REST API References and Resources

This page provides a curated collection of high-quality resources for REST API development in the .NET ecosystem. These references complement our documentation and offer deeper dives into specific topics.

Official Microsoft Documentation

ASP.NET Core API Development

• ASP.NET Core overview - Comprehensive introduction to ASP.NET Core
• Create web APIs with ASP.NET Core - Official guidance on building REST APIs
• Controller action return types - Understanding return types in API controllers
• Handle errors in ASP.NET Core web APIs - Best practices for API error handling
• Format response data in ASP.NET Core - Content negotiation and response formatting

API Documentation with OpenAPI/Swagger

• Get started with Swashbuckle and ASP.NET Core - OpenAPI documentation using Swashbuckle
• Get started with NSwag and ASP.NET Core - OpenAPI documentation using NSwag
• .NET OpenAPI tool command reference - CLI tools for OpenAPI integration

API Security

• Authentication and authorization in ASP.NET Core - Comprehensive security guidance
• Secure a web API with ASP.NET Core Identity - Using Identity for API security
• JWT authentication in ASP.NET Core - Implementing JWT authentication

Alternative API Approaches

• Introduction to gRPC on .NET - Building high-performance APIs with gRPC
• Create a web API with OData - Using OData in ASP.NET Core
• GraphQL in ASP.NET Core - Getting started with GraphQL

Azure API Management and Hosting

• Import an OpenAPI specification in API Management - Using OpenAPI with Azure API Management
• Configure API gateways with Azure API Management - Gateway configuration for API deployments
• Adding caching policies in API Management - Improving API performance with caching
• Create a serverless API with Azure Functions - Building APIs using serverless architecture

HTTP Standards and Specifications

• RFC 7231 - HTTP/1.1: Semantics - HTTP methods, status codes, and headers
• RFC 7232 - HTTP/1.1: Conditional Requests - ETag, If-Match, and caching concepts
• RFC 7234 - HTTP/1.1: Caching - HTTP caching mechanisms
• OpenAPI Specification - Official OpenAPI specification

Learning Resources

Video Courses and Series

• ASP.NET Core Learning Path - Comprehensive ASP.NET Core training on Pluralsight
• REST API Design, Development & Management - In-depth REST API course
• Building RESTful Web APIs with ASP.NET Core - LinkedIn Learning course

YouTube Channels and Videos

• .NET YouTube Channel - Official Microsoft .NET videos
• Documenting APIs with OpenAPI/Swagger - Introduction to API documentation
• REST API Patterns and Anti-Patterns - Common patterns to follow and avoid
• ASP.NET Community Standup - Regular updates on ASP.NET features

Books and Publications

• RESTful Web Services Cookbook - Practical recipes for REST APIs
• RESTful Web API Design with ASP.NET Core - Modern REST API design patterns
• Cloud Native Patterns - Designing scalable cloud services

Blogs and Online Resources

• Microsoft .NET Blog - Official .NET team blog
• REST API Tutorial - Comprehensive guide to REST principles
• API Design Guide by Google - Best practices for API design
• REST API Best Practices - Stack Overflow blog on API design

Community and Support

• Stack Overflow - ASP.NET Core - Q&A for ASP.NET Core development
• .NET Community on Discord - .NET developer community
• ASP.NET Core GitHub Discussions - Discussions on the ASP.NET Core repository
• Web API community on Reddit - Web API subreddit