ASP.NET Core WEB API Problem with GET parameters in API method - asp.net-core

Question

I have this controller
[ApiController]
[Route("api/[controller]")]
public class FamiliesController : ControllerBase
{
readonly FamilyFinanceContext db;
public FamiliesController(FamilyFinanceContext context)
{
db = context;
}
[HttpDelete("deletefamily")]
public async Task<ActionResult<Family>> DeleteFamilly(int id)
{
Family user = db.Families.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Id == id);
if (user == null)
{
return NotFound();
}
db.Families.Remove(user);
await db.SaveChangesAsync();
return Ok(user);
}
}
after call https://localhost:44373/api/families/deletefamily?id=2 i have this error - HTTP ERROR 405
In theory this GET parameters must work. What i done not correctly?

Answer 1

As ESG stated, your trying to do a DELETE, so you need to use the DELETE verb, not the GET verb. You're getting a 405 Method Not Allowed for this reason (you cannot use GET on a DELETE action). You should use a tool like PostMan (https://www.postman.com/) to create your DELETE requests, since you can't really do it easily just in a browser.
To fall more in line with REST convention, you should consider changing your DELETE method slightly:
[HttpDelete("{id}")]
public async Task<ActionResult> DeleteFamily([FromRoute] int id)
{
Family user = db.Families.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Id == id);
if (user == null)
{
return NotFound();
}
db.Families.Remove(user);
await db.SaveChangesAsync();
return NoContent();
}
You would then call this as DELETE https://localhost:44373/api/families/2
By using the [HttpDelete("{id}"] attribute, your moving the id from the query string to the URI, which is more in line with REST convention (the URI represents an object). Query string parameters are more typically used for optional capabilities, such as filtering, sorting, etc and not the endpoint representing the object itself.
Typically DELETE actions do not return content, but that is up to you. If you really want to return the user object, then stick with Ok(user), but NoContent is more typical of the DELETE verb.