In .NET 9, the ASP.NET Core team has removed the default inclusion of Swagger (Swashbuckle) from Web API templates due to maintenance concerns and the desire for a more integrated solution.
Instead, .NET 9 introduces built-in support for OpenAPI documentation through the Microsoft.AspNetCore.OpenApi package. This allows developers to generate OpenAPI documents natively without relying on external tools.
For those seeking an interactive UI to test API endpoints, alternatives like NSwag and Scalar can be integrated into .NET 9 projects. NSwag offers capabilities similar to Swagger, including client and server code generation, while Scalar provides a streamlined interface for API interactions.
Additionally, tools like Postman remain valuable for testing APIs externally, offering robust features for API development and testing.
These changes aim to provide developers with more flexibility and control over API documentation and testing workflows in .NET 9.
Difference between Swagger and OpenAPI
Here’s a comparison between Swagger (Swashbuckle) and OpenAPI to clarify their differences.
Swagger
- Definition: Swagger is a set of tools built around the OpenAPI Specification (OAS). It simplifies API documentation, testing, and client/server code generation.
- Purpose: Swagger tools (like Swagger UI, Swagger Editor, and Swagger Codegen) help create and work with OpenAPI specifications.
- Key Features:
- Provides interactive documentation (Swagger UI) for testing APIs.
- Automatically generates API documentation from code (via Swashbuckle in .NET).
- Supports client SDK generation for different programming languages.
- Simplifies API testing with its built-in interface.
- Usage in .NET:
- Previously integrated by default into ASP.NET Core Web API templates (via Swashbuckle).
- Provides an accessible visual interface to explore and test APIs.
OpenAPI
- Definition: OpenAPI is a specification for describing RESTful APIs in a standard, machine-readable format (e.g., JSON or YAML).
- Purpose: It serves as a blueprint for APIs, describing endpoints, request/response formats, authentication, etc.
- Key Features:
- Language-independent: Focuses on API design rather than implementation.
- Compatible with tools like Swagger, NSwag, Postman, etc.
- Helps with API-first development by serving as a contract between developers and clients.
- Usage in .NET 9:
- .NET 9 introduces native support for OpenAPI via the
Microsoft.AspNetCore.OpenApipackage. - Developers can now generate OpenAPI documents directly without relying on third-party tools like Swashbuckle.
- .NET 9 introduces native support for OpenAPI via the
Swagger vs. OpenAPI
| Aspect | Swagger | OpenAPI |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Toolset for working with OpenAPI. | Specification for describing RESTful APIs. |
| Primary Role | Simplifies API documentation, testing, and code generation. | Defines the structure and behavior of APIs. |
| Examples in .NET | Swashbuckle, NSwag (tools implementing OpenAPI). | Built-in OpenAPI support in .NET 9. |
| Output Format | Uses OpenAPI Specification (JSON/YAML). | Defines the OpenAPI Specification itself. |
| Interactive Testing | Provides tools like Swagger UI for testing APIs. | OpenAPI itself doesn’t include UI tools. |
Key Change in .NET 9
- In .NET 9, Swagger UI (via Swashbuckle) is no longer included by default in Web API templates.
- Instead, OpenAPI support is built-in for generating API descriptions, while tools like NSwag or external libraries can provide interactive documentation and testing interfaces.
Conclusion
- If you need an interactive UI for testing APIs, Swagger (or similar tools like NSwag) is still the go-to solution.
- For pure API contract generation and flexibility, the built-in OpenAPI support in .NET 9 is sufficient.
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