Best practice to access an HttpContext session outside the controller in a separate helper class

Question

Is it a good practice to access a HttpContext session outside the controller in separate helper class?

====================

Should the controller take all the responsibility of getting the data from the session and transfer to a helper class

Example

HomeController : BaseController
{
    var value1 = Httpcontext.Session["key1"];
    var value2 = Httpcontext.Session["key2"];
    var val...
    CallAMethod(value1,value2,val...);
}

Or should it mock HttpContextBase and use it as in the following?

HomeController : BaseController
{
    //Use Dependency Injection pattern
    CallAMethod(base.SessionWrapper);
}

Implementation of ISessionWrapper is

public interface ISessionWrapper
{
     T GetFromSession<T>(string key);
     SetInSession(string key, object value);
}

public class HttpContextSessionWrapper : ISessionWrapper
{
   private T GetFromSession<T>(string key)
   {
      return (T) HttpContext.Session[key];
   }

   private void SetInSession(string key, object value)
   {
      HttpContext.Session[key] = value;
   }
}

public class BaseController : Controller
{
   public ISessionWrapper SessionWrapper { get; set; }

   public BaseController()
   {
      SessionWrapper = new HttpContextSessionWrapper();
   }
}

Answer 1

Apparently you want to have some testability in your code (after all that's why you're going through the burden of creating an ISessionWrapper).

Both approaches have ups and downs.

---

• Using the HttpContext directly

  • Quicker to develop

  • Need some thoughts on testing class. Nemely the ability to emulate a HttpContext. Doable with library available on the NET.

---

• Using dependency injection (ISessionWrapper):

  • Slower to develop

  • Need to "reinvent the wheel" regarding access to the HttpContext

  • A lot more code to write and mantain

---

So, I would ponder the pros and cons of both approaches and decide depending on my goals.

However, personally, I would choose the path that require a lot less code to write.

---

Edited to Add

In reply to the heart of the question (after a nag in from the OP) the controller should always manage the data gathering before passing them to the actuators.