Create an ASP.NET Core backgroundservice that runs at regular intervals using PeriodicTimer

Today I had to implement an ASP.NET Core backgroundservice that need to execute at certain intervals. Before .NET 6 I would have used Task.Delay or System.Threading.Timer, but in .NET 6 we have a better alternative through the PeriodicTimer.

The PeriodicTimer uses an asynchronous approach based on the System.Threading.Tasks. It has a method WaitForNextTickAsync that allows to pause execution until the next time the timer is elapsed.

I first created a backgroundservice:

	class CleanupService : BackgroundService
	{
	private readonly ILogger<CleanupService> _logger;
	public CleanupService(ILogger<CleanupService> logger
	{
	_logger = logger;
	}
	protected override async Task ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken stoppingToken)
	{
	}
	}

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In the ExecuteAsync method I can now introduce the PeriodicTimer and call the WaitForNextTickAsync() method in a while loop . The loop shall run while no cancellation of the background service is requested in the CancellationToken and wait for the next tick of the timer:

 

Remark: The PeriodicTimer is intended to be used only by a single consumer at a time: only one call to WaitForNextTickAsync() may be in flight at any given moment. So make sure that your business logic is executed before the interval elapses again.

	private readonly TimeSpan _period = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(20);
	protected override async Task ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken stoppingToken)
	{
	using PeriodicTimer timer = new PeriodicTimer(_period);
	while (!stoppingToken.IsCancellationRequested && await timer.WaitForNextTickAsync(stoppingToken))
	{
	//Call our business logic
	}
	}

view raw PeriodicTimer.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

More information

PeriodicTimer Class (System.Threading) | Microsoft Learn