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Shivanshu Sharma
Shivanshu Sharma

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IHttpClientFactory in C#.

The IHttpClientFactory is a powerful feature introduced in .NET Core 2.1 that simplifies the management of HttpClient instances. Here are some key points about it:

What is IHttpClientFactory?
The IHttpClientFactory serves as a factory abstraction for creating HttpClient instances with custom configurations.
It’s designed to work seamlessly with dependency injection (DI), logging, and configuration in .NET applications.
By using IHttpClientFactory, you can avoid common pitfalls related to manual management of HttpClient instances.
Benefits of IHttpClientFactory:
Dependency Injection (DI): It exposes the HttpClient class as a DI-ready type, making it easy to inject into your services.
Logical Client Instances: You can configure and name logical HttpClient instances centrally. This helps manage different clients for various APIs or services.
Middleware via Delegating Handlers: IHttpClientFactory codifies the concept of outgoing middleware using delegating handlers in HttpClient. These handlers allow you to add custom logic (such as authentication, logging, or retries) to your HTTP requests.
Caching and Lifetime Management: It automatically manages the caching and lifetime of underlying HttpClientHandler instances.
Logging: You get a configurable logging experience (via ILogger) for all requests sent through clients created by the factory.
Consumption Patterns:
There are several ways to use IHttpClientFactory in your app:
Basic Usage: Register the factory by calling services.AddHttpClient() in your Startup.cs (or wherever you define your dependencies). Then, simply inject IHttpClientFactory into your classes where you need an HttpClient.
Named Clients: You can create named clients for specific APIs or services. For example:
C#

services.AddHttpClient("GitHubClient", config =>
{
config.BaseAddress = new Uri("https://api.github.com/");
});
AI-generated code. Review and use carefully. More info on FAQ.
Typed Clients: Define a typed client interface and implementation, and then register it with IHttpClientFactory. This allows you to inject a strongly-typed client into your services.
Generated Clients: You can generate clients dynamically based on your needs.
Important Note:
If your app requires cookies, consider alternative ways of managing clients, as IHttpClientFactory might not be the best fit.
For more detailed information and examples, you can refer to the official documentation on Using IHttpClientFactory and Make HTTP requests using IHttpClientFactory in ASP.NET Core. Happy coding! 🚀👨‍💻1234

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