dotnet-local-tools

Name: dotnet-local-tools
Author: Aaronontheweb

DevOps Community

Repo stars 1,012
Forks 98
Author updated Apr 16, 2026, 02:05 AM
Author repo dotnet-skills

Fluxly profile Facts only: domain, agents, trust score, runtime, permissions and network

Domain: DevOps
Compatible agents: Claude Code
Cursor
Cline
Codex
Windsurf
Gemini CLI

+20
Trust score: 88 / 100 · community maintained
Author / version / license: @Aaronontheweb · no license declared
Token usage: Lean
Setup complexity: Plug-and-play
External API key: Not required
Operating systems: Linux
Runtime requirements: No special requirements
Permissions: Read-only
Write / modify
Network behavior: Local-only
Install commands: 26 variants

Profile is derived at build time from SKILL.md and install vectors. Subject to drift from author intent.

Heads up: 未限定 allowed-tools，默认拥有全部工具权限。

Output preview dotnet-local-tools.preview

---
name: dotnet-local-tools
description: Managing local .NET tools with dotnet-tools.json for consistent tooling across development envir…
category: devops
runtime: no special runtime
---

# dotnet-local-tools output preview

## PART A: Task fit
- Use case: Managing local .NET tools with dotnet-tools.json for consistent tooling across development environments and CI/CD pipelines. Use this skill when: Local tools are .NET CLI tools that are installed and versioned per-repository rather than globally. They're defined in .config/dotnet-tools.json and restored with dotnet tool restore. runs entirely locally. Wor….
- Inputs: target material, constraints, expected output, and acceptance criteria.
- Evidence boundary: follow “When to Use This Skill / What Are Local Tools? / Local vs Global Tools” and do not present inference as author intent.

## PART B: Execution result
- **01** The card summarizes the use case; runtime output centers on “Managing local .NET tools with dotnet-tools.json for consistent tooling across development environments and CI/CD pipelines. Use this skill when: Local tools are .NET CLI tools that are installed and versioned per-repository rather than globally. They're defined in .config/dotnet-tools.json and restored with dotnet tool restore. runs entirely locally. Wor…”.
- **02** When the source has headings, the agent prioritizes “When to Use This Skill / What Are Local Tools? / Local vs Global Tools” so the result follows the author’s structure.
- **03** Typical output includes task judgment, concrete steps, required commands or file edits, validation, and follow-up options.
- **04** Risk context follows the fingerprint: read files, write/modify files; mostly runs locally; usually needs no extra API key.

## Running Rules
- read files, write/modify files; mostly runs locally; usually needs no extra API key.
- Validate with a small sample before expanding scope.
- Return the result, validation criteria, and next iteration options.

SKILL.md SKILL.md

---
name: dotnet-local-tools
description: Managing local .NET tools with dotnet-tools.json for consistent tooling across development envir…
category: devops
source: Aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills
---

# dotnet-local-tools

## When to use
- Managing local .NET tools with dotnet-tools.json for consistent tooling across development environments and CI/CD pipe…
- Use it when the task has clear inputs, repeatable steps, and validation criteria.

## What to provide
- Target material, scope, expected result, and forbidden changes.
- Whether network, commands, file writes, or external services are allowed.

## Execution rules
- Organize steps around “When to Use This Skill / What Are Local Tools? / Local vs Global Tools” and keep inference separate from source facts.
- read files, write/modify files; mostly runs locally; usually needs no extra API key.
- Validate with a small sample before expanding the task.

## Output requirements
- Return the deliverable, key evidence, validation method, and next action.
- Mark missing information as unknown; do not invent commands, platforms, or dependencies.

Evidence boundary and execution chain

The author source anchors workflow facts; repository files anchor sources and commands; Fluxly only adds fit, limitations, and quality judgment.

skill "dotnet-local-tools" {
  input      -> user goal + target files + boundaries + acceptance criteria
  context    -> When to Use This Skill / What Are Local Tools? / Local vs Global Tools
  rules      -> SKILL.md triggers / order / output contract
  runtime    -> no special runtime | read files, write/modify files | mostly runs locally
  guardrails -> usually needs no extra API key + small-sample validation + diff/log review
  output     -> copyable result + checklist + next iteration
}

Interpretation is structured for decision-making; original keeps the upstream SKILL.md unchanged.

Decide Fit First

Core job: Managing local .NET tools with dotnet-tools.json for consistent tooling across development environments and CI/CD pipelines. Use…
Best fit: Use it when the task has reusable inputs, steps, and validation criteria rather than a one-off answer.
Avoid forcing it: If the source lacks commands, platform support, or external-service evidence, keep those fields unknown instead of guessing.

Design Intent

Structure: The skill is organized around “When to Use This Skill”, “What Are Local Tools?”, “Local vs Global Tools”, “Setting Up Local Tools”, showing how the author expects the agent to judge fit, collect context, and produce verifiable output.
Trigger evidence: Prioritize the author’s wording around when to use it, what context to collect, and what output shape to produce.
Evidence boundary: Author text states facts, repository files prove commands and paths, and Fluxly only adds fit, limits, and usage judgment.

How To Use It

Inputs: Provide target material, scope, expected result, forbidden changes, and validation method.
Invocation: Name dotnet-local-tools directly; if the source includes slash commands, start with the command and then add task context.
Validation: Start small and check whether the result follows “When to Use This Skill / What Are Local Tools? / Local vs Global Tools” before expanding.

Boundaries And Review

Dependencies: It usually needs no extra API key, so start with a small validation task.
Permissions: Declared permissions include read / write; ask the agent to state file, command, and rollback boundaries before acting.
Quality bar: A useful result names the deliverable, evidence, and next action. Generic prose means the task needs tighter context.

.NET Local Tools

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Setting up consistent tooling across a development team
Ensuring CI/CD pipelines use the same tool versions as local development
Managing project-specific CLI tools (docfx, incrementalist, dotnet-ef, etc.)
Avoiding global tool version conflicts between projects

What Are Local Tools?

Local tools are .NET CLI tools that are installed and versioned per-repository rather than globally. They're defined in .config/dotnet-tools.json and restored with dotnet tool restore.

Local vs Global Tools

Aspect	Global Tools	Local Tools
Installation	`dotnet tool install -g`	`dotnet tool restore`
Scope	Machine-wide	Per-repository
Version control	Manual	In `.config/dotnet-tools.json`
CI/CD	Must install each tool	Single restore command
Conflicts	Can have version conflicts	Isolated per project

Setting Up Local Tools

Initialize the Manifest

# Create .config/dotnet-tools.json
dotnet new tool-manifest

This creates:

.config/
└── dotnet-tools.json

Install Tools Locally

# Install a tool locally
dotnet tool install docfx

# Install specific version
dotnet tool install docfx --version 2.78.3

# Install from a specific source
dotnet tool install MyTool --add-source https://mycompany.pkgs.visualstudio.com/_packaging/feed/nuget/v3/index.json

Restore Tools

# Restore all tools from manifest
dotnet tool restore

dotnet-tools.json Format

{
  "version": 1,
  "isRoot": true,
  "tools": {
    "docfx": {
      "version": "2.78.3",
      "commands": [
        "docfx"
      ],
      "rollForward": false
    },
    "dotnet-ef": {
      "version": "9.0.0",
      "commands": [
        "dotnet-ef"
      ],
      "rollForward": false
    },
    "incrementalist.cmd": {
      "version": "1.2.0",
      "commands": [
        "incrementalist"
      ],
      "rollForward": false
    },
    "dotnet-reportgenerator-globaltool": {
      "version": "5.4.1",
      "commands": [
        "reportgenerator"
      ],
      "rollForward": false
    }
  }
}

Fields

Field	Description
`version`	Manifest schema version (always 1)
`isRoot`	Marks this as the root manifest (prevents searching parent directories)
`tools`	Dictionary of tool configurations
`tools.<name>.version`	Exact version to install
`tools.<name>.commands`	CLI commands the tool provides
`tools.<name>.rollForward`	Allow newer versions (usually false for reproducibility)

Common Tools

Documentation

# DocFX - API documentation generator
dotnet tool install docfx

"docfx": {
  "version": "2.78.3",
  "commands": ["docfx"],
  "rollForward": false
}

Usage:

dotnet docfx docfx.json
dotnet docfx serve _site

Entity Framework Core

# EF Core CLI for migrations
dotnet tool install dotnet-ef

"dotnet-ef": {
  "version": "9.0.0",
  "commands": ["dotnet-ef"],
  "rollForward": false
}

Usage:

dotnet ef migrations add InitialCreate
dotnet ef database update

Code Coverage

# ReportGenerator for coverage reports
dotnet tool install dotnet-reportgenerator-globaltool

"dotnet-reportgenerator-globaltool": {
  "version": "5.4.1",
  "commands": ["reportgenerator"],
  "rollForward": false
}

Usage:

dotnet reportgenerator -reports:coverage.cobertura.xml -targetdir:coveragereport -reporttypes:Html

Incremental Builds

# Incrementalist - build only changed projects
dotnet tool install incrementalist.cmd

"incrementalist.cmd": {
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "commands": ["incrementalist"],
  "rollForward": false
}

Usage:

# Get projects affected by changes since main branch
incrementalist --branch main

Code Formatting

# CSharpier - opinionated C# formatter
dotnet tool install csharpier

"csharpier": {
  "version": "0.30.3",
  "commands": ["dotnet-csharpier"],
  "rollForward": false
}

Usage:

dotnet csharpier .
dotnet csharpier --check .  # CI mode - fails if changes needed

Code Analysis

# JB dotnet-inspect (requires license)
dotnet tool install jb

"jb": {
  "version": "2024.3.4",
  "commands": ["jb"],
  "rollForward": false
}

CI/CD Integration

GitHub Actions

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Setup .NET
        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
        with:
          global-json-file: global.json

      - name: Restore tools
        run: dotnet tool restore

      - name: Build
        run: dotnet build

      - name: Test with coverage
        run: dotnet test --collect:"XPlat Code Coverage"

      - name: Generate coverage report
        run: dotnet reportgenerator -reports:**/coverage.cobertura.xml -targetdir:coveragereport

      - name: Build documentation
        run: dotnet docfx docs/docfx.json

Azure Pipelines

steps:
  - task: UseDotNet@2
    inputs:
      useGlobalJson: true

  - script: dotnet tool restore
    displayName: 'Restore .NET tools'

  - script: dotnet build -c Release
    displayName: 'Build'

  - script: dotnet test -c Release --collect:"XPlat Code Coverage"
    displayName: 'Test'

  - script: dotnet reportgenerator -reports:**/coverage.cobertura.xml -targetdir:$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/coverage
    displayName: 'Generate coverage report'

Managing Tool Versions

Update a Tool

# Update to latest version
dotnet tool update docfx

# Update to specific version
dotnet tool update docfx --version 2.79.0

List Installed Tools

# List local tools
dotnet tool list

# List with outdated check
dotnet tool list --outdated

Remove a Tool

dotnet tool uninstall docfx

Best Practices

1. Always Set `isRoot: true`

Prevents MSBuild from searching parent directories for tool manifests:

{
  "version": 1,
  "isRoot": true,
  ...
}

2. Pin Exact Versions

Use "rollForward": false for reproducible builds:

"docfx": {
  "version": "2.78.3",
  "rollForward": false
}

3. Restore in CI Before Use

Always run dotnet tool restore before using any local tool:

- run: dotnet tool restore
- run: dotnet docfx docs/docfx.json

4. Document Tool Requirements

Add a comment or section in README:

## Development Setup

1. Restore tools: `dotnet tool restore`
2. Build: `dotnet build`
3. Test: `dotnet test`

5. Use Dependabot for Updates

# .github/dependabot.yml
version: 2
updates:
  - package-ecosystem: "nuget"
    directory: "/"
    schedule:
      interval: "weekly"
    # Includes local tools in .config/dotnet-tools.json

Troubleshooting

Tool Not Found After Restore

Ensure you're running from the repository root:

# Wrong - running from subdirectory
cd src/MyApp
dotnet docfx  # Error: tool not found

# Correct - run from solution root
cd ../..
dotnet docfx docs/docfx.json

Version Conflicts

If you see version conflicts, check for:

Global tool with different version: dotnet tool list -g
Multiple tool manifests: Look for .config/dotnet-tools.json in parent directories

Clearing Tool Cache

# Clear NuGet tool cache
dotnet nuget locals all --clear

# Re-restore tools
dotnet tool restore

Example: Complete Development Setup

{
  "version": 1,
  "isRoot": true,
  "tools": {
    "docfx": {
      "version": "2.78.3",
      "commands": ["docfx"],
      "rollForward": false
    },
    "dotnet-ef": {
      "version": "9.0.0",
      "commands": ["dotnet-ef"],
      "rollForward": false
    },
    "dotnet-reportgenerator-globaltool": {
      "version": "5.4.1",
      "commands": ["reportgenerator"],
      "rollForward": false
    },
    "csharpier": {
      "version": "0.30.3",
      "commands": ["dotnet-csharpier"],
      "rollForward": false
    },
    "incrementalist.cmd": {
      "version": "1.2.0",
      "commands": ["incrementalist"],
      "rollForward": false
    }
  }
}

Development workflow:

# Initial setup
dotnet tool restore

# Format code before commit
dotnet csharpier .

# Run tests with coverage
dotnet test --collect:"XPlat Code Coverage"
dotnet reportgenerator -reports:**/coverage.cobertura.xml -targetdir:coverage

# Build documentation
dotnet docfx docs/docfx.json

# Check which projects changed (for large repos)
incrementalist --branch main

Install command

One-click installPick a runner, click Copy, paste into your terminal, press enter

npx skills add Aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills/skills/local-tools -y

Open general install guide

View skill source

Works with

Claude Code
Cursor
Cline
Codex
Windsurf
Gemini
OpenCode
Roo Code
AAide
+Augment
GitHub Copilot
OpenClaw
KKiro
Junie
WWarp
Goose
Trae
Kilo Code
OpenHands
Amp
Zencoder
CContinue
AIAider
CodeBuddy
CodeGeeX
Replit Agent

Security audit

88 / 100

Community

未声明 license/许可。
未声明 version。
未限定 allowed-tools，默认拥有全部工具权限。

Metadata

Source: local
Aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills
中文

More by @Aaronontheweb

Category & tags

Category DevOps

Decide Fit First

Design Intent

How To Use It

Boundaries And Review

.NET Local Tools

When to Use This Skill

What Are Local Tools?

Local vs Global Tools

Setting Up Local Tools

Initialize the Manifest

Install Tools Locally

Restore Tools

dotnet-tools.json Format

Fields

Common Tools

Documentation

Entity Framework Core

Code Coverage

Incremental Builds

Code Formatting

Code Analysis

CI/CD Integration

GitHub Actions

Azure Pipelines

Managing Tool Versions

Update a Tool

List Installed Tools

Remove a Tool

Best Practices

1. Always Set isRoot: true

2. Pin Exact Versions

3. Restore in CI Before Use

4. Document Tool Requirements

5. Use Dependabot for Updates

Troubleshooting

Tool Not Found After Restore

Version Conflicts

Clearing Tool Cache

Example: Complete Development Setup

Discussion

1. Always Set `isRoot: true`