nuget-manager

NuGet Manager

Overview

This skill ensures consistent and safe management of NuGet packages across .NET projects. It prioritizes using the dotnet CLI to maintain project integrity and enforces a strict verification and restoration workflow for version updates.

Prerequisites

• .NET SDK installed (typically .NET 8.0 SDK or later, or a version compatible with the target solution).
• dotnet CLI available on your PATH.
• jq (JSON processor) OR PowerShell (for version verification using dotnet package search).

Core Rules

1. NEVER directly edit .csproj, .props, or Directory.Packages.props files to add or remove packages. Always use dotnet add package and dotnet remove package commands.
2. DIRECT EDITING is ONLY permitted for changing versions of existing packages.
3. VERSION UPDATES must follow the mandatory workflow:
   • Verify the target version exists on NuGet.
   • Determine if versions are managed per-project (.csproj) or centrally (Directory.Packages.props).
   • Update the version string in the appropriate file.
   • Immediately run dotnet restore to verify compatibility.

Workflows

Adding a Package

Use dotnet add [<PROJECT>] package <PACKAGE_NAME> [--version <VERSION>]. Example: dotnet add src/MyProject/MyProject.csproj package Newtonsoft.Json

Removing a Package

Use dotnet remove [<PROJECT>] package <PACKAGE_NAME>. Example: dotnet remove src/MyProject/MyProject.csproj package Newtonsoft.Json

Updating Package Versions

When updating a version, follow these steps:

1. Verify Version Existence: Check if the version exists using the dotnet package search command with exact match and JSON formatting. Using jq: dotnet package search <PACKAGE_NAME> --exact-match --format json | jq -e '.searchResult[].packages[] | select(.version == "<VERSION>")' Using PowerShell: (dotnet package search <PACKAGE_NAME> --exact-match --format json | ConvertFrom-Json).searchResult.packages | Where-Object { $_.version -eq "<VERSION>" }