juniorASP.NET Web API
What is content negotiation in Web API?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
Content negotiation selects response format (JSON/XML).
Deep explanation
Based on Accept headers, Web API determines which format to return.
Real-world example
Returning JSON for web apps and XML for legacy systems.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring client Accept headers.
Follow-up questions
- What is Accept header?
- Why negotiation?