Help: Dotnet

building C# projects

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Synopsis:

dotnet is a command line project manager, builder, and executor for .net languages. It can be used to build console apps, class libraries, ASP.net Core web apps (MVC, Web API, Blazor pages, Blazor servers, Blazor webasm, Worker Services), unit test projects, WinForms, and WPF apps.

We use dotnet CLI for building C# console projects.

1.0 Dotnet Commands

The table, below, provides a selection of the most important dotnet commands.

dotnet command	description
new [ Example: create project ]. click to enlarge	create new sln, console project, or classlib project syntax: dotnet new console [options] options: (--name, -n), --force, --dry-run, --use-program-main example: dotnet new console -n MyApp --use-program-main create console application MyApp providing explicit namespace and class with main() in new subdirectory MyApp syntax: dotnet new classlib [options] options: (--name, -n), --force, --dry-run example: dotnet new classlib -n DemoLib create class library in new subdiretory DemoLib syntax: dotnet new sln [options] options: (--name, -h), --force example: dotnet new sln -n DemoDotnet create dotnet solution file
add	add reference to project syntax: dotnet add [project] reference project_path example: dotnet add DemoMain reference DemoLibrary/DemoLibrary.csproj
sln	add project to sln syntax: dotnet sln add project_path example: dotnet sln add DotnetDemo/DemoMain.csproj
build	build dotnet project or solution syntax: dotnet build [<project> \| <solution >] [options] options: (-c, --configuration), -v, --nologo example: dotnet build example: dotnet build -c Debug example: dotnet build -c Release
run	build (if needed) and execute syntax: dotnet run [<cmdln arguments>] [options] options: (-c, --configuration), -v example: dotnet run # must be in dir holding project with main example: dotnet run --project DemoMain
clean	remove build files and executables syntax: dotnet clean [<project \| solution>] [options] options: -v example: dotnet clean
format	format source code syntax: dotnet format [<project \| solution>] [options] options: --diagnostics, --include, --exclude, -v example: dotnet format
help	display dotnet syntax with comments syntax: dotnet [command] -h example: dotnet sln -h

2.0 Example Code

Command Sequence - some output elided for clarity


> # demo building package with Main and Library
> 
> dotnet new sln -v q
> 
> dotnet new console -n DemoMain --use-program-main -v q 
> 
> dotnet new classlib -n DemoLibrary -v q 
> 
> dotnet sln add DemoMain/DemoMain.csproj 
> 
> dotnet sln add DemoLibrary/DemoLibrary.csproj 
> 
> dotnet add DemoMain reference DemoLibrary/DemoLibrary.csproj 
> 
> # change default library class name and add code 
> # modify code in DemoMain 
> 
> cd DemoMain 
> 
> dotnet run -v q 
> Hello from DemoLibrary 
> Hello from Main! 
> 
> That's all Folks!
>

Comments

The panel on the left contains terminal commands used to build the Demo C# project shown below.

Commands:

dotnet new sln -v q

creates a sln file with no associated projects
dotnet new console -n DemoMain --use-program-main -v q

creates a console with project file, Program class, and function main()
dotnet new classlib -n DemoLibrary/DemoLibrary.csproj -v q

creates a library project with library file that has empty class named class1
dotnet sln add DemoMain/DemoMain.csproj

adds DemoMain to sln
dotnet sln add DemoLibrary/DemoLibrary.csproj

adds DemoLibrary to sln
dotnet add DemoMain reference DemoLibrary/DemoLibrary.csproj

adds reference to DemoLibrary in DemoMain.csproj
# change code in DemoLibrary and DemoMain
cd DemoMain

makes DemoMain the current directory
dotnet run -v q

builds executable from DemoMain and DemoLibrary and runs it

Program Main

namespace Main;
using DemoLib;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
      Demo dosay = new Demo();
      Console.WriteLine();
      dosay.say();
      Console.WriteLine("  Hello World from Main!");

      Console.WriteLine("\n  That's all Folks\n\n");
    }
}

Demo Library

namespace DemoLib;

public class Demo
{
  public void say() {
    Console.WriteLine("  Hello from DemoLib!");
  }
}

Project Structure

Program Output

C:\github\JimFawcett\DotnetDemo\main
> dotnet run

  Hello from DemoLib!
  Hello World from Main!

  That's all Folks


C:\github\JimFawcett\DotnetDemo\main
>

Main.csproj

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

  <ItemGroup>
    <ProjectReference Include="..\DemoLib\DemoLib.csproj" />
  </ItemGroup>

  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
  </PropertyGroup>

</Project>

DemoLib.csproj

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
  </PropertyGroup>

</Project>

DemoDotnet.sln

Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio Version 17
VisualStudioVersion = 17.0.31903.59
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "Main", "Main\Main.csproj", "{2A861DAE-402B-4138-BBF7-B697BC068DFB}"
EndProject
Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "DemoLib", "DemoLib\DemoLib.csproj", "{1E75534B-6925-4121-8503-2418F08B312F}"
EndProject
Global
        GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
                Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
                Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
        EndGlobalSection
        GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
                HideSolutionNode = FALSE
        EndGlobalSection
        GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
                {2A861DAE-402B-4138-BBF7-B697BC068DFB}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
                {2A861DAE-402B-4138-BBF7-B697BC068DFB}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
                {2A861DAE-402B-4138-BBF7-B697BC068DFB}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
                {2A861DAE-402B-4138-BBF7-B697BC068DFB}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
                {1E75534B-6925-4121-8503-2418F08B312F}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
                {1E75534B-6925-4121-8503-2418F08B312F}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
                {1E75534B-6925-4121-8503-2418F08B312F}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
                {1E75534B-6925-4121-8503-2418F08B312F}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
        EndGlobalSection
EndGlobal

3.0 References

Link	Content
dotnet command	Microsoft Learn tutorial on dotnet CLI
.Net Core Command-Line Interface	tutorial - tutorialsteacher.com
Download .Net	Download free cross-platform, open-source .Net platform, including dotnet.cli