---
title: How to build minimalistic REST server in .Net
date: 2012-11-01 13:22:39
tags: [dotnet]
category: programming
---

Install "Microsoft ASP.NET Web API Self Host" and all of its
dependencies via NuGet.

```csharp
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Web.Http;
using System.Web.Http.SelfHost;

namespace resttest
{
    public class ExampleData { public int Id { get; set; } }

    public class ExampleController : ApiController
    {
        // /api/job
        public IEnumerable<ExampleData> Get()
        {
            return new List<ExampleData>()
            {
                new ExampleData(){ Id = 2 },
                new ExampleData(){ Id = 4 }
            };
        }

        // /api/job/3
        public ExampleData Get(int id)
        {
            return new ExampleData() { Id = 3 };
        }

    }


    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var configuration =
                new HttpSelfHostConfiguration("http://localhost:1337");
            //Setup the routes
            configuration.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
                name: "DefaultApiRoute",
                routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{id}",
                defaults: new
                    { controller = "ExampleController", id = RouteParameter.Optional }
                );
            var server = new HttpSelfHostServer(configuration);
            server.OpenAsync().Wait();

            Console.Out.WriteLine("Press ESC to quit");
            do
            {
                while (!Console.KeyAvailable)
                {
                    Thread.Sleep(256);
                }
            } while (Console.ReadKey(true).Key != ConsoleKey.Escape);
        }
    }
}
```

We can launch it and query it using any http-enabled client:

`$ curl http://localhost:1337/api/Example [{"Id":2},{"Id":4}]`

Happy hacking !