What is the role of the .NET CLI (Command-Line Interface) in .NET Core development?
The .NET CLI (Command-Line Interface) is a powerful tool provided by Microsoft for .NET Core development. It allows developers to interact with and manage various aspects of the .NET Core platform through the command-line interface, without the need for a graphical user interface (GUI) or Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
The role of the .NET CLI in .NET Core development is diverse and critical, and it includes the following functionalities:
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Project Creation: The .NET CLI allows developers to create new .NET Core projects from scratch using the dotnet new command. It provides templates for different project types, such as console applications, class libraries, web applications, and more.
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Building Projects: Developers can build their .NET Core projects using the dotnet build command. The CLI compiles the source code and generates the necessary binaries (executables or DLLs) based on the project settings.
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Running Applications: With the dotnet run command, developers can execute their .NET Core applications directly from the command line. This command automatically builds the project (if needed) and runs the application.
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Managing Dependencies: The .NET CLI integrates with NuGet, the package manager for .NET, allowing developers to add, remove, and update dependencies (libraries) for their projects using the dotnet add package and dotnet remove package commands.
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Testing Applications: Developers can run unit tests for their .NET Core projects using the dotnet test command. This command executes test projects and provides test results and coverage information.
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Publishing Applications: The dotnet publish command is used to publish .NET Core applications for deployment. It compiles the code, gathers dependencies, and creates a deployment-ready package with only the necessary files.
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Creating Solutions: Developers can use the .NET CLI to create and manage multi-project solutions, which contain multiple .NET Core projects that are logically related. The dotnet new sln command creates a new solution, and the dotnet sln command manages solutions.
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Containerization: The .NET CLI provides support for Docker containerization. Developers can use the dotnet publish command with Docker support to package their applications in Docker containers, allowing for easy deployment and scaling.
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Managing .NET Core SDKs: The .NET CLI facilitates the management of multiple .NET Core SDK versions installed on the development machine. Developers can use the dotnet --list-sdks and dotnet --version commands to view installed SDKs and set the default SDK version.
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Global Tools: The .NET CLI allows developers to install and manage global tools, which are command-line utilities built with .NET Core. These tools can be used across different projects, simplifying common development tasks.
Overall, the .NET CLI is a valuable and versatile tool that empowers developers with a wide range of commands and features to efficiently create, build, test, and manage .NET Core projects from the command-line interface. It enhances productivity, provides consistent development workflows, and facilitates seamless integration with various development and deployment tools.