Building an ASP.NET Core application is a crucial step in the development process, as it compiles your code and prepares it for execution. The .NET Command Line Interface (CLI) provides a straightforward command to build your application. This guide will walk you through the steps to build an ASP.NET Core application using the CLI.

What is dotnet build?

The dotnet build command is used to compile the application and its dependencies into a set of binaries. This command processes the project file (e.g., .csproj) and generates the necessary output files for your application.

When to Use dotnet build

You should use the dotnet build command when:

• You want to compile your application after making changes to the code.
• You are preparing to run or publish your application.
• You want to check for compilation errors in your code.

How to Use dotnet build

To build your ASP.NET Core application, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Your Command Line Interface

Open your terminal (macOS/Linux) or command prompt (Windows) and navigate to the directory containing your ASP.NET Core project.

Step 2: Run the Build Command

Use the following command to build your application:

dotnet build

This command will compile the project and its dependencies, generating the output files in the bin directory.

Example

Suppose you have an ASP.NET Core project named MyWebApp. To build the project, you would do the following:

cd MyWebApp
dotnet build

After executing this command, you should see output indicating the build process, including any warnings or errors. If the build is successful, you will see a message similar to:

Build succeeded.
    <br>    0 Warning(s)
    <br>    0 Error(s)

This output confirms that the application has been built successfully.

Building for a Specific Configuration

By default, the dotnet build command builds the project in the Debug configuration. If you want to build the project in the Release configuration, you can specify it using the -c option:

dotnet build -c Release

This command compiles the application with optimizations suitable for production deployment.

Building a Specific Project

If you have multiple projects in a solution and want to build a specific project, you can specify the project file:

dotnet build MyProject.csproj

Replace MyProject.csproj with the name of the project file you want to build.

Conclusion

The dotnet build command is an essential tool for compiling ASP.NET Core applications. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily build your application, check for errors, and prepare it for execution or deployment. Understanding how to effectively use this command is crucial for any ASP.NET Core developer looking to streamline their development workflow.