README.md

Console application that calling asp.net core web api

Here is the complete explanation how to develop a console application that call the asp.net core web api.

Model (User.cs)

public class User
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
}

Web api controller (UserController.cs)

[Route("api/[controller]")]
public class UserController : Controller
{
    // GET: api/values
    [HttpGet]
    public List<User> Get()
    {
        return new  List<User>{
            new User {
                Id = 1,
                Name = "user 1" },
            new User {
                Id = 2,
                Name = "user 2" },
            new User {
                Id = 3,
                Name = "user 3" },
            new User {
                Id = 4,
                Name = "user 4" }
        };
    }
    ...

Console app (Program.cs)

    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var users = GetUsers();

            foreach (var item in users.Result)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(item.Id + " " + item.Name);
            }

            Console.ReadLine();
        }

        static async Task<List<User>> GetUsers()
        {
            var users = new List<User>();

            using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
            {
                client.BaseAddress = new Uri("http://localhost:54741/");
                client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Clear();
                client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new System.Net.Http.Headers.MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));

                HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync("api/user");
                response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
                if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
                {
                    users = await response.Content.ReadAsAsync<List<User>>();
                }
            }

            return users;
        }
    }

We need to change package.json in console app like following.

Console app package.json file (project.json)

...
"dependencies": {
    "Microsoft.NETCore.App": "1.1.1",
    "RestAPISample.Domain": "1.0.0-*",

    // user code: 
    // following libraries required to call web api
    "Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Client": "5.2.3",
    "System.Runtime.Serialization.Xml": "4.1.1" // to read response message as a generic type => ReadAsAsync<T>
},

"frameworks": {
    "netcoreapp1.0": {
      "imports": [
        "dnxcore50",

        // user code:
        // to fix build errors
        "portable-net451+win8"
      ]
    }
},
...

And also I added more lines to package.json file to build app on win7-x64 OS, like following. If your OS is not win7, you don't need to add this configuration.

Console app and web api package.json file (project.json)

...
// user code:
// to fix build errors for win7
"runtimes": {
    "win7-x64": {}
}
...