.NET CLI Essentials

This skill provides guidance for using the .NET CLI in this .NET 10 project. Covers common commands for building, running, testing, and managing projects.

Table of Contents

1. Project Structure
2. Building Projects
3. Running Projects
4. Testing
5. Solution Management
6. Package Management
7. Quick Reference

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Project Structure

This Project's Layout

/
├── global.json                    # SDK version pin
├── Directory.Build.props          # Shared MSBuild properties
├── Directory.Packages.props       # Centralized package versions
├── sln.slnx                       # XML-based solution file
├── src/
│   ├── ClaudeStack.Web/              # ASP.NET Core MVC
│   └── ClaudeStack.API/              # Minimal API
└── tests/
    ├── ClaudeStack.Web.Tests/
    ├── ClaudeStack.Web.Tests.Playwright/
    ├── ClaudeStack.API.Tests/
    └── ClaudeStack.API.Tests.Playwright/

Key Configuration Files

global.json: Pins .NET SDK to 10.0.100-rc.2.25502.107 Directory.Build.props: Sets TargetFramework, ImplicitUsings (disabled), Nullable (disabled) Directory.Packages.props: Centralizes all NuGet package versions (see dotnet-centralized-packages skill)

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Building Projects

Build Entire Solution

# From solution root
dotnet build

# With configuration
dotnet build --configuration Release

# Verbose output
dotnet build --verbosity detailed

Build Specific Project

dotnet build src/ClaudeStack.Web/ClaudeStack.Web.csproj
dotnet build src/ClaudeStack.API/ClaudeStack.API.csproj

Clean and Rebuild

# Clean build artifacts
dotnet clean

# Clean then build
dotnet clean && dotnet build

# Clean specific configuration
dotnet clean --configuration Release

Restore Dependencies

# Restore NuGet packages
dotnet restore

# Force re-download
dotnet restore --force

# Clear cache and restore
dotnet nuget locals all --clear
dotnet restore

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Running Projects

Run Web Application

# From solution root
dotnet run --project src/ClaudeStack.Web/ClaudeStack.Web.csproj

# Or navigate to project directory
cd src/ClaudeStack.Web
dotnet run

Runs at: https://localhost:7001 (configured in launchSettings.json)

Run API Application

dotnet run --project src/ClaudeStack.API/ClaudeStack.API.csproj

Runs at: https://localhost:5001

Watch Mode (Hot Reload)

# Auto-restart on file changes
dotnet watch --project src/ClaudeStack.Web

# With specific launch profile
dotnet watch --project src/ClaudeStack.Web --launch-profile https

Key feature: Razor runtime compilation enabled in ClaudeStack.Web - changes to .cshtml files reload automatically.

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Testing

Run All Tests

# From solution root
dotnet test

Runs all 4 test projects:

• ClaudeStack.Web.Tests
• ClaudeStack.API.Tests
• ClaudeStack.Web.Tests.Playwright
• ClaudeStack.API.Tests.Playwright

Run Specific Test Project

# Using dotnet run (Microsoft.Testing.Platform)
dotnet run --project tests/ClaudeStack.Web.Tests

# Using dotnet test (also works)
dotnet test tests/ClaudeStack.Web.Tests/ClaudeStack.Web.Tests.csproj

See mstest-testing-platform skill for detailed testing guidance.

Run Tests with Filter

# Run specific test method
dotnet test --filter FullyQualifiedName~TestMethod1

# Run tests in a class
dotnet test --filter FullyQualifiedName~ClaudeStack.Web.Tests.Test1

Test Output

# Detailed output
dotnet test --verbosity detailed

# Generate TRX results
dotnet test --logger "trx;LogFileName=results.trx"

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Solution Management

Solution File (.slnx)

This project uses the XML-based solution format (sln.slnx) introduced in .NET:

# List projects in solution
dotnet sln sln.slnx list

# Add project to solution
dotnet sln sln.slnx add src/Example.NewProject/Example.NewProject.csproj

# Remove project
dotnet sln sln.slnx remove src/Example.OldProject/Example.OldProject.csproj

Create New Project

# Create new web project
dotnet new mvc -o src/Example.NewWeb

# Create new API project
dotnet new webapi -o src/Example.NewAPI

# Create new test project (DON'T use --test-runner flag!)
dotnet new mstest -o tests/Example.NewWeb.Tests

IMPORTANT: Never use --test-runner flag - it overwrites global.json. The test runner is already configured globally.

Add Project Reference

# Add reference from test project to web project
dotnet add tests/ClaudeStack.Web.Tests reference src/ClaudeStack.Web

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Package Management

List Packages

# List packages in solution
dotnet list package

# Show outdated packages
dotnet list package --outdated

# Include transitive dependencies
dotnet list package --include-transitive

Add Package

With CPM (this project):

1. Add version to Directory.Packages.props
2. Add reference to .csproj (without version)

# Step 1: Edit Directory.Packages.props
# <PackageVersion Include="Newtonsoft.Json" Version="13.0.3" />

# Step 2: Add reference to project
dotnet add src/ClaudeStack.Web package Newtonsoft.Json

See dotnet-centralized-packages skill for details.

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Quick Reference

Common Commands

# Build
dotnet build                           # Build solution
dotnet build --configuration Release   # Release build
dotnet clean                           # Clean artifacts

# Run
dotnet run --project src/ClaudeStack.Web   # Run web app
dotnet watch --project src/ClaudeStack.Web # Run with hot reload

# Test
dotnet test                            # Run all tests
dotnet run --project tests/ClaudeStack.Web.Tests  # Run specific test project

# Solution
dotnet sln list                        # List projects
dotnet sln add path/to/project.csproj  # Add project

# Packages
dotnet list package                    # List packages
dotnet list package --outdated         # Check for updates
dotnet restore                         # Restore dependencies

Project Commands

# Create new project
dotnet new mvc -o src/MyProject
dotnet new webapi -o src/MyAPI
dotnet new mstest -o tests/MyTests

# Add references
dotnet add tests/MyTests reference src/MyProject
dotnet add src/MyProject package PackageName

Configuration Flags

--configuration Release                # Build configuration
--verbosity detailed                   # Output level
--no-restore                          # Skip restore
--no-build                            # Skip build (for tests)
--framework net10.0                   # Target framework

Useful Paths

# ClaudeStack.Web (MVC)
src/ClaudeStack.Web/ClaudeStack.Web.csproj
https://localhost:7001

# ClaudeStack.API (Minimal APIs)
src/ClaudeStack.API/ClaudeStack.API.csproj
https://localhost:5001

# Test projects
tests/ClaudeStack.Web.Tests
tests/ClaudeStack.API.Tests
tests/ClaudeStack.Web.Tests.Playwright
tests/ClaudeStack.API.Tests.Playwright

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Related Skills

• mstest-testing-platform: Running tests with Microsoft.Testing.Platform
• dotnet-centralized-packages: Managing packages with Directory.Packages.props
• dotnet-minimal-apis: Building minimal API projects
• aspnet-configuration: Configuring appsettings and environments

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Additional Resources

• .NET CLI Overview
• dotnet build Reference
• dotnet run Reference
• dotnet test Reference

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Version Information

• .NET SDK: 10.0.100-rc.2.25502.107 (pinned in global.json)
• Solution Format: .slnx (XML-based)
• Target Framework: net10.0

This project uses .NET 10 RC 2. Some commands may behave differently in the RTM release.