dotnet-inspect

name	dotnet-inspect
description	Query .NET APIs across NuGet packages, platform libraries, and local files. Search for types, list API surfaces, compare versions, find extension methods and implementors. Use whenever you need to answer questions about .NET library contents.

dotnet-inspect

Query .NET library APIs — the same commands work across NuGet packages, platform libraries (System., Microsoft.AspNetCore.), and local .dll/.nupkg files.

When to Use This Skill

• "What types are in this package?" — find searches by glob pattern
• "What's the API surface?" — api lists types, members, signatures, type shape
• "What changed between versions?" — diff classifies breaking/additive changes
• "What extends this type?" — extensions finds extension methods/properties
• "What implements this interface?" — implements finds concrete types
• "What does this type depend on?" — depends walks the type hierarchy upward
• "What version/metadata does this have?" — package and library inspect metadata
• "Show me something cool" — demo runs curated showcase queries

Search Scope

Search commands (find, extensions, implements, depends) work across all of .NET:

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Chat*"                    # default scope (platform + curated)
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Chat*" --platform         # platform frameworks only
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Chat*" --extensions       # Microsoft.Extensions.* packages
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Chat*" --aspnetcore       # Microsoft.AspNetCore.* packages
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Chat*" --platform --extensions  # combine scopes
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Chat*" --package Foo      # specific NuGet package
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Chat*" --platform --package Foo  # platform + a specific package

Scope flags are combinable — use multiple flags to widen the search. --package works on all commands. api, library, diff also accept --platform <name> for a specific platform library.

Examples by Task

List API surface

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- api System.Text.Json                              # all types in library
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- api System.Text.Json JsonSerializer               # members of a type
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- api 'HashSet<T>' --platform System.Collections --shape  # type shape diagram
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- api JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json -m Serialize  # filter to member

Search for types

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "*Handler*" --package System.CommandLine
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Option*,Argument*,Command*" --package System.CommandLine --terse
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "*Logger*"

Compare versions (migrations)

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- diff --package System.CommandLine@2.0.0-beta4.22272.1..2.0.2
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- diff --package System.Text.Json@9.0.0..10.0.0 --breaking
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- diff JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json@9.0.0..10.0.0

Find extensions, implementors, and dependencies

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- extensions HttpClient                   # what extends HttpClient?
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- extensions IServiceCollection           # across default scope
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- implements Stream                       # what extends Stream?
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- implements IDisposable --platform       # across all platform frameworks
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- depends 'INumber<TSelf>'                # type dependency hierarchy

Explore with demo

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- demo list                               # list curated demos
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- demo 1                                # run a specific demo
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- demo --feeling-lucky                    # random pick

Inspect packages and libraries

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package System.Text.Json                # metadata, latest version
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package System.Text.Json --versions     # available versions
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- package search "Azure.AI"               # search NuGet for packages
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- library System.Text.Json                # library metadata, symbols
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- library ./bin/MyLib.dll                 # local file

Search with prefix scoping

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- find "Chat*" --package-prefix Azure.AI  # search all Azure.AI.* packages
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- extensions IChatClient --package-prefix Microsoft.Extensions.AI

Command Reference

Command	Purpose
api	Public API surface — types, members, signatures, --shape for hierarchy
find	Search for types by glob pattern across any scope
diff	Compare API surfaces between versions — breaking/additive classification
extensions	Find extension methods/properties for a type
implements	Find types implementing an interface or extending a base class
depends	Walk the type dependency hierarchy upward (interfaces, base classes)
package	Package metadata, files, versions, dependencies, search for NuGet discovery
library	Library metadata, symbols, references, dependencies
demo	Run curated showcase queries — list, invoke, or feeling-lucky

Key Syntax

• Generic types need quotes: 'Option<T>', 'IEnumerable<T>'
• Positional args for api: api <source> <type> <member> (not flags)
• Diff ranges use ..: --package System.Text.Json@9.0.0..10.0.0
• Signatures include params and default values from metadata

Installation

Use dnx (like npx). Always use -y and -- to prevent interactive prompts:

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- <command>

Full Documentation

For comprehensive syntax, edge cases, and the flag compatibility matrix:

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- llmstxt