How do I get ASP.NET Web API to return JSON instead of XML using Chrome?

Question

Using the newer ASP.NET Web API, in Chrome I am seeing XML - how can I change it to request JSON so I can view it in the browser? I do believe it is just part of the request headers, am I correct in that?

Answer 1

Note: Read the comments of this answer, it can produce a XSS Vulnerability if you are using the default error handing of WebAPI

I just add the following in App_Start / WebApiConfig.cs class in my MVC Web API project.

config.Formatters.JsonFormatter.SupportedMediaTypes     .Add(new MediaTypeHeaderValue("text/html") ); 

That makes sure you get JSON on most queries, but you can get XML when you send text/xml.

If you need to have the response Content-Type as application/json please check Todd's answer below.

NameSpace is using System.Net.Http.Headers.

Answer 2

If you do this in the WebApiConfig you will get JSON by default, but it will still allow you to return XML if you pass text/xml as the request Accept header.

Note: This removes the support for application/xml

public static class WebApiConfig {     public static void Register(HttpConfiguration config)     {         config.Routes.MapHttpRoute(             name: "DefaultApi",             routeTemplate: "api/{controller}/{id}",             defaults: new { id = RouteParameter.Optional }         );          var appXmlType = config.Formatters.XmlFormatter.SupportedMediaTypes.FirstOrDefault(t => t.MediaType == "application/xml");         config.Formatters.XmlFormatter.SupportedMediaTypes.Remove(appXmlType);     } } 

If you are not using the MVC project type and therefore did not have this class to begin with, see this answer for details on how to incorporate it.