Introduction to .NET 7 Minimal APIs

The release of .NET 6 brought about several exciting features and improvements, and one of the most exciting additions is the Minimal API. Minimal APIs make it easier than ever to create lightweight and efficient web applications in .NET. With its immense usefulness, I have started this .net 7 minimal API series and this is the first part of it.

To get started with Minimal APIs, you'll need .NET 6 SDK and Visual Studio 2022 or your preferred code editor. Here's a step-by-step guide to creating a simple Minimal API:

Step 1: Create a New .NET 7 Project

You can create a new project using the following command:

dotnet new web -n MyMinimalApi

Or alternatively, open Visual Studio 2022, and select the Asp.Net Web API project from Microsoft from the templates list.

And once selected, in the next step, keep the "Use controllers" checkbox unchecked.

Step 2: Define Endpoints
In your Program.cs file, you'll define your endpoints using C# 10's new top-level statements. For example, a simple "Hello, World!" endpoint might look like this:

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args); 
var app = builder.Build(); 
 app.MapGet("/", () => "Hello, World!"); 
 app.Run();

Step 3: Run Your Application
You can run your application with the following command:

dotnet run

Your Minimal API is now up and running! You can access it by navigating to http://localhost:5000 in your web browser.

Conclusion
.NET Minimal APIs offer a straightforward and efficient way to build web applications in .NET. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, Minimal APIs can simplify your development process, improve performance, and reduce boilerplate code. They are a powerful addition to the .NET ecosystem, and you should consider using them for your next project.

For further detail, check my detailed blog post : .Net 7 Minimal APIs Series - Introduction

Stay tuned for more in-depth tutorials and examples to help you make the most of Minimal APIs in .NET 7!