CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#asp.netasp.net-mvcasp.net-mvc-4asp.net-web-api
user2991761
user2991761

Reputation:

Demerit of using MVC Controllers for Web API's

In our application, which is Single Page application, we are using MVC controller(Action methods as API) for CRUD operation's. Which I feel its wrong.

Can someone tell me if its correct?

Eg:-

I have an API Controller say :-

public class MockAPIController : ApiController
    {
        // GET api/MockAPI/5
        public ClassA GetSomething(int id)
        {

            return new ClassA();
        }
    }

and this can be called from client-side using /api/MockAPI/GetSomething/1. Similarly if I create MVC Controller like:-

public class MockAPIController : Controller
    {
        // GET api/MockAPI/5
        public ActionResult GetSomething(int id)
        {

            return new JsonResult(new ClassA(),JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
        }
    }

Still, I can get it work. Can some-one tell me whats demerit of using MVC controller for API?

EDIT:-

Is it recommended to use MVC Controller for API methods?? If Not, then can someone point out the -ve aspect of it?

Upvotes: 4

Views: 159

Answers (4)

Shubh
Shubh

Reputation: 6731

As per my understanding,

MVC controllers are extended over API Controller. You can do almost everything what can be done with API Controller. (People please correct me if I am wrong, its purely my understanding which I am sharing!)

Now, if your application is a web based application/internet or intranet where you have very few api call's then you can stick with MVC Controllers. Only care that need to be taken care is sending data as JsonResult(basically serializing`to JSON or whatever). If you have more funda of SPA, the API controllers is what you need.

I myself have not found much articles stating a strong line separating what to use when, it's always a developers pain to decide and implement.

Upvotes: 0

Darrel Miller
Darrel Miller

Reputation: 142232

Web API provides cleaner way to craft your HTTP responses. It is extremely extensible, testable and faithful to the HTTP spec.

Web API was NEVER intended to provide an "out-of-the-box" REST framework.

MVC is a HTTP framework, optimized for serving content to a Web Browser. Web API has no bias as to what client is using it.

Upvotes: 1

Ashmah
Ashmah

Reputation: 872

It's less about merit and demerit of using ApiControllers in place of Controllers, and more about implementation and usage.

ApiControllers are specifically meant for building REST-ful Apis which return serialized data to the client in simplest form.

And, using controllers you can return Views, Different Types of ActionResults in different form. You can definitely convert the type of data you are returning, like the way you are using here but it's not the same with ApiControllers.

Upvotes: 0

hutchonoid
hutchonoid

Reputation: 33316

Using the web API you can return objects as normal and your clients can specify the content-type.

This will automatically serialize the objects to xml or json without the need to specify a new action just to change the return type.

So your API call will always remain as:

public ClassA GetSomething(int id)
{

    return new ClassA();
}

But it is capable of returning xml and json without any changes in the controller.

Upvotes: 1

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