Another URL Shortener

In this project I am designing a URL shortener Web API using .NET 5, REST API, Postgres and Redis. This application is deployable separately as a standalone service using Docker and Kubernetes (they both are mutually exclusive, keeping both as example for new learners). I have used following architecture and patterns so to say:

• Request driven architecture
• Repository pattern
• Dependency injection
• Self registered services with scoped lifetime
• Request handling by services
• Code first approach
• Persistent object
• Docker/Kubernetes

Note: updating... the project is ongoing and let's say 95% finished. Next todo includes verify unique shortened key.

Note: this is neither production ready, nor configured to run in live servers. For example: postgres security, encryption etc. are not included.

System details

product	version
MacOS	Ventura 13.0.1
Visual Studio	2022
Visual Studio Code	1.73.1
.NET	5.0
dotnet	5.0.400
dotnet ef	6.0.3
PostgreSQL	12.0
Docker desktop	20.10.21
Kubernetes	1.25.1

Configure and run

Step 1: setup Entity Framework and code-first

• Install dotnet-ef if needed, check documentation.
• Create ef migration: dotnet ef migrations add InitialCreate. In this branch, InitialCreate has been already created, check Migrations directory.
• Then apply the database (double check connection string): dotnet ef database update
• Update schema (if changed after creation): dotnet ef database update 0
• Drop the migration: dotnet ef migrations remove

Step 2: build the solution

From root directory where .sln is located (add --project "Another URL Shortener" suffix in following commands) or from Another URL Shortener where .csproj is located:

• dotnet build
• dotnet restore
• dotnet run

Request to: https://localhost:5001/api/ShortUrls/

Step 3: docker steps

Prepare Docker desktop

• Create Dockerfile and .dockerignore (already created)

Prepare Postgres

• Update Postgres configuration pg_hba.conf to accept all requests: host all all 192.168.0.127/0 trust ***
• and update Postgres configuration postgresql.conf to listen on all addresses: listen_addresses = '*' ***
• Then restart Postgres service
• Correct ConnectionStrings: update host address in DockerAppLocalSql
• Add DockerAppLocalSql in Startup.cs

*** Reference: Stackoverflow, thegeekstuff

docker build commands

From /docker/ directory execute following commands:

1. docker build -t another-url-shortener-image -f Dockerfile ../Another\ URL\ Shortener
2. THIS:
   1. docker create -p 44326:80 --name another-url-shortener-container another-url-shortener-image
   2. docker start another-url-shortener-container
3. OR THIS docker run -rm -p 44326:80 another-url-shortener-image

Request to: http://localhost:44326/api/ShortUrls/

Step 4: deploy via Kubernetes

• 'Prepare Postgres' step needed.
• Docker image build needed.
• Create Kubernetes deploy services (already created in /docker/deploy-webapi.yml and /docker/deploy-webapp.yml)
• Execute from /docker/ directory: kubectl apply -f ./
• Run kubectl get all and make sure the another-url-shortener-kube-webapi (Service) and another-url-shortener-kube-webapp (Load Balancer) are running:

Request to: http://localhost:44326/api/ShortUrls/

More details at Microsoft documentation.

Troubleshoot

Unable to start Kestrel

Environment: MacOS, VS Code crit: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.Kestrel[0] System.InvalidOperationException: Unable to configure HTTPS endpoint. No server certificate was specified, and the default developer certificate could not be found or is out of date. To generate a developer certificate run 'dotnet dev-certs https'. To trust the certificate (Windows and macOS only) run 'dotnet dev-certs https --trust'. For more information on configuring HTTPS see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=848054.

error from sender: invalid excludepatterns: [bin\ obj]: syntax error in pattern

Change "" to "/" in .dockerignore file.