Returning binary data with web api - asp.net-web-api

Question

I have the following controller method which returns a byte array.
public async Task<HttpResponseMessage> Get()
{
var model = new byte[] { 1, 2, 3 };
HttpResponseMessage result = new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.OK);
result.Content = new StreamContent(new MemoryStream(model));
result.Content.Headers.ContentType = new MediaTypeHeaderValue("application/octet-stream");
return result;
}
I think this is an older way of implementing this functionality with web api. Is there a more "modern" version?
For example, is returning a Task<IHttpActionResult> the preferred way now? And if so, what would be the code to return the byte array from above?

Answer 1

As the comment pointed out. I dont think there is a new way to do this. But if you would like to return an IHttpActionResult instead, there is a base method that returns a ResponseMessageResult:
public IHttpActionResult Get()
{
var model = new byte[] { 1, 2, 3 };
var result = new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.OK)
{
Content = new StreamContent(new MemoryStream(model))
};
result.Content.Headers.ContentType = new MediaTypeHeaderValue("application/octet-stream");
return ResponseMessage(result);
}

Answer 2

Also, to return binary data in AspNetCore WebApi2 if anyone needs it:
[Route("api/v1/export/excel")]
[HttpGet]
public IActionResult GetAsExcel()
{
var exportStream = new MemoryStream();
_exportService.ExportAllToExcel(exportStream);
// Rewind the stream before we send it.
exportStream.Position = 0;
return new FileStreamResult(exportStream, "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet");
}