package-management

1# NuGet Package Management
2 
3## When to Use This Skill
4 
5Use this skill when:
6- Adding, removing, or updating NuGet packages
7- Setting up Central Package Management (CPM) for a solution
8- Managing package versions across multiple projects
9- Troubleshooting package conflicts or restore issues
10 
11---
12 
13## Golden Rule: Never Edit XML Directly
14 
15**Always use `dotnet` CLI commands to manage packages.** Never manually edit `.csproj` or `Directory.Packages.props` files.
16 
17```bash
18# DO: Use CLI commands
19dotnet add package Newtonsoft.Json
20dotnet remove package Newtonsoft.Json
21dotnet list package --outdated
22 
23# DON'T: Edit XML directly
24# <PackageReference Include="Newtonsoft.Json" Version="13.0.3" />
25```
26 
27**Why:**
28- CLI validates package exists and resolves correct version
29- Handles transitive dependencies correctly
30- Updates lock files if present
31- Avoids typos and malformed XML
32- Works correctly with CPM
33 
34---
35 
36## Central Package Management (CPM)
37 
38CPM centralizes all package versions in one file, eliminating version conflicts across projects.
39 
40### Enable CPM
41 
42Create `Directory.Packages.props` in solution root:
43 
44```xml
45<Project>
46  <PropertyGroup>
47    <ManagePackageVersionsCentrally>true</ManagePackageVersionsCentrally>
48  </PropertyGroup>
49 
50  <ItemGroup>
51    <PackageVersion Include="Newtonsoft.Json" Version="13.0.3" />
52    <PackageVersion Include="Serilog" Version="4.0.0" />
53    <PackageVersion Include="xunit" Version="2.9.2" />
54  </ItemGroup>
55</Project>
56```
57 
58### Project Files with CPM
59…