Kestrel

As explained in Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core

Kestrel is an open-source, cross-platform, event-driven, asynchronous HTTP server implementation for ASP.NET Core.

Kestrel is ASP.NET Core’s open-source, cross-platform, event-driven, asynchronous HTTP server. In a Visual Studio project, selecting the project-named launch profile runs the board-game API with Kestrel. section 2.4.1

Configure Kestrel through the project’s launch settings:

• Set HTTP and HTTPS ports for the Kestrel profile. section 2.4.1
• Choose the runtime environment and starting URL. section 2.4.1 section 2.5.1
• Leave IIS Express unchanged when testers are required to use Kestrel only. section 2.5.1

Configure a tester profile

For the MyBGList API, assign TCP ports 55221 and 55222 to HTTP and HTTPS, select the Staging environment, and launch directly at the BoardGamesController Get() endpoint. Select Kestrel, start the application, and verify that the browser displays board-game JSON including MinPlayers and MaxPlayers. section 2.5 section 2.5.1 section 2.5.5

Figure 2.5 The Visual Studio Start button

Use the Visual Studio Start button to select the project profile corresponding to Kestrel. section 2.4.1

How Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core covers it

How deep it goes

Defines Kestrel’s server role and launch configuration but does not descend into server internals.

Examples

Uses MyBGList tester settings, TCP ports 55221 and 55222, a BoardGames endpoint, and board-game JSON output.

What it assumes

Assumes a working ASP.NET Core project and Visual Studio while teaching server selection and launch-profile configuration.

What you can do after

Operate/configure Kestrel by selecting its profile, assigning ports, choosing an environment, and verifying the launched API response.

How it connects

Connects Kestrel with ASP.NET Core, Visual Studio, launchSettings.json, IIS Express, HTTP, HTTPS, and runtime environments.

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Also explained in

• 

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  ASP.NET Core in Action, 3eKestrel is the cross-platform web server included with ASP.NET Core for receiving and sending HTTP traffic.

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Related concepts

• serverkind of · A server is a computer system or software process that receives requests from clients or other systems and provides resources, data, or services in response.
• ASP.NET Coreused by · ASP.NET Core is Microsoft’s cross-platform, open-source framework for building web applications and services on the .NET platform.
• launchSettings.jsonconfigured by · launchSettings.json is a .NET development configuration file defining local launch profiles and settings such as URLs, ports, and environment variables.
• kestrel:certificates:defaultconfigured by · Kestrel:Certificates:Default is an ASP.NET Core configuration section that specifies the default certificate and access credentials for Kestrel HTTPS connections.
• UseTestServeralternative to · UseTestServer is an ASP.NET Core hosting extension method that configures an application to use TestServer instead of a network web server.
• HttpContextproduces · HttpContext is the ASP.NET Core object representing the information, state, and features associated with a single HTTP request and its response.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.