Quick start guide: C# ASP.NET

1 min

Connect a C# ASP.NET Core application to Optimizely Graph and retrieve Optimizely CMS 12 content through a Web API. This hub article links to two end-to-end quick starts: a lightweight manual GraphQL client and the recommended StrawberryShake-based integration. Pick the approach that matches the project size, type-safety needs, and tolerance for hand-written serialization code.

Choose an approach based on the project needs.

Build an ASP.NET Core API (manual GraphQL client) – A lightweight configuration with minimal tooling and full control over the GraphQL queries and response models. Suits small projects, prototypes, or learning how GraphQL requests work.

Build an ASP.NET Core API using StrawberryShake (recommended) – A production-ready integration with strongly typed queries, automatic client generation, and compile-time validation. Reduces manual mapping code and improves maintainability for larger applications.

Prerequisites

Complete the following before starting either quick start. The same requirements apply to both approaches.

Install the .NET 8 SDK.

Verify access to an Optimizely Graph endpoint.

Obtain a valid Graph authentication URL.