Is WEB API the best way to build web services

Question

Is WEB API the best way to build web services ?I have not built web services for some time, but need to do some very soon, and am quickly researching the best way.

I am thinking of using .net WEB API (with visual studio 2012).

I want to keep things as simple as possible.

the web services will either

a) read data from sql server and return it

b) update data in SQL server - preferably be calling a stored procedure.

Any comments welcome re if WEB API is the best way, and anything else I should check out.

Like  I said , would like to keep things simple for now.

Answer 1

It really doesn't matter what you use of legacy Web Service, WCF Web service or WebAPI service, because it's just communications between the client and the service that's all they provide is communications.

What you should concentrate on is not using the technology below and use a classlib project call it DAL Data Access Layer that the service has reference to it for CRUD operations. You also may want to look at the Entity Framework in the solution and forget about using a stored procedure. 

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ReturningDataSetsFromWebServicesIsTheSpawnOfSatanAndRepresentsAllThatIsTrulyEvilInTheWorld.aspx

Answer 2

Hi Greg Booth,

If you want to keep things as simple as possible. In my opinion is that you can chose

the web API. But the WCF can  building services that support multiple transport

protocols (HTTP, TCP, UDP, and custom transports) and allows switching between them.

It enables developers to build secure, reliable, transacted solutions that integrate across

platforms and interoperate with existing investments. 

For more information, please refer to the following article:

1.WCF and ASP.NET Web API

2.WCF vs ASP.NET Web API

Best Regards,

Grady