what is the use of self hosting.

Question

following the example here https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/forums/what-is-meant-by-owin-based-application by @Aashima Khatoon, i successfully hosted the web API from console application. But now i am wondering ,how anyone will be able to call it over internet ? what is the use of self hosting??

Sachin Singh · Answer

There is no use of Self hosting, it is just for fun and owin has only one use you can create middlewares and inject it into owin pieline by creating a startup class in your application and IIS integrated mode has designed by keeping owin pipeline in mind that every owin middleware will run on PreHandlerExecute stage of IIS,you can run any middleware before PreHandlerExecute stage using UseStageMarker extension method. If you are using Console application to host your api then you have windows os/server , and you can install IIS as well then what is the pupose of self hosting, Isn't it.Yes there is no use of it. you are bound to deploy everything on IIS untill you don't use .Net Core.

Sachin Singh · Answer

@Mageswaran sir, her question is indirectly how to host a web API on other web server than IIS . and if we can self host it on windows web server then why don't use IIS simply ? How hard is it to install IIS, is there any genuine advantage of self hosting , simply no. yes we can set inbound rules in OS firewall and could set static IP in the DHCP of the Router, but when you already have windows server then why not to use IIS instead.

Mageshwaran R · Answer

Hi Aarti: Self-hosting: Self-hosting means running our ASP.NET Web API project on our own Web Server rather than using IIS. Here, we are not building a complete HTTP Web Server either. We’re simply using the functionality. please refer this link: https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/blogs/web-api-self-hosting