What is the best way to read in a text file from the server in asp.net-mvc

Question

If the file should not be directly available via URL, you should put it in App_Data.

For reading it, just use:

var fileContents = System.IO.File.ReadAllText(Server.MapPath(@"~/App_Data/file.txt"));

Ok this way it works for me (VS2017)

1. Set the Build Action of the file.txt to Content
2. Check if Copy to output directory is not set to 'Do not copy'

3. Use HostingEnvironment.MapPath(@"~/App_Data/file.txt") (thanks to Hong comment)

   var fileContents = 
       System.IO.File.ReadAllText(HostingEnvironment.MapPath(@"~/App_Data/file.txt"));