236

In earlier versions, we had Startup.cs class and we get configuration object as follows in the Startup file.

public class Startup 
{
    private readonly IHostEnvironment environment;
    private readonly IConfiguration config;

    public Startup(IConfiguration configuration, IHostEnvironment environment) 
    {
        this.config = configuration;
        this.environment = environment;
    }

    public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services) 
    {
        // Add Services
    }

    public void Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IWebHostEnvironment env) 
    {
        // Add Middlewares
    }

}

Now in .NET 6 and above (With Visual Studio 2022), we don't see the Startup.cs class. Looks like its days are numbered. So how do we get these objects like Configuration(IConfiguration) and Hosting Environment(IHostEnvironment)

How do we get these objects, to say read the configuration from appsettings? Currently the Program.cs file looks like this.

using Festify.Database;
using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add services to the container.
builder.Services.AddRazorPages();

builder.Services.AddDbContext<FestifyContext>();


////////////////////////////////////////////////
// The following is Giving me error as Configuration 
// object is not avaible, I dont know how to inject this here.
////////////////////////////////////////////////


builder.Services.AddDbContext<FestifyContext>(opt =>
        opt.UseSqlServer(
            Configuration.GetConnectionString("Festify")));


var app = builder.Build();

// Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
if (!app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
{
    app.UseExceptionHandler("/Error");
    // The default HSTS value is 30 days. You may want to change this for production scenarios, see https://aka.ms/aspnetcore-hsts.
    app.UseHsts();
}

app.UseHttpsRedirection();
app.UseStaticFiles();

app.UseRouting();

app.UseAuthorization();

app.MapRazorPages();

app.Run();

I want to know how to read the configuration from appsettings.json ?

VivekDev
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  • Are you doing this as a web app or a console app? Two very different solutions depending on that answer. See my answer below – Fandango68 Jun 08 '22 at 03:08
  • Does this answer your question? [How to read AppSettings values from a .json file in ASP.NET Core](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31453495/how-to-read-appsettings-values-from-a-json-file-in-asp-net-core) – Michael Freidgeim Dec 22 '22 at 10:28

11 Answers11

345

WebApplicationBuilder returned by WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args) exposes Configuration and Environment properties:

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add services to the container.
...
ConfigurationManager configuration = builder.Configuration; // allows both to access and to set up the config
IWebHostEnvironment environment = builder.Environment;

WebApplication returned by WebApplicationBuilder.Build() also exposes Configuration and Environment:

var app = builder.Build();
IConfiguration configuration = app.Configuration;
IWebHostEnvironment environment = app.Environment;

Also check the migration guide and code samples.

Applicable to , .

Guru Stron
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40

In Program.cs, the WebApplicationBuilder is created shown below.

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

Once we have the builder created, the configuration is available.

Let's assume you have the default appSettings.json in place. The example code below would return the configuration Default log level setting from the JSON configuration file.

builder.Configuration["Logging:LogLevel:Default"] // returns "Warning"

Once the app is running, you can access the Configuration settings via dependency injection in other classes of your application.

public MyClass(IConfiguration configuration)
{
   var logLevel = configuration["Logging:LogLevel:Default"];
}

A nice feature worth considering it to create a class that represents your settings and then bind the configuration to an instance of that class type. For example, let's assume you create a new class called MyAppSettings with the same structure as your appSettings.json, you can do the following:

var myAppSettings = builder.Configuration.Get<MyAppSettings>();
string logLevel = myAppSettings.Logging.LogLevel.Default;
James Lawruk
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  • Class MyAppSettings is a better approach. How can i register this data (AddSingleton?) and then where ever i need it i just inject IMyAppSettings and then start using it? – learning... Jun 26 '22 at 05:47
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    Yep. builder.services.AddSingleton(myAppSettings) Then just inject. – James Lawruk Jun 27 '22 at 13:05
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    How-to access to configuration in **class C**? `Class A calls Class B, and Class B calls Class C` – Kiquenet Jul 01 '22 at 09:09
  • Can you elaborate on the last part of your answer please? As this doesn't make much sense as Kiquenet has mentioned. – bsod_ Oct 11 '22 at 13:29
  • If you have dependency injection set up look at `MyClass(IConfiguration configuration)` example in the response @Kiquenet – BorisD Apr 25 '23 at 05:19
14

.NET 6 already gives builder object in Program.cs

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

Just use this builder to access configuration and Environment as an example to get ConnectionString from app.settings.cs as follows:

builder.Services.AddDbContext<DataContext>( options =>
{
  options.UseSqlServer(builder.Configuration.GetConnectionString("DefaultConnectiion"));
});
Peter Csala
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Varun Tripathi
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14

//.NET6 Program.cs -(to get the application configuration properties)

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile("appsettings.json", optional: false, reloadOnChange: true);
builder.Configuration.AddJsonFile($"appsettings.Dev.json", optional: true);
builder.Configuration.AddEnvironmentVariables();

// projectwide instances
  public IConfiguration _configuration;
        public AccountsAPIController(IConfiguration configuration)
        {
            _configuration = configuration;
        }

// _configuration.GetConnectionString("DefaultConnection");
ΩmegaMan
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Baron Lugtu
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    There are **six existing answers** to this question, including a top-voted, accepted answer with well over **one hundred votes**. Are you _certain_ your solution hasn't already been given? If not, why do you believe your approach improves upon the existing proposals, which have been validated by the community? Offering an explanation is _always_ useful on Stack Overflow, but it's _especially_ important where the question has been resolved to the satisfaction of both the OP and the community. Help readers out by explaining what your answer does different and when it might be preferred. – Jeremy Caney Apr 15 '22 at 00:11
  • Which is namespace for ***IConfiguration*** ? Now, I want use NET 6 Minimal APIs, using Services class for IConfiguration. – Kiquenet Jul 01 '22 at 07:28
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    @Kiquenet namespace for `IConfiguration` is `Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration`. – Brian Reading Sep 07 '22 at 23:45
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    I believe this should have been the proposed answer as it clearly shows how to load extra json files (and env variables, but this is done by default). – Theodore Zographos Nov 20 '22 at 07:28
10

I know the question originally asks for ASPNetCore but if you happen to looking to do the same for a worker service, and landed here like I did, hopefully, this answer helps you.

Worker Service user IHostBuilder instead of IWebApplicationBuilder and that does not expose a Configuration property, but you can accept an instance of IHostBuilderContext into the ConfigureServices method, which does expose a Configuration instance.

IHost host = Host.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
    .ConfigureServices((context, services) =>
    {
         var settings = context.Configuration.Get<Settings>();
    })
    .Build();
BuddhiP
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7

All you need is to add "builder." before your Configuration

Like:

builder.Services
       .AddDbContext<FestifyContext>
    (opt =>opt.UseSqlServer(builder.Configuration
                                   .GetConnectionString("Festify")));

ΩmegaMan
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6

This worked for me ---

// Read in from JSON file
builder.Services.Configure<ConnectionKeys>(builder.Configuration.GetSection("ConnectionKeys"));
Guru Stron
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sinfella
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4

This is slightly different than prior answers and I include this since I was reviewing something like this.

In your Program.cs you can also group code in a method and call that to keep it less run-on a bit or to group similar things. I will not put all the code in; I will not put a full list of using directives here but just enough to demonstrate the technique and I will leave out some method code. This is not enough or even perhaps too much for your solution and will need your custom touchup.

using AutoMapper;
using MicroKnights.Log4NetHelper;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.Cookies;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.OpenIdConnect;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.DataProtection;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Authorization;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
...
//all your using directives
using StackExchange.Redis;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Security.Claims;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

//a variable to hold configuration
IConfiguration Configuration;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
Configuration = builder.Configuration;

// call some methods
ConfigureAuth(builder.Services);
ConfigureRedis(builder.Services);
ConfigureSession(builder.Services);
ConfigureMvc(builder.Services);
ConfigureServices(builder.Services);

var app = builder.Build();
ConfigureMiddleWare(app);
app.Run();
// we are done with the main part, now the methods

void ConfigureMvc(IServiceCollection services)
{
    builder.Services.AddMvc(config =>
    {
        var policy = new AuthorizationPolicyBuilder().RequireAuthenticatedUser().Build();
        config.Filters.Add(new AuthorizeFilter(policy));
    })
    .AddRazorPagesOptions(options => { options.Conventions.AddPageRoute("/Home/Login", ""); })
    .AddJsonOptions(options =>
    {
        options.JsonSerializerOptions.PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true;
        options.JsonSerializerOptions.PropertyNamingPolicy = null;
    });
}

void ConfigureSession(IServiceCollection services)
{
    builder.Services.AddSession(options =>
    {
        options.Cookie.Name = "mygreatsite_session";
        options.IdleTimeout = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(60);
    });
}

void ConfigureRedis(IServiceCollection services)
{
    var redisConfig = new RedisOptions();
    Configuration.GetSection(RedisOptions.RedisConfig).Bind(redisConfig);
    services.AddStackExchangeRedisCache(options =>
    {
        options.Configuration = redisConfig.ConnectionString;
        options.InstanceName = "mygreatsite_";
    });
    services.AddDataProtection()
        .SetApplicationName("MyGreatSite.Website")
        .PersistKeysToStackExchangeRedis(ConnectionMultiplexer.Connect(redisConfig.ConnectionString), "DataProtection-Keys");
}

void ConfigureMiddleWare(WebApplication app)
{
    if (builder.Environment.IsDevelopment())
    {
        app.UseDeveloperExceptionPage();
        app.UseBrowserLink();
    }
    else
    {
        app.UseExceptionHandler("/Home/Error");
    }

    app.UseRouting();
    app.UseCors("default");
    app.UseCookiePolicy();
    app.UseAuthentication();
    app.UseAuthorization();
    app.UseSession();

    app.UseEndpoints(endpoints =>
    {
        endpoints.MapDefaultControllerRoute().RequireAuthorization();
        endpoints.MapControllerRoute(
            name: "Default",
            pattern: "{controller=Home}/{action=Login}"
        );
    });
}
Mark Schultheiss
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  • Hi @Mark Schultheiss, did you miss the ConfigureAuth method def? Where is it? – VivekDev May 27 '22 at 02:26
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    @VivekDev This is more to illustrate how to use a method by constructing and calling it rather than the full set of code for any specific use case as noted in my answer I left out some method code for brevity and leave that to your specific use case. – Mark Schultheiss May 27 '22 at 12:59
3

The following codes worked for me:

Program.cs:

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
string connString = builder.Configuration.GetConnectionString("conStr");
ConnectionString = connString;

...

partial class Program
{
    public static string? ConnectionString { get; private set; }
}

calling class:
string cnStr = Program.ConnectionString;
Kwami
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  • This worked perfectly! I didn't think to use a partial class like this. This isn't the "correct" way, but until someone posts a working solution for something as simple as a friggin' connection string (for all of us NOT using EF and it's security holes and poor performance). – MC9000 Jan 18 '22 at 16:13
  • The only good solution is that as you have multiple configuration values, you use them in different classes without it being laborious. – bmi Apr 20 '22 at 09:29
2

An alternative : do I really need DI when it comes to settings ?

Especially when I want those settings from environment variables, which is often the case with containerized environments, and maybe avoid leaking secrets in json files.

Then just have a static class like for example :

public static class SettingsService
{

    private static Settings _settings = null;

    public static Settings Settings
    {
        get
        {
            if (_settings == null)
            {
                _settings = new Settings()
                {
                    hostmail = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("hostmail") ?? "",
                    hostmailuser = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("hostmailuser") ?? "",
                    hostmailpass = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("hostmailpass") ?? "",
                    hostmailport = int.Parse(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("hostmailport") ?? "993"),
                    LogLevel = Enum.Parse<LogLevel>(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("LogLevel") ?? "Information"),
                    natsurl = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("natsurl") ?? "nats://localhost:4200",
                    natsnkeypubkey = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("natsnkeypubkey") ?? "",
                    natsnkeypath = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("natsnkeypath") ?? "",
                    roles = (Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("roles") ?? "").Split(';'),
                    poolsize = int.Parse(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("poolsize") ?? "10"),
                    tmpfolder = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("tmpfolder") ?? "temp",
                    fontsfolder = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("fontsfolder") ?? "fonts"
                };

            }
            return _settings;
        }
    }
}

and a program.cs like :


var sets = SettingsService.Settings;

IHost host = Host.CreateDefaultBuilder(args).ConfigureAppSettings()
    .ConfigureServices(services =>
    {
        if (sets.serverrole == "inboxsignaler")
        {
            services.AddHostedService<InboxSignaler>();
        }
        services.AddNats(options =>
          {
              options.Url = sets.natsurl;
              options.SetNkey(sets.natsnkeypubkey, sets.natsnkeypath);
          });
    })
    .Build();

await host.RunAsync();

my 2 cents...

Piero
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0

I resolved this issue by simple way:

In Program.cs:

using SomeAppName.Startup;

    WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args)
        .RegisterServices()
        .Build()
        .SetupMiddleware()
        .Run();

Next:

public static WebApplicationBuilder RegisterServices(this WebApplicationBuilder builder)
 {
      BuildConfiguration(builder.Environment);
      //// Any code
 }

Finally:

private static IConfiguration BuildConfiguration(IHostEnvironment env)
        {
            var configurationBuilder = new ConfigurationBuilder()
                .SetBasePath(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory())
                .AddJsonFile("./Configuration/appsettings.json", optional: false, reloadOnChange: true)
                .AddJsonFile("./Configuration/appsettings.other.json", optional: false, reloadOnChange: true)
                .AddJsonFile($"./Configuration/appsettings.{env.EnvironmentName}.json", optional: true)
                .AddJsonFile($"./Configuration/appsettings.other.{env.EnvironmentName}.json", optional: true)
                .AddEnvironmentVariables();

            Configuration = configurationBuilder.Build();
            return Configuration;
        }
Husni Salax
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