title: MVC & Web Api projects within same Solution
body: <p>I have an MVC 4 project sitting atop an N-tier application. I now have a requirement to to be able to consume the application programmatically. I have created a new Web API project within the same solution which sits along side the MVC project, again atop the N-tier application.</p>
  
  <p>But I am unclear as to how this all works as the MVC layer is the startup project: it sets up my DI, automapper, etc. and is the project I deploy to the server. </p>
  
  <p>So how should this all be set up? Can I set up my MVC project to route all <code>/api</code> requests to the new Web API project? Or does the Web API project need to be deployed separately?</p>
  
  <p>I don't want to be doing anything unconventional so if there is a much more common way of setting this up, please point me in the right direction.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks.</p>