CurrencyLayer4NET: A .NET library for CurrencyLayer API

CurrencyLayer4NET is a .NET library that makes it easier to do API calls to CurrencyLayer.com.

.NET Support

CurrencyLayer4NET supports .NET 4.6.1 and higher, .NET Core 2.2 and .NET Standard 2.0

If you need another framework support, please open a new issue for it

Installation

CurrencyLayer4NET is available on NuGet. Use the package manager console in Visual Studio to install it:

Install-Package CurrencyLayer4NET

Using CurrencyLayer4NET

CurrencyLayer4NET provides 3 different levels of how you can make CurrencyLayer API calls: CLClient, CLManager, CLQueryBuilder. Here's summary of what's supported on every level:

Endpoint/Feature	CLClient	CLManager	CLQueryBuilder
Currencies List	✅	✅	✅
Real-time Rates	✅	✅	✅
Historical Rates	✅	✅	✅
Specify Output Currencies	✅	✅	✅
Source Currency Switching (*)	✅	✅	✅
Currency Conversion (*)	❌	✅	✅
Historical Currency Conversion (*)	❌	✅	✅
Time-Frame Queries (*)	❌	✅	✅
Currency-Change Queries (*)	❌	✅	✅
JSON Formatting (**)	✅	✅	✅
JSONP Callback	❌	❌	✅
256-bit HTTPS Encryption (*) (**)	✅	✅	✅
Requests/Responses logging (**)	✅	✅	✅

* - note that this feature availability depends on your CurrencyLayer subscription plan
** - available via GlobalConfiguration.Settings

CLClient

This is high-level class that operates its own entities like Currency, Quote, etc. For example, getting all currencies looks like that:

ICLClient clClient = new CLClient("YOUR_API_ACCESS_KEY");
IEnumerable<Currency> currencies = clClient.GetCurrencies();

Getting currencies exchange rates:

Currency eur = Currency.FromCode("EUR");
Currency cad = Currency.FromCode("CAD");

ICLClient clClient = new CLClient("YOUR_API_ACCESS_KEY");
IEnumerable<Quote> quotes = clClient.GetRates(new[] { eur, usd });
// or
IEnumerable<Quote> quotes = clClient.GetRates(new[] { "EUR", "USD" });

Pros:

• You can operate simple objects

Cons:

• Some methods are not implemented
• Async methods not implemented

CLManager

This is low-level class that operates entities that are nearly exactly repeat CurrencyLayer API responses structure (CLCurrenciesResponse, CLQuotesResponse, etc). Getting all currencies looks like that:

ICLManager manager = new CLManager("YOUR_API_ACCESS_KEY");
CLCurrenciesResponse response = manager.GetCurrencies();

foreach (var currency in response.Currencies){
	Console.WriteLine($"Currency Code: {currency.Key}, Currency Name: {currency.Value}");
}

Pros:

• Full support of CurrencyLayer API endpoints
• Async methods are available

Cons:

• Low-level response objects
• JSONP Callback Function feature missing

CLQueryBuilder

This is low-level class that allows building and executing queries to CurrencyLayer API. This class operates the same response entities as CLManager does (CLCurrenciesResponse, CLQuotesResponse, etc). Getting all currencies looks like that:

CLCurrenciesResponse response = CLQueryBuilder.
                Create(Endpoints.CURRENCIES).
                GetResult<CLCurrenciesResponse>();

To request quotes for specified currencies, you can do this:

CLQuotesResponse response = CLQueryBuilder.
                Create(Endpoints.RATES).
                SetAccessKey("YOUR_API_ACCESS_KEY").
				SetCurrencies(new[] { "EUR", "GBP" }).
                GetResult<CLQuotesResponse>();

JSONP Callback function feature:

string response = CLQueryBuilder.
                Create(Endpoints.CURRENCIES).
                AddParameter("callback", "test_callback").
                GetResponse();

Pros:

• Full support of CurrencyLayer API endpoints and features
• Async methods are available

Cons:

• Low-level response objects
• In fact you build query manually, so you possibly will need to look at documentation to get the exact parameters for the query you want to make

Running Tests

In order to run Unit Tests you should perform the following simple steps:

• If you do not have a CurrencyLayer account, sign up. If you already have the account, sign in.
• You will need an API Access Key. You can find it on your Dashboard.
• Open CurrencyLayerNET.Tests.TestConfiguration class.
• Replace ApiAccessKey property value to your API Access Key.
• Replace Plan enum property value to the corresponding Plan of your CurrencyLayer subscription plan. Example:

public static string ApiAccessKey { get; set; } = "b69242edc1d371e395060d3f414870d2";
public static Plan Plan { get; set; } = Plan.Professional;

Note: some of Unit Tests depend on your account subscription plan. So if you will set wrong Plan, some tests may fail.