// Query .NET APIs across NuGet packages, platform libraries, and local files. Use for factual answers about package contents, API signatures, compatibility changes, relationships, SourceLink, and assembly metadata.
| name | dotnet-inspect |
| version | 0.8.1 |
| description | Query .NET APIs across NuGet packages, platform libraries, and local files. Use for factual answers about package contents, API signatures, compatibility changes, relationships, SourceLink, and assembly metadata. |
Use dotnet-inspect when you need evidence about .NET libraries instead of guessing: API signatures, package contents, extension methods, implementors, SourceLink URLs, dependencies, or version-to-version API changes.
Invoke through dnx unless the tool is already installed:
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- <command>
Default output is Markdown. Use --oneline to scan, --json for structured data, --count to count one selected table section, and -v:d when you need source/decompiled C#/IL detail.
| Goal | Start with | Drill in |
|---|---|---|
| Find the right API | find Pattern --oneline | type Type --package Foo, then member Type --package Foo. |
| Fix upgrade breaks | diff --package Foo@old..new --breaking | Inspect replacement members with member. |
| Learn what changed | diff --package Foo@old..new --additive or diff --platform Lib@old..new | Use -t Type to narrow. |
| Locate source | source Type --package Foo | Add -m Member or use member Type Member:1 -v:d. |
| Audit package/library contents | package Foo, library Foo | Add -S Section, --fields, --source-link-audit, or --count. |
| Explore relationships | depends Type, extensions Type, implements Interface | Add package/platform scope as needed. |
| Keep output small | --oneline, --json, -S Section, --count, -n N | Prefer built-in limits over shell pipes. |
LLM training may miss .NET 10+ runtime/library features. Prefer metadata inspection over web search.
| Feature | Description | Use | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runtime async | .NET 11+ libraries may use runtime async instead of compiler-generated state machines. | library --platform Lib --framework runtime@<version> -S "Async*" | Kind distinguishes runtime async from state-machine async; use --count only for totals. |
| Runtime-pack assemblies | Many BCL libraries ship only as installed platform/runtime-pack assemblies, not standalone packages. | library --platform Lib --framework runtime@<version> or direct DLL path | Prefer platform/direct DLL inspection when package lookup is misleading. |
| Extension properties | C# extension blocks can expose properties in addition to extension methods. | extensions Type --reachable | Results include extension methods and C# extension properties. |
| Lowering changes | Compiler/runtime implementation can differ from API signatures. | member Type Member:1 -v:d | Inspect Source, Lowered C#, IL, and annotated IL before inferring behavior. |
For preview sweeps, resolve the version once, prove one library end-to-end, then fan out to the rest.
Use find when you do not know the package, library, or exact namespace.
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find JsonSerializer --oneline
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json
Carry resolved context forward. Bare names use the router: platform-looking names are tried as installed platform libraries first, then fall back to NuGet packages if platform resolution fails. Use explicit --platform, --package, or --library when the source matters; for multi-library packages, include the --library value shown by find.
Use type for type shape and summaries; use member for signatures, overloads, docs, and implementation detail. Add --show-index when you need stable Name:N overload selectors.
Start with diff, then inspect the affected API.
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- diff --package System.Text.Json@9.0.0..10.0.0 --breaking
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json@10.0.0
Use --breaking for migration work, --additive for release-note work, and -t TypeName to narrow noisy diffs. Obsolete members are shown by default with an obsolete marker/message when available.
For .NET platform APIs, compare individual framework libraries:
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- diff --platform System.Runtime@9.0.0..10.0.0 --additive
Use source for SourceLink URLs or source text. Use member -v:d when you need a selected member's source, lowered C#, raw IL, or annotated IL.
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- source JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json --oneline
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json Serialize:1 -v:d
For crash/stack diagnostics that include a MethodDef token plus IL offset, source --il-offset 0x06000001+0x5 can map the offset to source. This is a niche deep-debugging path; do not start there for normal API lookup.
Use package for NuGet metadata and package layout. Use library for assembly identity, references, symbols, SourceLink, resources, async methods, and public key token.
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package System.Text.Json --versions
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- library System.Text.Json --source-link-audit
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- library System.Text.Json -S "Async*" --count
package supports custom feeds (--source, --add-source, --nugetconfig) and local .nupkg files. library -S "Async*" classifies async methods as runtime async or classic state-machine async.
Discover sections, then select or project fields.
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json -D
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json -S Methods --columns "Name;Signature;Obsolete"
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- library System.Text.Json -S "Async*" --count
For type and member, -D reports the effective schema by default: only sections and columns that can render for that query. Add --schema for the static schema. -S, --columns, and --fields accept comma-separated or semicolon-separated lists. Use --count only when exactly one selected section should produce a row count.
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- depends Stream
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- extensions HttpClient --reachable
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- implements IJsonTypeInfoResolver --package System.Text.Json
Scopes include installed platform libraries by default, --package Foo, curated --aspnetcore/--extensions, and --project ./App.csproj. Add --mermaid to depends when a diagram is more useful than a table.
'Option<T>', 'INumber<TSelf>'.<T> rather than <> for generic type queries.type uses -t for type filters; member uses -m for member filters.-m JsonSerializer.Deserialize...: --package Foo@1.0.0..2.0.0.--all for non-public, hidden, and extra members; obsolete members are already shown by default.