Which handler is preferred to host golang api as app service?

Tanul 1,251

Team,

I've hosted golang app following this link. The handler chose in web.config is httpplatformhandler.As far as I know this handler is replaced with AspNetCoreModuleV2 for .net core. Is there any updated handler available to deploy golang app in production.

I have also tried these two AspNetCoreModule and AspNetCoreModuleV2 and both are working perfectly.

I would be grateful if someone suggest if any changes required or best practices for golang as app service in production.

Currently, I don't have K8s or openshift.

ajkuma 22,076 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-02-02T19:18:39.857+00:00

@Tanul , Thanks for the good question.

ASPNetCoreModule is just another module with the handler can leverage to process incoming requests. Typically, the concept of HTTP Handler and HTTP modules is that a module would pass the request to the specific Handler. So, for ASP.NET Core, the handler that handles the request is ASPNetCoreModule. Eg for other language; for Node on Windows, it’s IISNode. Similarly, for GoLang we will have to give the appropriate handler.

You could just define the handler that takes in the Go requests and processes them.

Kindly check this template source -Create a web app on Azure with GoLang extension -check the transform, and try something similar in a web.config of yours and run a hello world GoLong test app.

ajkuma 22,076 Microsoft Employee

Adding more - Just as a sample reference:

<handlers>
     <add name="httpplatformhandler" path="*" verb="*" modules="httpPlatformHandler" resourceType="Unspecified" xdt:Transform="InsertIfMissing" />
</handlers>
      <httpPlatform processPath="d:\home\site\wwwroot\go\bin\go.exe *(`path for GO Handler`)*"
                    arguments="run d:\home\site\wwwroot\server.go" *`(file that we need to run)`*
                    startupTimeLimit="60" xdt:Transform="InsertIfMissing" />

Hope this provides some pointers.

Tanul 1,251 Reputation points

2021-02-02T19:57:10.553+00:00
@ajkuma , Hey thanks for sharing. But the catch is I'm not gonna use the Go runtime. The benefit of using programming languages like golang, rust or net core is that we can get a light weight single file binary in ready 2 run exe format. Obviously, for .net core we don't prefer this way as kestrel for production is not suggested. But, I think there is no such issue with golang.

<handlers> <add name="httpplatformhandler" path="*" verb="*" modules="httpPlatformHandler" resourceType="Unspecified" /> </handlers> <httpPlatform processPath=".\Dev.exe" startupTimeLimit="60" />
Tanul 1,251 Reputation points

2021-02-02T19:58:30.223+00:00
OR,

<handlers> <add name="aspNetCore" path="*" verb="*" modules="AspNetCoreModuleV2" resourceType="Unspecified" /> </handlers> <aspNetCore processPath=".\Dev.exe" />

Here, both of them are working flawlessly. Which one could you please suggest for production purpose.
Tanul 1,251 Reputation points

2021-02-03T19:38:51.353+00:00

@ajkuma , Hello, hope you're doing well. Pinging just as a reminder. Let me know if you've any info on this. If any other detail needed from my side then please let me know.

Thank you
ajkuma 22,076 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-02-04T04:56:06.627+00:00
@Tanul , Apologies for the delay! I was also checking on this internally.

HttpPlatformHandler is the recommended proxy.

So, you may use this approach:

<handlers> <add name="httpplatformhandler" path="*" verb="*" modules="httpPlatformHandler" resourceType="Unspecified" /> </handlers> <httpPlatform processPath=".\Dev.exe" startupTimeLimit="60" />

Thanks for your patience! Appreciate the follow-up.
Tanul 1,251 Reputation points

2021-02-04T07:19:05.417+00:00

@ajkuma , thanks a lot for confirmation. Just one last question what is the reason of choosing httphandler over aspnetcore. Could you please share some details on this for my documentation.

Thank you
ajkuma 22,076 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-02-06T18:26:53.313+00:00

On App Service, HttpPlatformHandler is recommend to be used as a proxy with process management. Hope this helps.
Tanul 1,251 Reputation points

2021-02-08T14:45:13.493+00:00

@ajkuma , In short we can say for .net core we can use ASPNetCoreModulev2, for node js use iis node and for all other we can use HTTPPlatformHandler

Could you please write the details we have discussed as answer. I'll mark them so that others can get help from this.

Thanks you. Take care :)
ajkuma 22,076 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-02-08T19:05:32.923+00:00

@Tanul , Yes, that's a good summary. I'm adding this as an answer. Thanks for your follow-up!

And, yes to benefit the community, find the right answers, please do mark the post which was helpful by clicking on ‘Accept Answer’ & ‘Up-Vote’.
Tanul 1,251 Reputation points

2021-02-12T18:20:08.117+00:00

@ajkuma , Hey ajay.. how r u brother. I forgot to ask one query. What is the hosting model of httpplatformhandler. Is it in-process or out-of-process. I searched a lot on google but didn't get any answer.

Only one thing is written that for .net core, use in-process with aspnetcore module is preferred because kestrel is not a good option for production and which is obvious.

Can you share some insight on this.
ajkuma 22,076 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-02-16T09:02:04.693+00:00

@Tanul , Great! I'm doing good. Hope you're good.

Apologies for the delay! Sure I'll edit and post a response in the answer itself as you suggested.
ajkuma 22,076 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-02-18T13:22:14.603+00:00

I have added 'more info" section in my answer detailing info on the hosting model. Hope this helps! Thanks for your positive feedback!

Accepted answer

ajkuma 22,076 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-02-08T19:19:12.647+00:00
To benefit the community, summarizing the answer from our discussion above (via 'comments'):

For .net core use ASPNetCoreModulev2, for node js use iis node and for all other use HTTPPlatformHandler.
ASPNETCoreModule handler is specific for running .NET core/.NET 5, not for general use. HttpPlatformHandler is the recommended proxy.

So, the best approach would be to use something like this:

<handlers> <add name="httpplatformhandler" path="*" verb="*" modules="httpPlatformHandler" resourceType="Unspecified" /> </handlers> <httpPlatform processPath=".\Dev.exe" startupTimeLimit="60" />

Additional info:

ASPNetCoreModule is just another module with the handler can leverage to process incoming requests. Typically, the concept of HTTP Handler and HTTP modules is that a module would pass the request to the specific Handler. So, for ASP.NET Core, the handler that handles the request is ASPNetCoreModule. Eg for other language; for Node on Windows, it’s IISNode. Similarly, for GoLang we will have to give the appropriate handler.

You could just define the handler that takes in the Go requests and processes them.

Kindly check this template source -Create a web app on Azure with GoLang extension -check the transform, and try something similar in a web.config of yours and run a hello world GoLong test app.

More Info:

In -process vs out-process would simply mean that the configured handler (executable) runs within the w3wp.exe process vs the executable running as a child process of w3wp.exe.
For GoLang, I believe the respective process would run out-of-process which is as a child process of w3wp.exe.
httpplatformhandler, can either be in-process or out-of-process, depending the application/config.

Whereas the ASP.NET Core Module is a native IIS module that plugs into the IIS pipeline to either:
-In-process hosting model, when you host an ASP.NET Core app inside of the IIS worker process (w3wp.exe).
-Out-of-process hosting model.- forward web requests to a backend ASP.NET Core app running the Kestrel server.

Check this doc for additional info.

Thanks for the great question/feedback @Tanul , we appreciate the co-operation and follow-up on this.
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Tanul 1,251 Reputation points

2021-02-12T18:22:49.417+00:00

@ajkuma , thanks you ajay for being so helpful and supportive on this. I have asked one more query above can you help on this. You can merge the reply to that query here within the answer. Because that answer of yours can help people in understanding the best practices for production with golang.

Regards
'Tanul

ajkuma 22,076 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-02-16T09:05:27.37+00:00

Glad you found the information helpful! Thanks for your positive feedback. I'll append the post with additional answers on your follow-up question.
Thanks again for your patience!
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Which handler is preferred to host golang api as app service?

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