nuget-manager

name	nuget-manager
description	Safe NuGet package management rules for .NET projects. Enforces using dotnet CLI commands instead of manually editing .csproj files.
user-invocable	false

Skill: nuget-manager

Safely manage NuGet packages in .NET projects.

Purpose

Prevent common mistakes when adding, removing, or updating NuGet packages. The dotnet CLI is the only safe way to modify package references.

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Core Rules

1. NEVER Directly Edit .csproj to Add or Remove Packages

• NEVER manually add <PackageReference> elements to .csproj files
• NEVER manually remove <PackageReference> elements from .csproj files
• ALWAYS use dotnet add package and dotnet remove package CLI commands

2. Direct File Editing is ONLY Permitted for Version Updates

When updating a package version that already exists:

1. Verify the new version exists: dotnet package search <name> --exact-match --format json
2. Find where the version is managed (.csproj, Directory.Packages.props, or Directory.Build.props)
3. Update the version string in the file
4. Restore: dotnet restore
5. Verify: dotnet build

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Safe Commands

Add a Package

dotnet add <project.csproj> package <PackageName>
dotnet add <project.csproj> package <PackageName> --version <version>

Remove a Package

dotnet remove <project.csproj> package <PackageName>

List Installed Packages

dotnet list <project.csproj> package
dotnet list <project.csproj> package --outdated

Search for a Package

dotnet package search <name> --exact-match --format json

Restore Packages

dotnet restore

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Version Update Workflow

1. Verify version exists
   └─> dotnet package search Newtonsoft.Json --exact-match --format json

2. Check management location
   └─> Is version in .csproj? Directory.Packages.props? Directory.Build.props?

3. Update the version string in the correct file

4. Restore and verify
   └─> dotnet restore && dotnet build

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Why It's Wrong	Correct Approach
Edit .csproj to add package	May miss transitive dependencies, won't update lock file	dotnet add package
Edit .csproj to remove package	May leave orphan transitive deps	dotnet remove package
Update version without verifying	Version may not exist on feed	dotnet package search first
Skip dotnet restore after changes	Build will fail with missing refs	Always restore after changes

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Applicability

This skill applies when:

• The project uses .NET (C#, F#, VB.NET)
• Package references are in .csproj, .fsproj, or centrally managed
• The dotnet CLI is available

For non-.NET projects, use the appropriate package manager:

• Node.js: npm install / npm uninstall
• Python: pip install / pip uninstall