| name | aspire-orchestration |
| description | **WORKFLOW SKILL** — Manage Aspire lifecycle in VS Code or the CLI. WHEN: "start or stop my Aspire app", "aspire_apphost_start", "aspire_apphost_stop", "notEditorOwned", "ambiguousSession", "aspire start", "aspire stop", "aspire wait", resource restart, file-lock errors (MSB3491 or CS2012), port conflicts, git worktrees, "--isolated", "aspire update --self", "--include-hidden", integration discovery, default watch, or hot reload. INVOKES: VS Code lifecycle tools first when exposed; Aspire CLI for readiness, inspection, resource operations, isolated worktree starts, and allowed fallbacks. DO NOT USE FOR: deploy/publish/destroy (aspire-deployment), logs/traces/metrics (aspire-monitoring), or AppHost code and resource wiring (aspireify). FOR SINGLE OPERATIONS: Load the matching editor tool first, then obey the exact-target, worktree-isolation, and stop-result rules below. |
| license | MIT |
| metadata | {"author":"Microsoft","version":"0.0.1"} |
Aspire Orchestration
MANDATORY COMPLIANCE — This skill prevents agent self-harm in Aspire projects.
Violating these rules causes file locks, orphaned processes, and user frustration (#15801).
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Install |
|---|
| .NET 10.0 SDK | https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download |
| Aspire CLI (curl/PowerShell) | curl -sSL https://aspire.dev/install.sh | bash |
| Aspire CLI (NativeAOT global tool, .NET 10) | dotnet tool install -g Aspire.Cli |
Either install method works. The dotnet tool install path produces a NativeAOT binary
(instant startup, no JIT warmup) and is the recommended option when .NET 10 is already present.
Detection
Activate when ANY signal is present:
| Signal | How to Detect | Confidence |
|---|
| C# AppHost | .csproj containing Aspire.AppHost.Sdk | ✅ Definitive |
| File-based C# AppHost | apphost.cs or .cs file with #:sdk Aspire.AppHost.Sdk | ✅ Definitive |
| TypeScript AppHost | apphost.ts file in project | ✅ Definitive |
| Aspire config | aspire.config.json in project root | High |
| Aspire settings | .aspire/ directory present | High |
| Generated TS modules | .aspire/modules/ directory present | High |
| Service defaults | Aspire.ServiceDefaults in project references | Medium |
See detection.md for detailed fingerprinting.
VS Code AppHost Lifecycle
When the agent host exposes aspire_apphost_start or aspire_apphost_stop, use the
matching tool before running aspire start or aspire stop in a terminal, except when
starting from a git worktree requires --isolated and the tool cannot request it. If the
tool is listed as deferred, load its contract with the host's tool-discovery mechanism
first; do not treat an unloaded deferred tool as unavailable.
Pass the exact selected appHostPath discovered by Aspire to editor lifecycle tools. In a
multi-root workspace, that tool contract may require a selector such as
repo-a~1/MyApp.AppHost/MyApp.AppHost.csproj.
The CLI --apphost flag does not understand that selector namespace. Before any CLI
start/stop fallback, resolve the selected AppHost to its actual filesystem project path
and pass that path to --apphost; never copy a multi-root selector verbatim. That CLI
project path may be workspace-relative (MyApp.AppHost/MyApp.AppHost.csproj) or
absolute (/workspaces/repo-a/MyApp.AppHost/MyApp.AppHost.csproj or
C:\workspaces\repo-a\MyApp.AppHost\MyApp.AppHost.csproj); use the current platform's
native path syntax. If several AppHosts are discovered and the user's target is unclear,
ask which one to use instead of guessing, invoking the tool for every AppHost, or
issuing an unscoped CLI command.
If the selected appHostPath is already a normal workspace-relative project path such
as MyApp.AppHost/MyApp.AppHost.csproj, reuse it unchanged for CLI fallbacks; do not
convert it to an absolute path just for the CLI.
An unclear target is a hard stop. Ask one clarifying question and wait for the user to
name an AppHost. Do not call a lifecycle tool or terminal command until the target is
resolved, and do not offer commands that bypass this gate. Stop multiple AppHosts only
when the user explicitly requests all of them.
For starts, call aspire_apphost_start with mode run and the exact selected
appHostPath unless the user explicitly asks to attach a debugger. In a git worktree, the
editor tool does not currently request Aspire's isolated state. Resolve the selected
AppHost to its filesystem path and use
aspire start --non-interactive --isolated --apphost <filesystem-path> instead.
run mode has no debugger attached, but it still has an editor-owned Aspire session that
aspire_apphost_stop can stop. After a stop call, follow this result matrix exactly:
| Tool result | Next action | CLI stop allowed? |
|---|
stopped or notRunning | Report the result; take no further stop action | No |
alreadyStopping, controller editor | Report that the editor stop is already in progress; take no further stop action | No |
alreadyStarting, controller editor | Retry aspire_apphost_stop once; if it repeats, report that startup is still in progress and take no further stop action | No |
notEditorOwned, controller external | If the user requested that exact AppHost be stopped, resolve it to its filesystem path and run aspire stop --non-interactive --apphost <filesystem-path> | Yes |
failed, controller unknown | Retry aspire_apphost_stop once; if the same result repeats, use the same exact-target CLI command above | Only after the retry |
ambiguousSession | Stop nothing and have the user disambiguate in the editor | Never |
| Any other refusal or failure | Resolve or report that result; do not change mechanisms | No |
The rows are mutually exclusive. Act only on the current result; do not offer a command
from another row as a speculative future workaround. Re-evaluate only after a new tool
result is returned.
ambiguousSession is a terminal safety refusal. Do not run or offer a CLI fallback,
and do not ask whether the user wants one. User confirmation cannot make an ambiguous
editor session safe to terminate from the CLI.
Use direct Aspire CLI lifecycle commands only when the matching editor tool is unavailable,
for isolated worktree starts, or for a stop result explicitly marked as allowed above.
When a CLI fallback is allowed, keep the target exact by resolving the selected AppHost to
its filesystem path first.
Safety Guardrails
| Situation | ✅ ALWAYS Do | ❌ NEVER Do |
|---|
| Start an Aspire app | aspire_apphost_start with mode run and the exact selected appHostPath when available; in a git worktree, use aspire start --non-interactive --isolated --apphost <filesystem-path> even when aspire_apphost_start is available | dotnet run on AppHost |
| Wait for resource ready | aspire wait <resource> | curl / HTTP polling loops |
| Code changed in a resource | Prefer resource commands, runtime watch/HMR, dashboard actions, or IDE-managed debugging | dotnet build against locked files |
| Task complete | aspire_apphost_stop with the exact selected appHostPath when available; follow its result matrix | Use an unapproved CLI fallback |
| Check resource status | aspire describe / aspire ps | Manual process inspection |
| Working in git worktree | aspire start --non-interactive --isolated --apphost <filesystem-path> | aspire_apphost_start when it cannot request isolation |
| Running from AI agent | Load available lifecycle tools first; resolve CLI --apphost fallbacks to <filesystem-path>; add --non-interactive | Assuming interactive terminal |
| Editing unfamiliar API | aspire docs search <topic> then aspire docs api search <query> for API reference | Guessing API shape |
| C# AppHost API inspection | Use dotnet-inspect skill (if available) for local symbols | Guessing overloads or builder chains |
| Adding custom dashboard/resource commands | aspire docs search "custom resource commands" first | Inventing WithCommand patterns without docs |
| Installing Aspire support | Use aspire add or |
See safety-guardrails.md for detailed rules and recovery patterns.
Default Workflow
- Confirm workspace is Aspire — identify the AppHost
- If the workspace is a git worktree, resolve the selected AppHost to a filesystem project path and use
aspire start --non-interactive --isolated --apphost <filesystem-path> even when aspire_apphost_start is available, because the editor tool cannot request isolation. Otherwise, start with aspire_apphost_start in mode run using the exact selected appHostPath when available; if that tool is unavailable, resolve the selected AppHost to a filesystem project path and use aspire start --non-interactive --apphost <filesystem-path>
aspire wait <resource> before interacting with any resourceaspire describe to inspect state, then work- If AppHost code changed, restart through the same lifecycle routing; if only one resource changed, prefer the resource's commands/watch/HMR/debug workflow
- Stop with
aspire_apphost_stop using the exact selected appHostPath when available; use aspire stop --non-interactive --apphost <filesystem-path> only for the documented fallback outcomes
Quick Reference
| Task | Command |
|---|
| Start app (agents) | Git worktree: aspire start --non-interactive --isolated --apphost <filesystem-path> even if aspire_apphost_start is available, because the tool cannot request isolation. Otherwise: aspire_apphost_start (mode run, exact selected appHostPath); CLI fallback when the tool is unavailable: aspire start --non-interactive --apphost <filesystem-path> |
| Start app (human) | aspire run (foreground, dashboard) |
| Stop app | aspire_apphost_stop (exact selected appHostPath); result-matrix fallback: aspire stop --non-interactive --apphost <filesystem-path> |
| Wait for resource | aspire wait <resource> |
| Check status | aspire ps or aspire describe |
| Show hidden resources (proxies, helpers, migrations) | aspire ps --include-hidden / aspire describe --include-hidden |
| Resource operation | aspire resource <resource-name> <command> such as stop, start, or rebuild when exposed |
| Create new project | aspire new aspire-starter |
| Add Aspire to existing | aspire init (then hand off to aspireify skill for wiring) |
| Add integration | aspire add <package> |
| Discover integrations | aspire integration list --format Json / aspire integration search <query> --format Json |
| Upgrade the CLI itself | aspire update --self |
| Update project package refs | aspire update (modifies project files — get user approval) |
| Restore generated files | aspire restore |
| Environment maintenance | , , |
Error Handling
| Symptom | Cause | Action |
|---|
File lock errors during build (MSB3491, CS2012) | Aspire is running and holds locks on bin/, obj/, and assemblies. | Stop the AppHost through the lifecycle routing above, then rebuild or restart it. Do NOT conclude the project has a permanent build failure. |
| "Port already in use" | Previous instance running | Stop, then restart through the lifecycle routing above |
| Resource not found | App not started or name wrong | aspire ps to check |
| Build errors in resource | Code error, not Aspire issue | Fix code, then use resource commands/watch/HMR/debug workflow or restart through the lifecycle routing if AppHost code changed |
| Environment issues | Missing SDK or tools | aspire doctor to diagnose |
JSON parse failure from aspire start | Mixed human/JSON output (#15843) | Strip non-JSON lines before parsing |
aspire wait rejects name | Use displayName not name (#15842) | Use displayName from aspire ps --format Json |
aspire ps hangs | AppHost on breakpoint (#15576) | Use timeout, check AppHost process |
aspire agent init fails | Non-interactive terminal (#16264) | Run from standard terminal |
| Docker daemon unavailable | Container-backed resources fail to start | Start Docker Desktop, then restart through the lifecycle routing above |
| Multiple AppHosts detected | Wrong AppHost targeted | Use --apphost <filesystem-path> to specify explicitly |
🔒 File-Lock Recovery (MSB3491 / CS2012) — Always Stop the AppHost First
When a build fails with error MSB3491: Could not write to output file ... or
error CS2012: Cannot open ... for writing, the project itself is healthy —
Aspire is running and holding file locks on the resource's output assemblies.
The recovery is always the same:
Resolve the exact AppHost and call aspire_apphost_stop first when available. If a CLI
fallback is permitted, resolve the selected AppHost to its filesystem path before using
the commands below; ambiguousSession and all other no-fallback results end the recovery
attempt.
aspire stop --non-interactive --apphost <filesystem-path>
aspire resource <name> rebuild
aspire start --non-interactive --apphost <filesystem-path>
aspire start --non-interactive --isolated --apphost <filesystem-path>
| ❌ NEVER do | ✅ ALWAYS do |
|---|
| Tell the user the project has a permanent build failure | Recognize the lock as Aspire holding outputs and stop the AppHost through lifecycle routing |
dotnet build again with locks held | Stop the AppHost first, then dotnet build (or prefer resource commands/watch/HMR/debug workflow) |
Delete bin/ / obj/ to "fix" the lock | Stop the AppHost; deletion may succeed but the next build relocks |
pkill dotnet or kill <PID> to free locks | Use the editor stop tool or exact-target CLI fallback for clean shutdown |
| Tell the user to "reboot" or "restart your machine" | Stop the AppHost through lifecycle routing |
The same rule applies to any "file in use", "cannot access the file", or
"another process is using" error during a build of an Aspire-managed resource.
Handoff Rules
| Scenario | Route To |
|---|
AppHost wiring after aspire init (scan repo, add resources, ServiceDefaults/OTel) | → aspireify skill (aspireify/SKILL.md) or project-local .agents/skills/aspireify/SKILL.md |
Browser logs (Aspire.Hosting.Browsers / WithBrowserLogs()) and dashboard authoring | → aspireify skill (code edits) and aspire-monitoring (discovery) |
Custom resource commands (WithCommand, ExecuteCommandResult, HttpCommandResultMode) | → aspireify skill |
Lifecycle hooks (SubscribeBeforeStart, SubscribeAfterResourcesCreated, BeforeStart pipeline phase) | → aspireify skill |
Endpoint authoring (WithEndpoint updates, ExcludeReferenceEndpoint flag) | → aspireify skill |
Deploy, publish, pipeline steps, aspire destroy | → aspire-deployment skill |
Logs, traces, metrics, dashboard, aspire dashboard run | → aspire-monitoring skill |
| Deployed app diagnostics | → azure-diagnostics skill (azure-skills) |
Runtime Settings And Environment
| Variable | Default | Purpose |
|---|
ASPIRE_ENABLE_CONTAINER_TUNNEL | true | Container tunnel provides uniform host connectivity across Docker Desktop, Docker Engine, and Podman. Set to false to opt out. |
ASPIRE_ENVIRONMENT | unset | Selects the environment-specific config profile — controls which appsettings.{environment}.json is loaded and which environment is reported in dashboard telemetry. |
ASPIRE_DCP_USE_DEVELOPER_CERTIFICATE | true | The Aspire trusted developer certificate is used by DCP on Windows. Set to false to opt out. |
features.defaultWatchEnabled | false unless configured | Enables Aspire default watch for supported C# and TypeScript AppHosts. Do not treat this as per-resource rebuild, restart, or hot reload for resource source changes. |
TypeScript AppHost Note
Detection covers TS AppHosts (apphost.ts), but all TS AppHost authoring is delegated to aspireify.
Current rules to apply when handing off:
| Rule | Why |
|---|
Prefer unified withEnvironment(name, value) over deprecated per-kind helpers (withEnvironmentEndpoint, withEnvironmentParameter, withEnvironmentConnectionString, withEnvironmentExpression, withEnvironmentFromOutput, withEnvironmentFromKeyVaultSecret) | Per-kind helpers are deprecated — single API now handles all value types |
Never edit .aspire/modules/ directly | Generated; use aspire add <package> to regenerate and aspire restore to recover missing files |
Use aspire docs api search <query> --language typescript for API lookup | TS surface differs from C# |
Skill Routing — In-Plugin Sibling Skills
After aspire init drops a skeleton AppHost + aspire.config.json, route AppHost wiring
(scan repo → propose resource graph → edit AppHost → wire Aspire.ServiceDefaults / OTel →
validate via aspire start) to the in-plugin aspireify skill: aspireify/SKILL.md.
For first-run flows that only need the skeleton drop, see the in-plugin aspire-init skill:
aspire-init/SKILL.md. This orchestration skill stays focused
on lifecycle (start/stop/wait/restart) and never edits AppHost code itself.
Project-Local Skill Precedence
If .agents/skills/aspire/SKILL.md exists (from aspire agent init), defer to it for:
C# AppHost editing, TS AppHost editing, Playwright handoff, investigation workflows.
Safety guardrails from this plugin ALWAYS apply.
If .agents/skills/aspireify/SKILL.md exists project-locally (installed by aspire init in
current Aspire), warn the user that a project-local aspireify skill is present and defer to it
for AppHost wiring instead of the in-plugin sibling. Same precedence rule as the project-local
aspire skill above: project-local wins, plugin guardrails still apply.
References
