Overview

Unlock the power of C# and .NET as you master the art of developing high-performance APIs. Through this course, you will learn how to design and deploy scalable, secure, and efficient APIs that power modern applications. With an emphasis on both REST and GraphQL API development, you'll gain the tools and techniques to create APIs that meet the demands of today's fast-paced software ecosystem. The course begins with an introduction to the core concepts of API development, laying a strong foundation for more advanced topics. You’ll explore the fundamentals of RESTful API design, focusing on key principles like scalability, performance, and maintainability. As you progress, the course delves deeper into real-world examples and hands-on exercises that showcase how to build APIs using both traditional ASP.NET Core and alternative approaches like Azure Functions. Throughout the course, you'll work with practical examples to solve common challenges in API development. From security considerations to optimizing API performance, you'll gain invaluable skills that can be directly applied to your projects. The course progresses by guiding you through the best practices for developing robust APIs that integrate seamlessly with a wide range of platforms and systems. This course is designed for .NET developers, software engineers, and backend developers looking to deepen their API development expertise. A basic understanding of C# and .NET is required, with prior knowledge of ASP.NET Core being a bonus. Whether you're building personal projects or enterprise-grade systems, you'll gain the experience and confidence to tackle complex API challenges. By the end of the course, you will be able to design high-performance RESTful and GraphQL APIs using ASP.NET Core, implement best practices for security and scalability, and deploy APIs to production environments with confidence.

Syllabus

Getting Started

In this section, we introduce API fundamentals in .NET, focusing on their role in decoupling frontend and backend systems, and guide setup of development tools like Visual Studio.

What We'll Build

In this section, we introduce API concepts and a car application, focusing on CRUD operations, a simple database, and tools like Dapper and AutoMapper for data handling.

Implementing with REST

In this section, we explore implementing REST APIs with ASP.NET Core, designing DTOs for data transfer, and testing with Postman to enhance client-server communication.

Documentation with Swagger

In this section, we explore implementing Swagger documentation using OpenAPI, configuring Swashbuckle for .NET, and documenting API endpoints and response codes effectively.

Data Validation

In this section, we explore data validation techniques to ensure input meets criteria, reduce errors, and improve API reliability through structured responses and efficient validation flows.

Azure Functions

In this section, we explore Azure Functions for event-driven execution, focusing on hosting, billing, and deploying HTTP-triggered APIs to optimize cloud performance and cost.

Azure Durable Functions

In this section, we explore implementing stateful workflows with Durable Functions, debugging orchestrator and activity functions, and integrating HTTP APIs for data control in distributed systems.

Advanced Topics

In this section, we explore advanced API implementation, Azure Storage Tables, and Aspire integration to enhance application scalability and cloud-based functionality.

Authentication and Authorization

In this section, we explore authentication and authorization concepts, focusing on verifying user identity and controlling access in Azure Functions for secure API interactions.

Deploying to Azure

In this section, we explore CI/CD on Azure, focusing on pipeline setup, code quality validation, and efficient deployment practices for team environments.