Implementing Identity Authentication in Minimal APIs with ASP.NET Core

Leverage Enhanced Identity Management in ASP.NET Core for Streamlined Authentication in Minimal APIs

Implementing Identity Authentication in Minimal APIs with ASP.NET Core

Minimal APIs in ASP.NET Core offer a streamlined approach to building lightweight APIs with minimal dependencies, making them ideal for quick development. Despite their simplicity, integrating authentication and authorization remains a critical requirement for securing these APIs. While we’ve previously explored basic authentication and JWT token-based authentication for minimal APIs, this article focuses on implementing identity-based authentication, a robust solution for managing user identities and securing your APIs.

To follow along with the code examples and instructions provided in this article, ensure that you have Visual Studio 2022 installed on your system. If you don’t have Visual Studio 2022, you can download and install it from the official website. Having the latest version will ensure compatibility with the features and tools used in this guide.

Creating an ASP.NET Core Web API Project

Start by launching Visual Studio 2022 to create a new ASP.NET Core Web API project. Here are the steps to get started:

1. Launch Visual Studio 2022 IDE: Open the Visual Studio 2022 application on your computer.
2. Create a New Project: In the IDE, select “Create new project” from the start window. This will open the project creation wizard.
3. Select Project Template: In the “Create new project” window, choose “ASP.NET Core Web API” from the list of available templates. This template is specifically designed for building APIs in ASP.NET Core.
4. Configure Project Details: Click “Next” to proceed. In the “Configure your new project” window, provide a name for your project and specify the location where it will be saved. You may also choose to check the “Place solution and project in the same directory” box, depending on your organizational preferences.
5. Set Additional Information: Click “Next” to continue to the “Additional Information” window. Here, select “.NET 8.0 (Long Term Support)” as the target framework version. Since we are working with minimal APIs, uncheck the “Use controllers” option. This ensures that the project is set up for minimal API development.
6. Review and Create: Ensure that the “Authentication Type” is set to “None,” as we will configure authentication separately. Also, make sure the checkboxes for “Enable Open API Support,” “Configure for HTTPS,” and “Enable Docker” are unchecked for this guide. Click “Create” to generate your new project.

Implementing Identity-Based Authentication

With your project created, the next step is to integrate identity-based authentication. This process involves configuring ASP.NET Core Identity, which provides comprehensive support for user authentication and management. Identity-based authentication allows you to handle user registration, login, and role management effectively, ensuring that only authorized users can access specific parts of your API.

To implement identity-based authentication, follow these steps:

1. Add Identity Services: Start by adding the necessary identity services to your project. This involves installing the required NuGet packages and configuring services in your Program.cs or Startup.cs file.
2. Configure Identity Options: Set up identity options such as password policies, user lockout settings, and token configurations to match your application’s requirements.
3. Create User Model: Define a user model that represents your application’s users. This model will interact with the Identity system to manage user data.
4. Set Up Authentication Middleware: Configure the authentication middleware to use identity-based authentication. This setup will enable your API to authenticate and authorize users based on their identity.
5. Implement Authorization Policies: Define authorization policies to control access to various API endpoints based on user roles and permissions.

By following these steps, you can integrate identity-based authentication into your minimal APIs, providing a secure and flexible solution for managing user access. This approach enhances the overall security of your application while allowing for easy scalability and customization as your project evolves.