Mastering NuGet: Command Line Install Package Guide

If you’re a software developer working in the .NET ecosystem, you are likely familiar with NuGet, a package manager for the .NET development platform. While NuGet has a user-friendly GUI in Visual Studio, the command-line interface can offer more flexibility and control. This guide will walk you through the process of using the NuGet command line to install packages efficiently.

Getting Started with NuGet Command Line

To begin, you need to have the NuGet command-line tool installed on your system. You can download the NuGet CLI from the official NuGet website or install it using Chocolatey or Scoop for Windows users. For Mac and Linux users, you can use Homebrew to install the NuGet CLI. Once installed, you can access a wide range of package management functionalities directly from the command line.

Installing Packages via the NuGet CLI

To install a package using the NuGet CLI, you can use the `nuget install` command followed by the package name and version. For example, `nuget install Newtonsoft.Json -Version 12.0.3` will install the Newtonsoft.Json package with version 12.0.3. You can also specify the destination folder with the `-OutputDirectory` flag to control where the package will be saved.

Managing Package Sources

In addition to installing packages, the NuGet CLI allows you to manage package sources. You can add new package sources, list existing sources, or remove sources using commands like `nuget sources add`, `nuget sources list`, and `nuget sources remove`. This flexibility enables you to work with different package repositories seamlessly.

Customizing Package Installation

The NuGet CLI provides various options to customize the package installation process. You can specify package source, target framework, verbosity level, and more using command-line arguments. Understanding these options can help you streamline your package management workflow and troubleshoot installation issues effectively.

Wrapping Up

Mastering the NuGet command line can significantly boost your productivity as a .NET developer. By leveraging the power of the CLI, you can efficiently manage packages, automate build processes, and simplify deployment tasks. Experiment with the commands discussed in this guide to unleash the full potential of NuGet’s command-line interface.