Customize Swagger UI In ASP.NET Web API Restful Service

Introduction

Swagger UI is a very powerful documentation tool for Restful services. It is a framework for describing and consuming RESTful APIs. It keeps the documentation system of methods, parameters, and models tightly integrated into the server code. We can add Swashbuckle to any Web API project, and then we can easily customize the generated specification along with the UI (swagger-ui). Swagger UI uses Swashbuckle to displays the documentation. The Swashbuckle has few extension points that we can use to customize the look and feel.

Description

In this article, I will show the steps for customizing the Swagger UI.

1. Add XML Comments/Description for GET() methods
2. Customize the Swagger UI Using Style Sheet
3. Customize the Swagger UI Using Javascript

Before going through this article, visit my previous articles as mentioned below.

1. Implement Swagger UI In ASP.NET Web API Restful Service For Documentation Using Swashbuckle

Things you can customize in Swashbuckle are shown below,

• Style Sheet
• Javascript
• HTML
• Submit methods, Boolean values, etc

Steps to be followed,

If you open SwaggerConfig.cs file under App_Start folder you can see that all the configuration that is related to the swagger is present. Swagger Ui has some feature and facility to read XML comment from the methods like GET() and GET(ID).

Step 1

Go to EmployeeController.cs and the XML comments for GET() methods as shown below. For that just type 3 forward slash (or simply slash) /// and it will auto create the XML section to write your own comments in Summary and Param section.

For GET() Method

For GET(ID) Method

Step 2

We need one more setting and for that right click on project and go to properties. Next step is select Build and choose the XML documentation file, Then save those changes.

Step 3

Go to SwaggerConfig.cs file under App_Start folder and add the following code.

private static string GetXmlCommentsPath() {
    return String.Format(@ "{0}\bin\WebAPIProj.XML", System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory);
}

Here WebAPIProj.XML is name of the Web API project. So, put your own project name.

Step 4

Uncomment the below line of code in SwaggerConfig.cs file.

c.IncludeXmlComments(GetXmlCommentsPath());

Build your solution after these changes are made in SwaggerConfig.cs file and Run it.

OUTPUT

Here we can see the XML comments in GET() methods are shown below.

Also, we can see the Employee ID as description is added in param section of GET(ID) method in EmployeeController.

Customize the Swagger UI Using Style Sheet

Step 5

Here we can customize the Swagger UI as well using Stylesheet. I have added one style sheet file named SwaggerStyle.css under Content folder.

Right click on SwaggerStyle.css file and select Embedded Resource option for Build Action as shown below.

Here I added CSS class in SwaggerStyle.css file as shown below.

.swagger-section #header {
    background-color: #ffd800;
    padding: 14px;
}

This class has two properties for background color and padding to header. 

Step 6

Then I will add this SwaggerStyle.css file reference in SwaggerConfig.cs file. Uncomment the below line of code.

Modify this line of code as shown below.

c.InjectStylesheet(thisAssembly, "WebAPIProj.Content.SwaggerStyle.css");

Here I have mentioned the full name of CSS file that is under WebAPIProj / Content / SwaggerStyle.css.

OUTPUT

Here, we can see the background color of header is changed and the padding properties as well.

Like this we can customize the whole Swagger UI as per requirement.

Customize the Swagger UI Using Javascript

Here I added a JavaScript file named SwaggerScript.js under Content folder.

Right click on SwaggerScript.js file and select Embedded Resource option for Build Action as shown below.

Here I added javascript code in SwaggerScript.js file as shown below.

$(document).ready(function () {
    alert("Swagger Script Alert Added.");
});

Step 7

Then I will add this SwaggerScript.js file reference in SwaggerConfig.cs file. Uncomment the below line of code.

Modify this line of code as shown below.

c.InjectJavaScript(thisAssembly, "WebAPIProj.Content.SwaggerScript.js");

Here I have mentioned the full name to JS file that is under WebAPIProj/Content/SwaggerScript.js.

OUTPUT

Here, we can see that javascript alert message when the Swagger UI loads as shown below.

Summary

In this write-up, we have learned the below details,

1. Add XML Comments/Description for GET() methods
2. Customize the Swagger UI Using Style Sheet
3. Customize the Swagger UI Using Javascript

Thank You & Stay Tuned For More