Can .NET Core Run on an IIS Web Server?

Yes, .NET Core can indeed run on an Internet Information Services (IIS) web server. While .NET Core was initially designed to run on Linux machines and Mono or Core Kestrel on Windows, Microsoft has made significant strides in enabling .NET Core to run smoothly on IIS. This article will guide you through setting up your .NET Core application to run on IIS, discussing the essential steps and configurations required. Let's delve into the details.

Overview of .NET Core and IIS

.NET Core is an open-source, cross-platform framework used to create command-line tools, web apps, and cloud services. It offers a modern, high-performance, and agile development model with a modular architecture and an extensive set of features. On the other hand, IIS (Internet Information Services) is a flexible web server for hosting websites and web applications. It supports various web technologies and platforms, including .NET.

Setting Up .NET Core on IIS

To get your .NET Core application running on IIS, follow these steps:

Step 1: Develop Your Application

The first step is to create or deploy your .NET Core application. You can develop it locally with tools such as Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code, or on a remote machine. Make sure your application is correctly built and contains the necessary code to run on IIS.

Step 2: Publish the Application

Deploying your application to IIS involves publishing it. Use the dotnet publish command to publish your application to a directory that matches your IIS setup. For example:

codedotnet publish -c Release -o C:inetpubmyapp/code

This command will create a publish directory that contains all the necessary files for your application to run in IIS.

Step 3: Configure IIS

Check if .NET Core modules are installed in IIS. You need to add the Web Deployment Tool (WebDAV) role to enable .NET Core support in IIS.

Install .NET Core Hosting Bundle

First, download and install the .NET Core Hosting Bundle for your Windows version. This package includes the required .NET Core software and IIS integration.

Create a New Web Application in IIS

Open the IIS Manager and create a new web application in the desired site. You can use the following steps to create the web application:

Open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager. Navigate to the site where you want to host your application. Double-click on the "Sites" node to see the existing websites. Right-click on the site where you want to host your .NET Core application and select "Add Application". Enter the application path and select the physical path of your published application. Set the application pool to use the .NET CLR version: No Managed Code option or use the application pool configured for .NET Core. Click "OK" to create the new application.

Step 4: Configure Application Settings

After setting up the web application in IIS, you need to configure the application settings. Add the following configuration to your file to set up the .NET Core middleware:

configuration
    system.webServer
        handlers
            add name"aspNetCore" path"*" verb"*" modules"AspNetCoreModuleV2" resourceType"Unspecified" /
        /handlers
    /system.webServer
    aspNetCore processPath"dotnet" args"path/YourApp.dll" stdoutLogEnabled"false" stdoutLogFile"pathLogsstdout" hostingModel"inprocess" /
/configuration

Make sure to replace path with the appropriate path to your application DLL and adjust the stdoutLogFile as needed.

Step 5: Test the Application

After completing the above steps, you can test your .NET Core application in IIS. Open a web browser and navigate to your application's URL. If everything is set up correctly, you should see the content of your application.

Advantages of Running .NET Core on IIS

Running a .NET Core application on IIS offers several benefits:

Scalability and Performance

IIS is known for its robust performance and scalability. By leveraging IIS, you can take advantage of its features such as connection limits, application pools, and request queuing, which can improve the performance and stability of your application.

Integration with Enterprise Tools

IIS integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft enterprise tools, such as Active Directory, SharePoint, and SQL Server. This integration can help enforce security policies, manage user authentication, and ensure compliance with your organization's standards.

Community and Support

The IIS community is vast and active. If you encounter issues or need help, you can find extensive documentation, tutorials, and support resources online. Additionally, Microsoft provides regular updates and patches to ensure the security and reliability of IIS.

Conclusion

While .NET Core was initially designed to run on Linux and Mono on Windows, it is now fully compatible with IIS. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can deploy your .NET Core application on IIS and leverage the benefits of IIS's performance, scalability, and enterprise features. Whether you are running a small web application or a large enterprise solution, setting up your .NET Core application on IIS can be a wise choice.