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
```

Using TopShelf library in c# to create a windows service

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