dotnet-inspect

name

dotnet-inspect

description

Inspect .NET assemblies and NuGet packages. Use when you need to get package metadata and latest version information, view public API surfaces, search for types, compare APIs between versions, or get direct access to commit-specific source (via Source Link). Works with NuGet packages, .NET platform/runtime assemblies, and local assembly files (via path). Essential for package exploration, API discovery, assembly auditing.

dotnet-inspect

A CLI tool for inspecting .NET assemblies and NuGet packages.

Requirements

• .NET 10+ SDK

Installation

Use dnx to run without global installation (like npx for Node):

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- <command>

Important:

• Always use -y to skip the interactive confirmation prompt (which breaks LLM tool use). New package versions also trigger this prompt.
• Always use -- to separate dnx options from tool arguments. Without it, --help shows dnx help, not dotnet-inspect help.

Getting Started

Run this command for complete usage instructions:

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- llmstxt

DO THIS FIRST. The llmstxt command provides comprehensive examples for all commands and workflows.

Quick Reference

Command	Purpose
package <name>	Inspect NuGet package metadata, files, versions, dependencies
assembly <path>	Inspect .NET assembly info, SourceLink/determinism audit
api <type>	View public API surface of a type
type <type>	Show type shape with hierarchy and members (tree view)
find <pattern>	Search for types across packages, assemblies, or frameworks
diff <type>	Compare API surfaces between package versions
llmstxt	Show complete usage examples

Example Usage

# Package exploration
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package System.Text.Json
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package System.CommandLine --files
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package System.Text.Json --versions -n 1  # latest only
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package System.Text.Json --versions       # all versions

# View type APIs
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- api JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- api Command --package System.CommandLine -m SetAction

# Compare versions
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- diff JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json@9.0.0..10.0.0

# Type hierarchy
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- type Command --package System.CommandLine

# Search for types (use find when unsure where a type lives)
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "*Logger*" --framework runtime
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find ILogger --framework runtime --package Microsoft.Extensions.Logging

Package vs Platform

Some assemblies exist in both NuGet packages and the .NET platform (installed SDK):

# From NuGet package (downloads if needed)
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- api JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json@9.0.0

# From installed SDK (no download, uses local SDK)
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- api JsonSerializer --platform System.Text.Json

When to use each:

• Package (--package): Third-party libraries, specific versions, packages not in SDK
• Platform (--platform): .NET runtime/SDK assemblies, comparing SDK versions, no network needed

Use find to search across both:

# Search both platform and package together
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find JsonSerializer --framework runtime --package Newtonsoft.Json

The find command is the best starting point when you're unsure where a type lives.

When to Use This Skill

• Getting the latest version of a NuGet package
• Exploring what types/APIs a NuGet package provides
• Searching for types by pattern across packages or frameworks
• Understanding method signatures and overloads
• Comparing API changes between package versions
• Auditing assemblies for SourceLink and determinism
• Finding types matching a pattern (--filter "Progress*")
• Getting documentation from source (--docs)