Help: Dotnet

building C# projects

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Synopsis:

dotnet is a command line project manager, builder, and executor for .net languages. We use dotnet for building C# projects.

1.0 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
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

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