As part of the Azure SDK 2.5.1 release, a new feature called Azure API Apps were included. This new feature raises the capabilities of ASP.NET Web API, extending it with Swagger metadata while providing a simple to manage interface in the Azure Portal. Extend your API with authentication and no code changes, or generate an SDK for your API with a few clicks. A full definition of API Apps and their capabilities is available in the online Azure documentation. Video coverage of the API Apps announcement with Scott Guthrie is available online:
Let’s take a quick look at some concepts, with links to more information.
- API Apps live in an App Gateway. This gateway manages add-on functionality such as authentication and update policies for the API. A gateway resides on a single host.
 
- Gateways are contained within a standard Azure Resource Group.
- API Apps can use connectors to access SaaS (software as a service) platforms such as Office 365 and Salesforce.
- When you create an Azure API App in Visual Studio, you can review the Swagger metadata for your app by navigating a web browser to the default web location of /swagger/docs/v1 in your compiled and running project.
Given the following ASP.NET API Controllers:
The following swagger format is output:
We have a complete tutorial online demonstrating how to get started defining your first API, publishing the API so that others can re-deploy it, and finally deploy the API so that you can consume it.
There is a lot of coverage of the introduction of our new Web App platform, you can learn more at the following links:
- Channel 9 coverage of Web Apps
- Channel 9 talks about Logic Apps
- Introduction to Mobile Apps on Channel 9
- Scott Hunter and Scott Hanselman talk about API Apps on Channel 9
- The Azure blog is showcasing the entire platform
If you have an active Azure subscription, navigate over to the Azure Portal and try the new API Apps. Â If you are new to Azure and don’t yet have a subscription, you can try Azure App Service for free with no credit card and no commitment needed.
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