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.
confidence	low
source	external (richlander/dotnet-inspect)

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?" — type discovers types (terse), find searches by pattern
• "What's the API surface?" — type for discovery, member for detailed inspection (docs on)
• "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

Examples by Task

Discover types

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- type --package System.Text.Json                   # all types in package
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- type -t "*Serializer*" --package System.Text.Json # filter by glob

Inspect members

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member JsonSerializer --package System.Text.Json         # members with docs
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member 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 "*Logger*"

Compare versions (migrations)

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
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- implements Stream
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- depends 'INumber<TSelf>'

Inspect packages

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

Command Reference

Command	Purpose
type	Discover types — terse output, no docs, use --shape for hierarchy
member	Inspect members — docs on by default, supports dotted syntax (-m Type.Member)
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

Key Syntax

• Generic types need quotes: 'Option<T>', 'IEnumerable<T>'
• type uses -t for type filtering, member uses -m for member filtering
• Dotted syntax for member: -m JsonSerializer.Deserialize
• Diff ranges use ..: --package System.Text.Json@9.0.0..10.0.0
• Always use -y and -- to prevent interactive prompts: dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- <command>

Project-Specific Usage

Our PCS client NuGet package:

dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- type --package Microsoft.DotNet.ProductConstructionService.Client
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member ISubscriptions --package Microsoft.DotNet.ProductConstructionService.Client
dnx dotnet-inspect -y -- member TriggerSubscriptionAsync --package Microsoft.DotNet.ProductConstructionService.Client