dotnet CSharp httpclient api beginners dotnet 101

Making API Calls Using HttpClient

Best practices for HTTP requests in C#

Posted by Rodrigo Castro on January 5, 2025

For production C# apps, follow these best practices with HttpClient.

🏗️ Use IHttpClientFactory (ASP.NET Core)

public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
    services.AddHttpClient();
}

Inject IHttpClientFactory into your service:

public class MyService
{
    private readonly HttpClient _client;

    public MyService(HttpClient client)
    {
        _client = client;
    }

    public async Task<string> GetDataAsync()
    {
        var response = await _client.GetAsync("https://api.example.com/data");
        return await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
    }
}

🔁 Reuse HttpClient

In console apps, keep a single HttpClient instance for the app’s lifetime.
Avoid creating new HttpClient per request to prevent socket exhaustion.

🛠️ Handling Errors

Always check response.IsSuccessStatusCode.
Use try/catch around your API calls.

Next: Sending requests and handling responses!