Difference between WCF and web api??

WCF

It is also based on SOAP and return data in XML form.

It is the evolution of the web service(ASMX) and support various protocols like TCP, HTTP, HTTPS, Named Pipes, MSMQ.

The main issue with WCF is, its tedious and extensive configuration.

It also supports transactions, two-way binding.

It is not open source but can be consumed by any client that understands xml.

It can be hosted with in the applicaiton or on IIS or using window service.

Web API

This is the framework for building HTTP services with easy and simple way.

Unlike WCF Rest service, it use the full featues of HTTP (like URIs, request/response headers, caching, versioning, various content formats)

Responses are formatted by Web API’s MediaTypeFormatter into JSON, XML or whatever format you want to add as a MediaTypeFormatter.

It is light weight architecture and good for devices which have limited bandwidth like smart phones.

So you have to choose as per your need, environment. Means if you have different types of clients and they want to access the services through FTP, TCP, MSMQ, need to implement transaction, two way binding etc then choose WCF. In other hand if you need light-weight architecture, faster response, supports only HTTP methods(GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) then choose WebAPI.

Please go through below link that may help you:

http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/2b481f/difference-between-Asp-Net-web-api-and-wcf/

6 Replies

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Manas Mohapatra10y ago
Accepted answer
WCF

It is also based on SOAP and return data in XML form.

It is the evolution of the web service(ASMX) and support various protocols like TCP, HTTP, HTTPS, Named Pipes, MSMQ.

The main issue with WCF is, its tedious and extensive configuration.

It also supports transactions, two-way binding.

It is not open source but can be consumed by any client that understands xml.

It can be hosted with in the applicaiton or on IIS or using window service.

Web API

This is the framework for building HTTP services with easy and simple way.

Unlike WCF Rest service, it use the full featues of HTTP (like URIs, request/response headers, caching, versioning, various content formats)

Responses are formatted by Web API’s MediaTypeFormatter into JSON, XML or whatever format you want to add as a MediaTypeFormatter.
It is light weight architecture and good for devices which have limited bandwidth like smart phones.

So you have to choose as per your need, environment. Means if you have different types of clients and they want to access the services through FTP, TCP, MSMQ, need to implement transaction, two way binding etc then choose WCF. In other hand if you need light-weight architecture, faster response, supports only HTTP methods(GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) then choose WebAPI.

Please go through below link that may help you:

http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/2b481f/difference-between-Asp-Net-web-api-and-wcf/
Sridhar Yelagandhula7y ago
The main advantage of Mostly webapi is can create Restful services because in webapi use http protocols but wcf we cannot support http protocol
Soumalya Das10y ago
It also supports transactions, two-way binding. --what do you mean by that??
Soumalya Das10y ago
Sir can you explain what is MSMQ??
Soumalya Das10y ago
When i use web api and when i use wcf??
Aneez A10y ago
1. http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/2b481f/difference-between-Asp-Net-web-api-and- wcf/
2. http://www.dotnet-tricks.com/Tutorial/webapi/JI2X050413-Difference-between-WCF-and-Web-API-and-WCF-REST-and-Web-Service.html
Instead of copy-paste/typing contents, I thought this will be more helpful . These two are two articles I fund easy to understand.