Difference between WCF and Web API
Ankita Sharda
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Ankita Sharda
Senior Human Resource Executive || Hired for Adidas & KPMG (ex-clients) | MBA, Talent Acquisition- Corporate HR.
What is WCF?
WCF stands for Windows Communication Foundation. It is used to create a distributed and interoperable Applications. WCF is an effective platform for developing service-oriented applications. It allows developers to create secure, reliable, and high profile development solutions which can be integrated across platforms and interoperate with existing investments.
What is Web API?
ASP.NET Web API is a framework which allows you to build HTTP services for browsers and mobile devices. It is an ideal platform for developing RESTful applications on the ASP .NET Framework.
Why use WCF?
Here, are pros/benefits of using WCF:
- WCF is an ideal option if you are planning to use .NET Framework 3.5.
- WCF support multiple protocols such as HTTP, TCP, Named pipe.
- WCF service is useful if you want to build service with standards like Transactions Messaging security and Reliable Message Security.
- You can use Request-Reply, One Way, and Duplex message exchange patterns with WCF.
Why used Web API?
- Web API provides supports for convention-based CRUD Actions since it works with HTTP verbs ( GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE)
- It is easy to define, expose, and consume in a REST-ful way.
- ASP.Net Web API allows you to showcase your data and services to various devices.
- Web API is open source, so it is an ideal option for creating RESTful services over the .NET platform.
- Allows you scalable, decoupled development of a Web Service which can be shared and used by other developers to access web services.
- It is also helpful to build simple, non-SOAP-based HTTP Services.
Characteristics of WCF
- Highly configurable transports
- Better options for serialization
- Well-integrated with IIS
- Easy for self-hosting
- Very rich metadata
- Complex model for publication
- Rich data contracts
Characteristics of Web API
- Tightly coupled to HTTP
- Easy to test
- Offers support for content negotiation
- Allows open-ended formatting
- No reliance on a platform
- Solid resource-orientation
- Level 2 experience with nascent hypermedia support