template-discovery

name

template-discovery

description

Skill for finding, inspecting, and selecting the right .NET template for a task. Use when a user asks to create a new project, library, test project, or solution, and the right template needs to be identified. Covers searching NuGet.org and local caches, inspecting template parameters and constraints, and comparing template alternatives. DO NOT use for MSBuild build issues, NuGet restore problems, or non-template .NET tasks.

Template Discovery

When to Use

Invoke this skill when:

• User wants to create a new .NET project, library, test, or solution
• User asks "what templates are available for X?"
• User needs to find the right template for a specific scenario (e.g., "MAUI app", "Blazor WASM", "worker service")
• User wants to compare template options before choosing

Step 0: Try Intent Resolution First

For natural-language requests like "I need a web API with auth and controllers", start with template_from_intent:

template_from_intent with description: "web API with auth and controllers"
→ Returns: { template: "webapi", confidence: 0.85, params: { auth: "Individual", UseControllers: "true" } }

This uses 70+ keyword mappings to resolve intent offline (no LLM round-trip). If confidence is high (>0.7), proceed directly to template-instantiation. If low or ambiguous, fall through to Step 1.

Step 1: Search for Templates

Use template_search to find templates matching the user's intent. The tool searches both local installed templates and NuGet.org, returning ranked results.

template_search with query: "blazor"
template_search with query: "worker service"
template_search with query: "class library"

Results include: template name, short name, language, type, author, NuGet package (if remote), and relevance ranking.

Search Tips

• Use descriptive terms: "web api", "console app", "test project"
• Search by technology: "maui", "blazor", "grpc", "minimal api"
• Search by project type: "classlib", "webapp", "worker"

Step 2: List Installed Templates

Use template_list to see what's already available locally:

template_list                              # All installed
template_list with language: "C#"          # C# only
template_list with type: "project"         # Projects only
template_list with classification: "Web"   # Web templates

Step 3: Inspect Template Details

Before instantiation, always inspect the template to understand its parameters:

template_inspect with identity: "Microsoft.DotNet.Web.ProjectTemplates.9.0.blazorserver"

Returns:

• Parameters: name, type, default value, choices (for choice params), description
• Constraints: OS, SDK version, workload requirements
• Post-actions: what happens after creation (restore, open file, run script)
• Framework versions: supported TFMs

Parameter Types

Type	Examples	Notes
choice	--framework net8.0|net9.0|net10.0	Must be one of the listed values
bool	--use-program-main true|false	Toggle features on/off
string	--namespace MyApp	Free-form text
integer	--port 5000	Numeric values

Step 4: Preview with Dry Run

Use template_dry_run to see exactly what files would be created:

template_dry_run with:
  shortName: "webapi"
  name: "MyApi"
  output: "./src/MyApi"
  parameters: { "framework": "net10.0", "use-controllers": "true" }

Returns file list, directory structure, and any warnings — without writing anything to disk.

Smart Behaviors

The template-engine-mcp server includes smart behaviors:

• Auto-resolve: If a template isn't installed, the server searches NuGet, installs the package, and proceeds
• Parameter validation: Invalid choice values or types are caught with "did you mean...?" suggestions
• Constraint checking: OS, SDK version, and workload constraints are verified before creation
• Smart defaults: Parameter relationships are suggested (e.g., EnableAot=true → suggest net9.0+)

Common Template Quick-Reference

Scenario	Short Name	Key Parameters
Console app	console	--framework, --use-program-main
Class library	classlib	--framework
Web API	webapi	--framework, --use-controllers, --auth
Blazor Server	blazorserver	--framework, --auth
Worker Service	worker	--framework
xUnit tests	xunit	--framework
MSTest tests	mstest	--framework
NUnit tests	nunit	--framework
MAUI app	maui	--framework
gRPC service	grpc	--framework