dotnet-inspect

dotnet-inspect

Query .NET library APIs — the same commands work across NuGet packages, platform libraries (System., Microsoft.AspNetCore.), and local .dll/.nupkg files.

Quick Decision Tree

• Code broken? → diff --package [email protected] first, then member
• What's new in a .NET preview? → diff --platform [email protected] --additive per framework library
• What types exist? → type --package Foo (discover types in a package or library)
• What members does a type have? → member Type --package Foo (compact table by default)
• What does a type look like? → type Type --package Foo (tree view for single type)
• What are the method signatures? → member Type --package Foo -m Method (full signatures + docs)
• What is the source/IL? → member Type --package Foo -m Method:1 -v:d (Source, Lowered C#, IL)
• Where is the source code? → source Type --package Foo (SourceLink URLs), source Type -m Member (with line numbers)
• Want raw source content? → source Type --package Foo --cat (fetches and prints source files)
• What constructors exist? → member 'Type<T>' --package Foo -m .ctor (use <T> not <>)
• How many overloads? → member Type --package Foo --show-index (shows Name:N indices)
• What does this package depend on? → depends --package Foo
• What does this type inherit? → depends 'INumber<TSelf>'
• Want a dependency diagram? → depends --mermaid (standalone) or depends --markdown --mermaid (embedded)
• What metadata fields exist? → -S Section --fields "PDB*" (structured query, no DSL)
• What version is available? → Foo --version (cache-first), Foo --latest-version (always NuGet), Foo --versions (list all)

When to Use This Skill

• "What types are in this package?" — type discovers types, find searches by pattern
• "What members does this type have?" — member for methods/properties/events (docs on by default)
• "What changed between versions?" — diff classifies breaking/additive changes
• "What new APIs shipped in this preview?" — diff --platform [email protected] --additive per framework library
• "This code uses an old API — fix it" — diff the old..new version, then member to see the new API
• "What extends this type?" — extensions finds extension methods/properties (--reachable for transitive)
• "What implements this interface?" — implements finds concrete types
• "What does this type depend on?" — depends walks type hierarchy, package deps, or library refs
• "Show dependencies as a diagram" — depends --mermaid for standalone mermaid, --markdown --mermaid for embedded
• "Where is the source code?" — source returns SourceLink URLs; add member name for line numbers
• "What version/metadata does this have?" — package and library inspect metadata
• "What version is available?" — Foo --version (fast, cache-first — like docker run)
• "What's the latest on NuGet?" — Foo --latest-version (always queries NuGet — like docker pull)
• "What versions exist?" — Foo --versions (list all published versions)
• "What TFMs are available?" — package Foo --tfms, then type --package Foo --tfm net8.0
• "Where is the source code?" — source returns SourceLink URLs; add member name for line numbers
• "Show me the actual source?" — source Type --package Foo --cat fetches and prints source file contents
• "Show me something cool" — demo runs curated showcase queries