CoreWCF HTTPS Service Example

This project demonstrates how to create a simple CoreWCF service that communicates over HTTPS and how to consume it from a .NET Framework 4.7 client application. The example helps understand how to establish secure communication between a modern .NET Core service and an older .NET Framework client.

Overview

• Service Application:

  • Built with .NET 8 using CoreWCF.

  • Accessible over HTTPS using BasicHttpBinding.

  • Provides metadata (WSDL) for client-side proxy generation.

• Client Application:

  • Built with .NET Framework 4.7.

  • Consumes the service by adding a service reference based on WSDL.

  • Demonstrates compatibility between .NET Core and .NET Framework.

Key Features

• Secure Communication: Ensures data encryption during transmission using HTTPS.

• Compatibility: Enables communication between modern .NET Core services and older .NET Framework clients.

• WSDL Support: Availability of metadata for easy client proxy generation.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• .NET 8 SDK (for the service application).

• .NET Framework 4.7 development tools (for the client application).

• Visual Studio 2022 or later.

• Basic knowledge of C# and WCF services.

Running the Service Application

1. Install NuGet Packages:

   • Ensure all necessary NuGet packages are installed for the service project.

2. Build the Service:

   • Compile the CoreWCF HTTPS Service project in Visual Studio.

3. Trust the Development Certificate (Development Environment Only):

   • codedotnet dev-certs https --trust

   • This allows the service to run over HTTPS without SSL errors.

4. Run the Service:

   • Start the service application.

   • The service will be accessible at https://localhost:5001.

Running the Client Application

1. Add Service Reference:

   • https://localhost:5001/CalculatorService?wsdl

   • This generates the necessary proxy classes to invoke the service methods.

2. Update Client Configuration:

   • Ensure that the client's configuration matches the service's binding settings (use BasicHttpBinding with transport security).

3. Accept SSL Certificates (Development Environment Only):

   codeSystem.Net.ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback += (sender, cert, chain, sslPolicyErrors) => true;

4. Run the Client:

   • Start the client application.

   • The results will be displayed upon successful service invocation.

Important Notes

• Security:

  • In production, always use SSL certificates issued by trusted Certificate Authorities.

  • Do not disable SSL certificate validation in production environments.

• Port Settings:

  • The service uses port 5001 for HTTPS. Ensure this port is available and not blocked by firewalls.

• Compatibility:

  • The service uses BasicHttpBinding with transport security to maintain compatibility with older clients.

Summary

This example provides a basic template for setting up a CoreWCF service over HTTPS and consuming it from a .NET Framework client. It highlights the key steps necessary for secure communication and demonstrates how to bridge the gap between modern and legacy .NET technologies.

References

• CoreWCF GitHub Repository

• Using HTTPS in ASP.NET Core