IIS express configuration to host websites

Background

In order to use IIS to run websites on developer PC the developer must get administrator access on PC. But according to the company policies developer should not get administrator access on desktop computer. 

The solution is use IIS express to run site on developer desktop computer. 

1. IIS express configuration

• Download IIS express from the following link and install on developer PC
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48264. 
  Once it installed the IIS express configuration files will be available at “Documents\IISExpress\config” and IIS express execution files will be available at the installation directory.
  EG: C:\Program Files\IIS Express;
  Set environment variable path to “C:\Program Files\IIS Express”
  Open advanced system settings -> Environment variables -> System Variables -> Path -> Edit ->New -> add the path C:\Program Files\IIS Express
  Follow the instruction from following link to run a site using IIS Express
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/iis/extensions/using-iis-express/running-iis-express-from-the-command-line

  2. Edit application host

  Open the configuration file and add site configuration to the file
  Eg:
  <site name="WebApplication1" id="6">
  <application path="/" applicationPool="Clr4IntegratedAppPool">
  <virtualDirectory path="/" physicalPath="E:\WebApplication1\WebApplication1" />
  </application>
  <bindings>
  <binding protocol="http" bindingInformation="*:8087:localhost" />
  <binding protocol="https" bindingInformation="*:44333:localhost" />
                      <binding protocol="http" bindingInformation="*:80:mycustomdomain.com " />
                      
  </bindings>
  </site>
  To run the site use the below command
  iisexpress /config: C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\IISExpress\config\applicationhost.config /site: WebApplication1

  3. Start site using custom domain

  Below configurations must be completed by a user with admin access on pc
  Step 1: Edit the applicationhost.config file and add the custom domain binding to the configuration
  Eg:
  <site name="WebApplication1" id="6">
  <application path="/" applicationPool="Clr4IntegratedAppPool">
  <virtualDirectory path="/" physicalPath="E:\WebApplication1\WebApplication1" />
  </application>
  <bindings>
  <binding protocol="http" bindingInformation="*:8087:localhost" />
  <binding protocol="https" bindingInformation="*:44333:localhost" />
                      <binding protocol="http" bindingInformation="*:80:mycustomdomain.com " />
                      
  </bindings>
  </site>
  Step2: Open command prompt as Administrator and run below command 
  Whoami- to get the current user name
  netsh 
  http add urlacl url=http://mycustomdomain.com:80/ user=everyone or UserName
  http add urlacl url=https://mycustomdomain.com:443/ user=everyone or UserName
  quit
  Step 3: Start the site using below line 
  iisexpress /config: C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\IISExpress\config\applicationhost.config /site: WebApplication1

  4. Debug site on Visual studio

  Start the site using the command 
  iisexpress /config: C:\Users\<UserName>\Documents\IISExpress\config\applicationhost.config /site: WebApplication1
  Now open visual studio -> debug -> attach process -> attach iis express process.
  Now debug the code as usual. 

Configure IIS express on visual studio

Select the web application project and open properties -> select the web tab -> under server’s select IIS express-> Specify the project URL.
Now open the project folder and .vs folder (Hidden)  -> Config -> applicationhost.config and make required configuration changes as detailed above. 

Delete Url reservation

Use the below command to delete the URL reservation
netsh http delete urlacl http://mycustomdomain.com:80/