Controller methods VS api methods

Question

I have a controller to send send a message from my site:

example.com/contact/send-message

Ok here, but in my API I've created the same method:

api.example.com/contact/send-message

in the API should I keep the same method and just call the method inside the controller? When should I use controller methods or api methods?

What are you asking? I'm not sure I understand. How does this API relate to your real site? — gen_Eric, Feb 12 '13 at 21:52
My question is about MVC and REST conflict. Should I keep the send_message() in the controller and call it from the API, or should I duplicate function in the API? — Leabdalla, Feb 12 '13 at 22:00
In my site I can call the controller or call the API. What is better? — Leabdalla, Feb 12 '13 at 22:01
I've found similar answer: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10346342/when-to-use-webapi-vs-controller-in-asp-net-mvc — Leabdalla, Feb 12 '13 at 22:12

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 13 '13 at 12:04

By all means, separate your API logic from your web application logic. One will be used via a web browser, and the other one will just interface with other software. Each of them solves different problems.

Use a fat model, thin-controller approach. Meaning that all the data processing methods should be placed in your model, not in the controller. From there, you can call those methods either from your API controller, or from your web controller.

An excellent plugin to build a restful API is Phil Sturgeon's REST Server

Fat-model, thin controller. Got it! Thank you so much! – Leabdalla Feb 13 '13 at 16:15 — Leabdalla, Feb 13 '13 at 16:15

Controller methods VS api methods

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