Difference between Web API Controller and MVC Controller ?

Question

What is difference between Web API Controller and MVC Controller ? this question is asked in interview.

Rajkiran Swain · Answer

It's fairly simple to decide between the two: if you're writing an HTML based web/internet/intranet application - maybe with the occasional AJAX call returning json here and there - stick with MVC/Controller. If you want to provide a data driven/REST-ful interface to a system, go with WebAPI. You can combine both, of course, having an ApiController cater AJAX calls from an MVC page. Basically controller is use for mvc and api-controller is use for Rest- API you can use both in same program as your need. https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/2b481f/difference-between-mvc-and-web-api/

Rijwan Ansari · Answer

In simple term, we use Controller to render your normal views. ApiController action only return data that is serialized and sent to the client.

Vikas Panwar · Answer

You can check this https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9494966/difference-between-apicontroller-and-controller-in-asp-net-mvc

geetha velusamy · Answer

Asp.Net MVC is used to create web applications that return both views and data but Asp.Net Web API is used to create full-blown HTTP services with an easy and simple way that returns only data, not view. Web API helps to build REST-ful services over the MVC only return data in JSON format using JsonResult. WebApiController: //POST - Insert Data public IHttpActionResult PostNewCustomer(CustomerViewModel customer) { if (!ModelState.IsValid) return BadRequest("Invalid data. Please recheck1"); using (var x=new WebAPIDemo_DBEntities()) { x.customers.Add(new customer() { name = customer.Name, email = customer.Email, address = customer.Address, phone = customer.Phone }); x.SaveChanges(); } return Ok(); } MVC Controller: [HttpPost] public ActionResult Edit(CustomerMvcModel customer) { HttpResponseMessage response = GlobalVariables.webapiclient.PutAsJsonAsync("Customer/" + customer.Id, customer).Result; TempData["SuccessMessage"] = "Updated Successfully"; return RedirectToAction("Index"); }