RESTful .NET

by Jon Flanders

RESTful .NET is the first book that teaches Windows developers to build RESTful web services using the latest Microsoft tools. Written by Windows Communication Foundation (WFC) expert Jon Flanders, this hands-on tutorial demonstrates how you can use WCF and other components of the .NET 3.5 Framework to build, deploy and use REST-based web services in a variety of application scenarios.

RESTful architecture offers a simpler approach to building web services than SOAP, SOA, and the cumbersome WS-* stack. And WCF has proven to be a flexible technology for building distributed systems not necessarily tied to WS-* standards. RESTful .NET provides you with a complete guide to the WCF REST programming model for building web services consumed either by machines or humans. You'll learn how

RESTful .NET introduces you to the ideas of REST and RESTful architecture, and includes a detailed discussion of how the Web/REST model plugs into the WCF architecture. If you develop with .NET, it's time to jump on the RESTful bandwagon. This book explains how.

"While REST is simple, WCF is not. To really understand and exploit this part of WCF requires a knowledgeable and experienced guide. I don't know anybody who's better suited for this role than Jon Flanders. ...Jon is first-rate at explaining complicated things. This book is the best introduction I've seen to creating and using these services with WCF." --David Chappell, Chappell & Associates

Genres: Programming, Technology

308 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2008

Reviews

[Berry Muhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Reading dates are approximate, as is often the case with my reviews, this time because I was reading two other programming books concurrently, and I got a bit hazy as to where one began and the other ended.)

This is a straightforward tutorial on developing Webservices in the RESTful paradigm, focusing on the .NET framework. Example code is in C#. As at the time of publication, the current version of Windows Communication Foundation was in the 3.5 revision of .NET, the code assumes that version.

I'd recommend this as Prong Two of a three-pronged course in modern Web development. The O'Reilly publication RESTful Web Services will get you started with REST and programmable-Web concepts, and this one will apply them to the .NET realm. That should cover the programmable Web fairly nicely, after which you'll want to use Professional ASP.NET Design Patterns (WROX, to be reviewed shortly) to cover the human-readable Web.

These three books should cover the back end and programmable aspects of Web development tolerably well, but to be perfectly rounded, you'll want to additionally pursue some instruction in HTML5 and the various Javascript libraries currently in vogue. That'll cover the UI side, at which point you'll be a highly sought-after developer (check out LinkedIn and any headhunter site to see just what's in demand right now).

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great coverage of exposing and consuming a RESTful service using WCF. Note that you'll need the services of a good WCF book, this builds on existing WCF expertise and doesn't try that hard to bring you up to speed. Which isn't a bad thing, it keeps the book relatively short and focused. I'll be referring back to this one often.

[Andrew Dalgleish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice attempt to bring restful concepts to WCF. Will be out of date very soon with the introduction ASP.NET Web API (http://www.asp.net/web-api).

Also, you owe it to yourself to check out ServiceStack.net - the opensource alternative to WCF is totally awesome.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good amount of detail about WCF and REST, but the chapters pandering to Silverlight and WF are a distraction. Not every book talking about Microsoft's stack has to mention Silverlight...