How to avoid loading unnessecary assemblies

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ASP.NET .NET 4.6 MVC4 application loads unnessecary assemblie, eq. System.Data.OracleClient . Oracle is not used.

Assembly dependencies are created using code in controller

        var sb = new StringBuilder();
        foreach (Assembly b in AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies())
        {
            sb.AppendLine(b.FullName);
            foreach (AssemblyName an in b.GetReferencedAssemblies())
                sb.AppendLine("   " + an.Name);
        }

Output is below. According to this System.Web references to System.Design and System.Design references to System.Data.OracleClient

MVC Application is running in VPS server with limited memory. How to fix this so that unnessecary assemblies are not loaded?
This will hopefully free some memory in VPS server.

mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
System.Web, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
   mscorlib
   System.Drawing
   System
   System.Configuration
   System.Core
   System.Data
   System.Xml
   System.DirectoryServices
   System.EnterpriseServices
   System.Web.RegularExpressions
   System.Design
   System.Web.ApplicationServices
   System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations
   System.DirectoryServices.Protocols
   System.Security
   System.Runtime.Caching
   System.ServiceProcess
   System.Web.Services
   Microsoft.Build.Utilities.v4.0
   Microsoft.Build.Framework
   Microsoft.Build.Tasks.v4.0
   System.Windows.Forms
System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
   mscorlib
   System.Configuration
   System.Xml
System.Core, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
   mscorlib
   System
   System.Xml
   System.Numerics
   System.Security
System.Web.ApplicationServices, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35
   mscorlib
   System
   System.Configuration
System.Configuration, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
   mscorlib
   System
   System.Xml
   System.Security
   System.Core
System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
   mscorlib
   System
   System.Data.SqlXml
   System.Configuration
System.Runtime.Caching, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
   mscorlib
   System
   System.Data
   System.Configuration
Microsoft.Build.Utilities.v4.0, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
   mscorlib
   Microsoft.Build.Framework
   System
   System.Xml
   System.Core
...
System.Data.OracleClient, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
   mscorlib
   System.Configuration
   System.Data
   System.Transactions
   System
   System.EnterpriseServices

web.config binding section does not also contain it:

  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="WebGrease" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-1.6.5135.21930" newVersion="1.6.5135.21930" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Antlr3.Runtime" publicKeyToken="eb42632606e9261f" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-3.5.0.2" newVersion="3.5.0.2" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Helpers" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-3.0.0.0" newVersion="3.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.WebPages" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-3.0.0.0" newVersion="3.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Mvc" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-5.2.3.0" newVersion="5.2.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Net.Http.Formatting" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.2.3.0" newVersion="5.2.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-9.0.0.0" newVersion="9.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Http" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.2.3.0" newVersion="5.2.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>

Update

I tried according to answer to place remove command to web.config but got error

enter image description here

Also tried to remove oracle section according to answer using

<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <section name="system.data.oracleclient" type="System.Data.Common.DbProviderConfigurationHandler, System.Data, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089">
      <remove name="system.data.oracleclient"></remove>
    </section>
  </configSections>
  ...

but got error:

enter image description here

How to fix it ?

Contents hide
Answers:
Method 1
Libraries
Reference
web assemblies
Method 2

Answers:

Thank you for visiting the Q&A section on Magenaut. Please note that all the answers may not help you solve the issue immediately. So please treat them as advisements. If you found the post helpful (or not), leave a comment & I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Method 1

There are three kind of assemblies on a web application.

  1. assemblies that are come together with the libraries (dlls) that you use
  2. assemblies that are the compiled version of your web application
  3. assemblies that are main to run the site

Libraries

In the first one case, you can optimize yours libraries, removing any unnecessary reference direct on the project of your dll.

Reference

In the second case to optimize your web page and what to compile you need to remove any unnecessary reference on the code behind… eg page usually have this first lines

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;

and what you do not use there are gray, you can remove it…

web assemblies

And now the difficult part – difficult because you must play the “try/fail” game. Now what you can remove and from where.

First where to I search to find what to remove… and the answer is on global web.config on asp.net. In my case I go to windows directory, on my curent framework version, on config directory and find the web.config

There I locate some keys….

First you can remove unnecessary Http Modules for faster pipeline in the httpModulesession on web.config

This is what I see on global web.config

<httpModules>
    <add name="OutputCache" type="System.Web.Caching.OutputCacheModule" />
    <add name="Session" type="System.Web.SessionState.SessionStateModule" />
    <add name="WindowsAuthentication" type="System.Web.Security.WindowsAuthenticationModule" />
    <add name="FormsAuthentication" type="System.Web.Security.FormsAuthenticationModule" />
    <add name="PassportAuthentication" type="System.Web.Security.PassportAuthenticationModule" />
    <add name="RoleManager" type="System.Web.Security.RoleManagerModule" />
    <add name="UrlAuthorization" type="System.Web.Security.UrlAuthorizationModule" />
    <add name="FileAuthorization" type="System.Web.Security.FileAuthorizationModule" />
    <add name="AnonymousIdentification" type="System.Web.Security.AnonymousIdentificationModule" />
    <add name="Profile" type="System.Web.Profile.ProfileModule" />
    <add name="ErrorHandlerModule" type="System.Web.Mobile.ErrorHandlerModule, System.Web.Mobile, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
    <add name="ServiceModel" type="System.ServiceModel.Activation.HttpModule, System.ServiceModel.Activation, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
    <add name="UrlRoutingModule-4.0" type="System.Web.Routing.UrlRoutingModule" />
    <add name="ScriptModule-4.0" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptModule, System.Web.Extensions, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/>
</httpModules>

and I go to web.config on my application and this is how I remove what I am not use:

<httpModules>
  <remove name="Session" />
  <remove name="PassportAuthentication" />
  <remove name="AnonymousIdentification" />
</httpModules>

Now for you case I continue on assemblies session, this is what I see on global web.config: 

<compilation>
        <assemblies>
            <remove assembly="Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.PageInspector.Loader, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
            <add assembly="Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.PageInspector.Loader, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
            <add assembly="mscorlib" />
            <add assembly="Microsoft.CSharp, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
            <add assembly="System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.Configuration, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
            <add assembly="System.Web, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
            <add assembly="System.Data, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.Web.Services, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
            <add assembly="System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.Drawing, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
            <add assembly="System.EnterpriseServices, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
            <add assembly="System.IdentityModel, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.Runtime.Serialization, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.ServiceModel, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.ServiceModel.Activation, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="System.ServiceModel.Web, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="System.Activities, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="System.ServiceModel.Activities, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="System.WorkflowServices, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="System.Core, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.Web.Extensions, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="System.Data.DataSetExtensions, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.Xml.Linq, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <add assembly="System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="System.Web.DynamicData, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="System.Web.ApplicationServices, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
            <add assembly="*" />
            <add assembly="System.Web.WebPages.Deployment, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />
        </assemblies>

this as it is I copy/paste to my web.config and place <clear /> on first line then I start remove the lines that I KNOW that my program is not use… and be careful to keep this line <add assembly="*" /> and at the end, this says to add your library from your dll directory.

            <assemblies>
                <clear />
                <add assembly="Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.PageInspector.Loader, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
                <add assembly="mscorlib" />
                <add assembly="Microsoft.CSharp, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
....
                <add assembly="*" />
            </assemblies>

Making this and removing the one that you not use, by remove and see if your application is still working, you can limit a lot the assemblies that you use.

I make a simple test and by removing this line 

<add assembly="System.WorkflowServices, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" />

I count from 83 down to 79 only assemblies loaded this time. Why more than one minus ? because WorkflowServices loads some more by them self.

To remove something from configuration section, again on your web.config you do it as:

<configuration> 
  <configSections>
        <remove name="system.data.oracleclient"></remove>
...

Method 2

My workstation at work has references to Oracle all throughout my machine.config. I believe you’re going to find your rogue references there.

c:WindowsMicrosoft.NETFrameworkv4.0.30319Configmachine.config


All methods was sourced from stackoverflow.com or stackexchange.com, is licensed under cc by-sa 2.5, cc by-sa 3.0 and cc by-sa 4.0

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