Using TopShelf library in c# to create a windows service

TopShelf is an open source library that can be used to create services with .NET core projects. I am not sure though it is still being maintained, since the github source is now archived

To create a new service, you should first create a class that implements the "ServiceControl" interface - which is the Start and Stop methods..

To install the service, use the TopShelf API, specifically the HostFactory.

using System;
using Topshelf;

namespace MyService
{
    class MyService : ServiceControl
    {
        public bool Start(HostControl hostControl)
        {
            // Add code to start the service here
            Console.WriteLine("Service started");
            return true;
        }

        public bool Stop(HostControl hostControl)
        {
            // Add code to stop the service here
            Console.WriteLine("Service stopped");
            return true;
        }
    }

    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var service = HostFactory.New(x =>
            {
                x.Service<MyService>(s =>
                {
                    s.ConstructUsing(name => new MyService());
                    s.WhenStarted(tc => tc.Start(null));
                    s.WhenStopped(tc => tc.Stop(null));
                });
                x.RunAsLocalSystem();

                x.SetDescription("My Sample Service");
                x.SetDisplayName("My Service");
                x.SetServiceName("MyService");
            });

            service.Run();
        }
    }
}

Here is what we should do in order to run ASP.NET core project with TopShelf:

• Step 1: Install the following two packages: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WindowsServices and Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting.WindowsServices
• Step 2: Add this to the service registration:

  builder.Host.UseWindowsService();

• Step 3: Add this to configure the www root folder:

  
      var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(new WebApplicationOptions
      {
          ApplicationName = typeof(Program).Assembly.FullName,
          ContentRootPath = AppContext.BaseDirectory,
          WebRootPath = "wwwroot",
          Args = args
      });
    

• Step 4: Add this at the end. The MyService shouldn't do much.

  
      if (args.Length > 0 && args[0] == "install")
  {
      HostFactory.New(x =>
      {
          x.SetServiceName("MyService");
          x.SetDisplayName("MyService Display Name");
          x.SetDescription("My Service Description");
          x.StartAutomatically();
          x.RunAsLocalSystem();
          x.Service<MyService>();
      }).Run();
  }
  else
  {
      app.Run();
  }
      

• Step 5: Ensure to set the Kestrel web server settings properly: https://alexrait.blogspot.com/2022/12/configure-kestrel-in-net-core.html
• Step 6: Install the service by running

  MyService.exe install