C#•2y ago

❔ What should web api controller return?

I can return Ok with some json as parameter. Or I can return simple string For example, I have method in controller:

[HttpGet("movies")]
public string GetMovies()
   => "12 angry men";

[HttpGet("movies")]
public string GetMovies()
   => "12 angry men";

Is it correct to return just a string?

9 Replies

Anton•2y ago

it will work the preferred return is ActionResult<string>

SWEETPONY•2y ago

ok, thanks!

Pobiega•2y ago

a HTTP GET for an endpoint called "movies", I'd expect it to return an array/list of something

Amos•2y ago

[HttpGet("movies")]
public async Task<ActionResult<List<Movie>>> GetMovies() 
{
  // maybe lookup in database or something
  var movies = new List<Movie> 
  {
    new Movie 
    {
      Name = "12 Angry Men"
    }
  };

  return Ok(movies);
}

[HttpGet("movies")]
public async Task<ActionResult<List<Movie>>> GetMovies() 
{
  // maybe lookup in database or something
  var movies = new List<Movie> 
  {
    new Movie 
    {
      Name = "12 Angry Men"
    }
  };

  return Ok(movies);
}

SWEETPONY•2y ago

is is worth to serialize "movies" to json and than return Ok with it?

// var json = movies.ToJson();
// return Ok(json);

// var json = movies.ToJson();
// return Ok(json);

Amos•2y ago

It'll serialise it automatically On the reading end you'd do like var movies = await httpClient.GetFromJsonAsync<List<Movie>>(URI);

SWEETPONY•2y ago

ah ok, thanks

Anton•2y ago

serialization is usually delegated to the framework, involved validation is usually not the serialization format can be controlled with attributes or filters in general

Accord•2y ago

Was this issue resolved? If so, run /close - otherwise I will mark this as stale and this post will be archived until there is new activity.

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❔ What should web api controller return?