Some Web API techniques

gistfile1.cs

using System;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Web.Http;
using System.Web.Http.SelfHost;

namespace WebApiSelfHost
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var baseAddress = new Uri("http://localhost:8080/");

            var configuration = new HttpSelfHostConfiguration(baseAddress);

            configuration.Routes.MapHttpRoute(
                 name: "DefaultApi",
                 routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{id}",
                 defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional }
             );
            var host = new HttpSelfHostServer(configuration);
            host.OpenAsync().Wait();

            Console.WriteLine("Host open.  Hit enter to exit...");

            Console.Read();

            host.CloseAsync().Wait();
        }
    }

    public class Foo
    {
        public string A { get; set; }
        public string B { get; set; }
    }

    public class Error
    {
        public string Code { get; set; }
        public string Message { get; set; }
    }

    // Helper class to allow actions that return HttpResponseMessage to easily embed CLR types
    public class HttpResponseMessage<T> : HttpResponseMessage
    {
        public HttpResponseMessage(HttpRequestMessage request, T value)
        {
            var config = request.GetConfiguration();
            var contentNegotiator = config.Services.GetContentNegotiator();
            var connegResult = contentNegotiator.Negotiate(
                typeof(T), request, config.Formatters
            );
            request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.Accepted, value);
            Content = new ObjectContent<T>(value, connegResult.Formatter);
        }
    }


    // Return a HttpResponseMessage that has a strongly typed payload
    public class FooController : ApiController
    {
        public HttpResponseMessage Get()
        {
            var value = new Foo()
                            {
                                A = "Hello",
                                B = "World"
                            };
            return new HttpResponseMessage<Foo>(Request, value);
        }
    }

    // Return an error message along with a status code
    public class BarController : ApiController
    {
        public HttpResponseMessage Get()
        {
            return new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest) { ReasonPhrase = "You have failed"};
        }
    }

    // Return error message by throwing an exception
    public class BazController : ApiController
    {

        public Foo Get()
        {
            throw new HttpResponseException(new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest ) {ReasonPhrase= "You have failed"}) ;
        }
    }

    // Return an error message body by throwing an exception
    public class BlahController : ApiController
    {
        public Foo Get()
        {
            throw new HttpResponseException(new HttpResponseMessage<Error>(Request,new Error() {Code = "911", Message="You failed"}) {StatusCode = HttpStatusCode.BadRequest} );
        }
    }


}