overview

Blazor WASM apps call web APIs using a preconfigured HttpClient service which is focused on making requests back to the server of origin (not a 3rd party API). Create HttpClient service configurations manually for requests to other web APIs.

• Documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/blazor/call-web-api?view=aspnetcore-7.0&pivots=webassembly

sending patch requests

If sending HTTP PATCH requests, there are additional considerations beyond those listed in these notes.
See: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/blazor/call-web-api?view=aspnetcore-7.0&pivots=webassembly#patch-as-json-patchasjsonasync

Using the Preconfigured HttpClient

1. Add the HttpClient service to the DI container:
   Program.cs

   builder.Services.AddScoped(sp => 
       new HttpClient
       {
           // The client's base address is set to the originating server's address:
           BaseAddress = new Uri(builder.HostEnvironment.BaseAddress)
       });
   

2. Inject required services:
   SomeComponent.razor

   @using System.Net.Http 
   <!-- For HttpClientJsonExtensions: -->
   @using System.Net.Http.Json 
   @inject HttpClient Http
   

3. Send requests from the component in the OnInitializedAsync() method after the component has finished initializing: SomeComponent.razor

   @code {
   private TodoItem[]? todoItems;
   
   protected override async Task OnInitializedAsync() => 
       todoItems = await Http.GetFromJsonAsync<TodoItem[]>("api/TodoItems");
   }
   

Using the IHttpClientFactory

Instead of injecting a preconfigured HttpClient, IHttpClientFactory can be used instead, similar to how it is used in other .NET apps.

Both named and typed clients are supported.

named client example

Program.cs:

builder.Services.AddHttpClient("NAMED_CLIENT_NAME", client => 
    client.BaseAddress = new Uri(builder.HostEnvironment.BaseAddress));

SomeComponent.razor

@inject IHttpClientFactory ClientFactory
<!-- ... -->

@code {
    // ...
    protected override async Task OnInitializedAsync()
    {
        var client = ClientFactory.CreateClient("NAMED_CLIENT_NAME");
        result = await client.GetFromJsonAsync<SomeModel[]>("SomeModel");
    }
}

typed client example

1. Add Microsoft.Extensions.Http to the app:

   dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.Http
   

2. Create the typed client:
   SomeHttpClient.cs

   public class SomeHttpClient
   {
       private readonly HttpClient http;
       private SomeModel[]? results;
   
       public SomeHttpClient(HttpClient http)
       {
           this.http = http;
       }
       public async Task<SomeModel[]> GetResultsAsync()
       {
           results = await http.GetFromJsonAsync<SomeModel[]>("/api/endpoint");
   
           return results ?? Array.Empty<SomeModel>();
       }
   }
   

3. Use the typed client:
   SomeComponent.razor

   @inject SomeHttpClient Http
   <!-- ... -->
   

   @code {
       private SomeModel[]? results;
   
       protected override async Task OnInitializedAsync()
       {
           results = await Http.GetResultsAsync();
       }
   }
   

fetch api request options

Blazor WASM’s implementation of HttpClient uses Fetch API. Fetch API can be configured with request-specific options via HttpRequestMessage extension methods:

Additional options can be set via the generic SetBrowserRequestOption extension method.

Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS)

Browser security restricts a web page from making requests to a different domain than the one that served the web page. This is called the same-origin policy. To make requests from the browser to an endpoint with a different origin (domain), the endpoint must enable CORS.

Adjust the names and ports of WithOrigins as needed for the app:
Program.cs

// ...
app.UseCors(policy => policy
    .WithOrigins("http://localhost:5000", "https://localhost:5001")
    .AllowAnyMethod()
    .WithHeaders(HeaderNames.ContentType);
// ...

See also: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/security/cors?view=aspnetcore-7.0

testing a web api

Blazor framework’s reference source has HttpClient test assets: https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore/tree/main/src/Components/test/testassets/BasicTestApp/HttpClientTest