---
uid: web-api/overview/older-versions/self-host-a-web-api
title: "Self-Host ASP.NET Web API 1 (C#) | Microsoft Docs"
author: MikeWasson
description: "ASP.NET Web API does not require IIS. You can self-host a web API in your own host process. This tutorial shows how to host a web API inside a console applic..."
ms.author: riande
ms.date: 01/26/2012
ms.assetid: be5ab1e2-4140-4275-ac59-ca82a1bac0c1
msc.legacyurl: /web-api/overview/older-versions/self-host-a-web-api
msc.type: authoredcontent
---
Self-Host ASP.NET Web API 1 (C#)
====================
by [Mike Wasson](https://github.com/MikeWasson)

> ASP.NET Web API does not require IIS. You can self-host a web API in your own host process. This tutorial shows how to host a web API inside a console application.
> 
> **New applications should use OWIN to self-host Web API.** See [Use OWIN to Self-Host ASP.NET Web API 2](../hosting-aspnet-web-api/use-owin-to-self-host-web-api.md).
> 
> ## Software versions used in the tutorial
> 
> 
> - Web API 1
> - Visual Studio 2012


## Create the Console Application Project

Start Visual Studio and select **New Project** from the **Start** page. Or, from the **File** menu, select **New** and then **Project**.

In the **Templates** pane, select **Installed Templates** and expand the **Visual C#** node. Under **Visual C#**, select **Windows**. In the list of project templates, select **Console Application**. Name the project "SelfHost" and click **OK**.

![](self-host-a-web-api/_static/image1.png)

## Set the Target Framework (Visual Studio 2010)

If you are using Visual Studio 2010, change the target framework to .NET Framework 4.0. (By default, the project template targets the [.Net Framework Client Profile](https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/cc656912.aspx#features_not_included_in_the_net_framework_client_profile).)

In Solution Explorer, right-click the project and select **Properties**. In the **Target framework** dropdown list, change the target framework to .NET Framework 4.0. When prompted to apply the change, click **Yes**.

![](self-host-a-web-api/_static/image2.png)

## Install NuGet Package Manager

The NuGet Package Manager is the easiest way to add the Web API assemblies to a non-ASP.NET project.

To check if NuGet Package Manager is installed, click the **Tools** menu in Visual Studio. If you see a menu item called **Library Package Manager**, then you have NuGet Package Manager.

To install NuGet Package Manager:

1. Start Visual Studio.
2. From the **Tools** menu, select **Extensions and Updates**.
3. In the **Extensions and Updates** dialog, select **Online**.
4. If you don't see "NuGet Package Manager", type "nuget package manager" in the search box.
5. Select the NuGet Package Manager and click **Download**.
6. After the download completes, you will be prompted to install.
7. After the installation completes, you might be prompted to restart Visual Studio.

![](self-host-a-web-api/_static/image3.png)

## Add the Web API NuGet Package

After NuGet Package Manager is installed, add the Web API Self-Host package to your project.

1. From the **Tools** menu, select **Library Package Manager**. *Note*: If do you not see this menu item, make sure that NuGet Package Manager installed correctly.
2. Select **Manage NuGet Packages for Solution...**
3. In the **Manage NugGet Packages** dialog, select **Online**.
4. In the search box, type "Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.SelfHost".
5. Select the ASP.NET Web API Self Host package and click **Install**.
6. After the package installs, click **Close** to close the dialog.

> [!NOTE]
> Make sure to install the package named Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.SelfHost, not AspNetWebApi.SelfHost.


![](self-host-a-web-api/_static/image4.png)

## Create the Model and Controller

This tutorial uses the same model and controller classes as the [Getting Started](../getting-started-with-aspnet-web-api/tutorial-your-first-web-api.md) tutorial.

Add a public class named `Product`.

[!code-csharp[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample1.cs)]

Add a public class named `ProductsController`. Derive this class from **System.Web.Http.ApiController**.

[!code-csharp[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample2.cs)]

For more information about the code in this controller, see the [Getting Started](../getting-started-with-aspnet-web-api/tutorial-your-first-web-api.md) tutorial. This controller defines three GET actions:

| URI | Description |
| --- | --- |
| /api/products | Get a list of all products. |
| /api/products/*id* | Get a product by ID. |
| /api/products/?category=*category* | Get a list of products by category. |

## Host the Web API

Open the file Program.cs and add the following using statements:

[!code-csharp[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample3.cs)]

Add the following code to the **Program** class.

[!code-csharp[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample4.cs)]

## (Optional) Add an HTTP URL Namespace Reservation

This application listens to `http://localhost:8080/`. By default, listening at a particular HTTP address requires administrator privileges. When you run the tutorial, therefore, you may get this error: "HTTP could not register URL http://+:8080/" There are two ways to avoid this error:

- Run Visual Studio with elevated administrator permissions, or
- Use Netsh.exe to give your account permissions to reserve the URL.

To use Netsh.exe, open a command prompt with administrator privileges and enter the following command:following command:

[!code-console[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample5.cmd)]

where *machine\username* is your user account.

When you are finished self-hosting, be sure to delete the reservation:

[!code-console[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample6.cmd)]

## Call the Web API from a Client Application (C#)

Let's write a simple console application that calls the web API.

Add a new console application project to the solution:

- In Solution Explorer, right-click the solution and select **Add New Project**.
- Create a new console application named "ClientApp".

![](self-host-a-web-api/_static/image5.png)

Use NuGet Package Manager to add the ASP.NET Web API Core Libraries package:

- From the Tools menu, select **Library Package Manager**.
- Select **Manage NuGet Packages for Solution...**
- In the **Manage NuGet Packages** dialog, select **Online**.
- In the search box, type "Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Client".
- Select the Microsoft ASP.NET Web API Client Libraries package and click **Install**.

Add a reference in ClientApp to the SelfHost project:

- In Solution Explorer, right-click the ClientApp project.
- Select **Add Reference**.
- In the **Reference Manager** dialog, under **Solution**, select **Projects**.
- Select the SelfHost project.
- Click **OK**.

![](self-host-a-web-api/_static/image6.png)

Open the Client/Program.cs file. Add the following **using** statement:

[!code-csharp[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample7.cs)]

Add a static **HttpClient** instance:

[!code-csharp[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample8.cs)]

Add the following methods to list all products, list a product by ID, and list products by category.

[!code-csharp[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample9.cs)]

Each of these methods follows the same pattern:

1. Call **HttpClient.GetAsync** to send a GET request to the appropriate URI.
2. Call **HttpResponseMessage.EnsureSuccessStatusCode**. This method throws an exception if the HTTP response status is an error code.
3. Call **ReadAsAsync<T>** to deserialize a CLR type from the HTTP response. This method is an extension method, defined in **System.Net.Http.HttpContentExtensions**.

The **GetAsync** and **ReadAsAsync** methods are both asynchronous. They return **Task** objects that represent the asynchronous operation. Getting the **Result** property blocks the thread until the operation completes.

For more information about using HttpClient, including how to make non-blocking calls, see [Calling a Web API From a .NET Client](../advanced/calling-a-web-api-from-a-net-client.md).

Before calling these methods, set the BaseAddress property on the HttpClient instance to "`http://localhost:8080`". For example:

[!code-csharp[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample10.cs)]

This should output the following. (Remember to run the SelfHost application first.)

[!code-console[Main](self-host-a-web-api/samples/sample11.cmd)]

![](self-host-a-web-api/_static/image7.png)