.NET Core Command-Line Interface

.NET Core Command-Line Interface

1. Introduction

The .NET Core Command-Line Interface (CLI) is a powerful tool that allows developers to build, run, and manage .NET Core applications from the command line. It provides a convenient way to perform various tasks such as creating projects, adding dependencies, compiling code, and running applications. In this documentation, we will explore the key features and commands of the .NET Core CLI, along with code examples and explanations.

2. Installation

To use the .NET Core CLI, you need to install the .NET Core SDK, which includes the CLI tooling. Follow these steps to install it:

• Visit the official .NET Core website (https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download) and download the appropriate SDK for your operating system.
• Run the installer and follow the instructions provided.
• Once the installation is complete, open a new command prompt or terminal window and type dotnet --version to verify that the CLI is installed correctly.

3. Creating a new project

To create a new .NET Core project using the CLI, follow these steps:

1. Open a command prompt or terminal window.

2. Navigate to the directory where you want to create the project.

3. Run the following command:

   bash
   dotnet new <template>
   

   Replace <template> with the desired project template, such as console, web, or classlib.

4. Building and running a project

Once you have created a .NET Core project, you can build and run it using the CLI. Here are the commands to perform these actions:

• To build the project, use the following command:

  bash
  dotnet build
  

• To run the project, use the following command:

  bash
  dotnet run
  

5. Adding dependencies

The .NET Core CLI allows you to easily add dependencies to your project. You can search for available packages on NuGet (https://www.nuget.org/) and add them using the CLI. Here's an example:

1. Open a command prompt or terminal window.

2. Navigate to the project directory.

3. Run the following command to search for a package:

   bash
   dotnet search <package>
   

   Replace <package> with the desired package name.

4. Once you find the package you want to add, use the following command to add it to your project:

   bash
   dotnet add package <package>
   

   Replace <package> with the package name.

6. Publishing an application

To publish a .NET Core application for deployment, you can use the CLI to create a self-contained executable or a platform-specific package. Here are the commands to perform these actions:

• To publish a self-contained executable, use the following command:

  bash
  dotnet publish --configuration <configuration> --output <output-path> --self-contained
  

  Replace <configuration> with the desired build configuration (e.g., Release) and <output-path> with the directory where you want to publish the application.

• To publish a platform-specific package, use the following command:

  bash
  dotnet publish --configuration <configuration> --output <output-path>
  

  Replace <configuration> with the desired build configuration and <output-path> with the directory where you want to publish the application.

7. Additional features and commands

The .NET Core CLI provides several additional features and commands to help you manage your projects and applications. Here are a few examples:

• dotnet clean: Cleans the output and temporary files from the project.
• dotnet test: Runs unit tests in the project.
• dotnet watch run: Runs the project and automatically restarts it when changes are detected.
• dotnet ef: Executes Entity Framework Core commands for database migrations and scaffolding.

Please refer to the official .NET Core CLI documentation (https://docs.microsoft.com/dotnet/core/tools/) for a comprehensive list of commands and their usage.

Conclusion

The .NET Core CLI is a versatile and efficient tool for building and managing .NET Core applications from the command line. It simplifies common development tasks and provides a consistent experience across different platforms. By following the instructions and examples in this documentation, you should be able to leverage the power of the .NET Core CLI effectively in your projects.