Middleware in ASP.NET Core is software that’s assembled into an application pipeline to handle HTTP requests and responses. Each component can process, modify, or short-circuit requests, making it a powerful feature for cross-cutting concerns like authentication, logging, and error handling.
Key Features:
- Processes HTTP requests and responses
- Enables logging, authentication, and exception handling
- Can be added in a specific order in the pipeline
- Supports custom and built-in middleware
- Lightweight and modular design
Example:
Adding simple middleware in Program.cs:
var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
var app = builder.Build();
app.Use(async (context, next) =>
{
Console.WriteLine("Request Incoming: " + context.Request.Path);
await next();
Console.WriteLine("Response Outgoing: " + context.Response.StatusCode);
});
app.MapGet("/", () => "Hello Middleware!");
app.Run();
Middleware is essential in ASP.NET Core for handling cross-cutting tasks efficiently, providing flexibility and control over the request pipeline.
Citations: