ASP.NET Core Web APIs from Scratch Practice Exam

ASP.NET Core Web APIs from Scratch Practice Exam

The ASP.NET Core Web APIs from Scratch exam is designed to assess a candidate’s ability to build, document, and secure RESTful APIs using ASP.NET Core. This exam evaluates proficiency in designing scalable APIs, implementing authentication and authorization, handling data operations, and optimizing performance. Additionally, candidates are tested on API documentation best practices using OpenAPI/Swagger, versioning strategies, and deployment techniques. The exam covers essential concepts such as routing, middleware, dependency injection, error handling, and security protocols (OAuth, JWT, API keys) to ensure candidates can develop production-ready web APIs.

Skills Required

To excel in this exam, candidates should have a solid grasp of the following concepts:

• Understanding controllers, routing, and HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE).
• Implementing services and managing dependencies efficiently in an ASP.NET Core application.
• Performing CRUD operations, working with databases, and using LINQ for data manipulation.
• Configuring custom middleware, implementing action filters, exception handling, and logging.
• Securing APIs using OAuth, JWT, and API keys, along with role-based and policy-based authorization.
• Managing multiple API versions effectively for backward compatibility.
• Using Swagger (Swashbuckle/NSwag) for generating interactive API documentation and enhancing developer experience.
• Writing unit tests for API endpoints, debugging, and logging API requests/responses.
• Implementing response caching, compression, and optimizing API performance for scalability.
• Publishing APIs to cloud platforms such as Azure or AWS, configuring CI/CD pipelines, and monitoring API health.

Who should take the Exam?

This exam is ideal for:

• Backend Developers who want to specialize in building robust and scalable APIs using ASP.NET Core.
• Full-Stack Developers looking to enhance their skills in API development and integrate APIs with frontend applications.
• Software Engineers
• Technical Architects who design API-driven architectures and need to guide development teams in best practices.
• DevOps Professionals
• Students and Aspiring Developers who want to build a strong foundation in ASP.NET Core Web API development from scratch.

Course Outline

The ASP.NET Core Web APIs from Scratch Exam covers the following topics - 

Domain 1 - Introduction to Web API Development

• Overview of the Web API Request Lifecycle
• Understanding Web API Operations
• HTTP Status Codes: Key Concepts
• Introduction to CMS OpenAPI Documentation
• Step 1: Initiating a New Web API Project
• Key Components of a Web API Project

Domain 2 - Understanding API Controllers

• What Are API Controllers?
• Role and Function of Attributes in API Controllers
• Importance of the ApiController Attribute

Domain 3 - Building Collection APIs

• Introduction to Collection APIs
• Step 2: Create a New Controller
• Step 3: Define Actions in the Controller
• Step 4: Add Data Models to Your Project
• Step 5: Set Up a Database Repository
• Step 6: Integrating the Database Repository
• Step 7: Implementing GET Operations to Retrieve All Items

Domain 4 - Exploring Return Types in Web APIs

• Introduction to Return Types
• Method 1: Returning Data Using the Type Directly
• Method 2: Returning Data Using IActionResult
• Method 3: Returning Data Using ActionResult
• Key Differences Between IActionResult and ActionResult
• Asynchronous Return of Results
• Step 8: Modify GET Operation to Utilize ActionResult

Domain 5 - Enhancing Your Web API Project

• Introduction to Web API Improvements
• Step 9: Using AutoMapper to Map Data and DTOs
• Step 10: Implementing POST Operations for Adding New Items
• Step 11: Adding Validation to Models for Data Integrity

Domain 6 - Creating Individual Item APIs

• Introduction to Individual Item APIs
• Step 12: Implement GET Operation to Retrieve a Single Item
• Step 13: Implement PUT Operation to Update Existing Items
• Step 14: Implement DELETE Operation to Remove Items

Domain 7 - Working with Association APIs

• Introduction to Association APIs
• Step 15: Implement GET Operation to Retrieve Sub-Items
• Step 16: Implement POST Operation for Creating New Associations

Domain 8 - Versioning Your Web API

• Introduction to API Versioning
• Different Methods of API Versioning
• Step 17: Implement API Versioning Service
• Step 18: Apply Versioning to Controllers
• Step 19: Apply Versioning to Actions
• Query-Based vs. URL-Based vs. Header-Based Versioning
• Step 20: Enable Multiple Versioning Methods