Content negotiation
Content negotiation is the HTTP process by which a client and server select a mutually supported representation format, language, or version.
The Design of Web APIs, Second Edition
HTTP content negotiation is the HTTP mechanism by which a client and server select an appropriate representation format or language for a message.
- How it is used
- Selects representations, languages, hypermedia formats, files, or resource models that fit different API consumer needs.
- How deep it goes
- Explains headers, defaults, independent request and response formats, consistency, and trade-offs without specifying exhaustive media-type handling.
- Examples
- Demonstrates CSV transactions, JSON and XML transfers, localized labels, hypermedia formats, and summarized or complete account models.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via HTTP headers to design flexible representations while preserving clear defaults, consumer interoperability, and operation-level consistency.
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ASP.NET Core in Action, 3e
Content negotiation is the process by which an HTTP client and server select a representation format for a response based on supported media types and request preferences.
- How it is used
- Uses content negotiation to return controller models in a format an API client can understand.
- How deep it goes
- Explains headers, formatter defaults, browser exceptions, and configuration while deferring custom formatter construction.
- Examples
- Tests a car-list response requested as XML, then shows XML formatter registration and browser Accept configuration.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure it by adding XML formatters and changing how ASP.NET Core controllers handle browser Accept headers.
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Pro ASP.NET Core 7, Tenth Edition
Content negotiation is the process of selecting a response representation by comparing client-specified format preferences with the formats an HTTP server can produce.
- How it is used
- Shapes ASP.NET Core web-service responses to match client-specified representation preferences.
- How deep it goes
- Explains Accept-header behavior, formatter registration, serialization constraints, fallback requests, and 406 handling.
- Examples
- Demonstrates PowerShell requests for XML, wildcard fallback, and PNG, with observed JSON, XML, and 406 responses.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure ASP.NET Core MVC to add XML output, test Accept preferences, and control unsupported-format behavior.
Read how Pro ASP.NET Core 7, Tenth Edition explains content negotiation →
Related concepts
- Accept headeruses · An Accept header is an HTTP request header that specifies the media types a client can process in the response, optionally indicating preferences.
- Accept-Languageuses · Accept-Language is an HTTP request header that communicates the natural languages or language variants preferred or accepted by a client.
- controllerused by · A controller is a software component or architectural role that receives inputs or requests and coordinates their handling by other parts of an application.
- operationused by · An operation is an action or computation performed by or through a system, object, or interface, often producing a result or effect.
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