessary steps and configurations needed to make your API accessible via your website’s domain name. By the end of this article, you should be able to successfully host your API on IIS and make it available to your users.

Before We Begin:

Before we get started, make sure that you have the following prerequisites:

Prerequisite	Requirements
Operating System	Windows 7 or later, Windows Server 2008 or later
.NET Framework Version	.NET Framework 4.5 or later
IIS Version	IIS 7.0 or later
ASP.NET Web API Version	ASP.NET Web API 2.0 or later

If you are missing any of these prerequisites, make sure to install or upgrade them before proceeding with the hosting of your API.

Step 1: Create Your ASP.NET Web API Project

The first step is to create your ASP.NET Web API project. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open Visual Studio and create a new project.
2. Select “ASP.NET Web Application” as the project template.
3. Select “Web API” as the project type.
4. Click “OK” to create your project.

Your ASP.NET Web API project is now ready for development.

Step 2: Publish Your ASP.NET Web API Project

Next, you need to publish your ASP.NET Web API project. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Right-click on your project in the Solution Explorer.
2. Select “Publish” from the context menu.
3. Select “IIS, FTP, etc.” as the publish target.
4. Enter your IIS server’s URL in the “Server” field.
5. Enter your IIS server’s credentials in the “User name” and “Password” fields.
6. Click “Validate connection” to make sure that your connection to the IIS server is established.
7. Click “Publish” to publish your ASP.NET Web API project to the IIS server.

Your ASP.NET Web API project is now published on your IIS server.

Step 3: Create an IIS Website

The next step is to create an IIS website that will host your ASP.NET Web API project. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open IIS Manager on your IIS server.
2. Right-click on the “Sites” node in the left panel.
3. Select “Add Website” from the context menu.
4. Enter your website’s name in the “Site name” field.
5. Enter the physical path of your ASP.NET Web API project in the “Physical path” field.
6. Enter your website’s domain name in the “Host name” field.
7. Click “OK” to create your IIS website.

Your IIS website is now created and ready to host your ASP.NET Web API project.

Step 4: Configure Your ASP.NET Web API in IIS

The final step is to configure your ASP.NET Web API in IIS. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open IIS Manager on your IIS server.
2. Click on your website’s name in the left panel.
3. Select “Handler Mappings” from the middle panel.
4. Click on “Add Module Mapping” from the right panel.
5. Enter the following values for the new module mapping:
   • Request path: *
   • Module: AspNetCoreModule
   • Executable: %ProgramFiles%\dotnet\dotnet.exe
   • Arguments: “Your ASP.NET Web API’s DLL path” –urls “http://localhost:port number”
6. Click “OK” to save the new module mapping.

Your ASP.NET Web API is now configured in IIS and ready to be accessed via your website’s domain name.

FAQs:

Q: Can I host an ASP.NET Web API on a shared hosting server?

A: Yes, you can host an ASP.NET Web API on a shared hosting server. However, you need to make sure that the server meets the prerequisites mentioned earlier.

Q: Can I host multiple ASP.NET Web APIs on the same IIS website?

A: Yes, you can host multiple ASP.NET Web APIs on the same IIS website. Simply publish your ASP.NET Web APIs to the same physical path and configure them in IIS using different URLs or port numbers.

Q: Can I use SSL/TLS to secure my ASP.NET Web API?

A: Yes, you can use SSL/TLS to secure your ASP.NET Web API. You need to obtain an SSL/TLS certificate and configure it in IIS to enable HTTPS.

Q: Can I use authentication and authorization with my ASP.NET Web API?

A: Yes, you can use authentication and authorization with your ASP.NET Web API. You can use ASP.NET Identity, OAuth, or other authentication and authorization frameworks to secure your API.

Q: Can I host an ASP.NET Core Web API on IIS?

A: Yes, you can host an ASP.NET Core Web API on IIS. However, you need to configure it differently than an ASP.NET Web API. Refer to Microsoft’s documentation for more information.

Conclusion:

Hosting an ASP.NET Web API on an IIS server is easy and straightforward. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to successfully host your API on IIS and make it available to your users. If you face any issues or have any questions, refer to the FAQs section or seek help from the ASP.NET community.