How do you list all installed global tools using the CLI

Global tools in the .NET ecosystem are command-line applications that can be installed and run from any location on your system. If you want to see which global tools are currently installed, you can easily list them using the .NET Command Line Interface (CLI). This guide will walk you through the steps to list all installed global tools using the CLI.

What are Global Tools?

Global tools are .NET Core applications that are installed globally on your machine, allowing you to run them from any command prompt or terminal window. They are useful for various tasks, such as code generation, project management, and other development utilities. Global tools are installed using the dotnet tool install command and can be uninstalled using the dotnet tool uninstall command.

How to List Installed Global Tools

To list all installed global tools using the CLI, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Your Command Line Interface

Open your terminal (macOS/Linux) or command prompt (Windows).

Step 2: Run the `dotnet tool list` Command

Use the following command to list all global tools installed on your system:

dotnet tool list --global

This command will display a list of all global tools, including their names, versions, and installation paths.

Example

After running the command, you might see output similar to the following:

Package Id      Version      Commands
---------------------------------------------------
dotnet-ef       5.0.0        dotnet-ef
dotnet-sql-cache 5.0.0      dotnet-sql-cache

In this example, two global tools are installed: dotnet-ef and dotnet-sql-cache, along with their respective versions.

Conclusion

Listing all installed global tools using the CLI is a simple process that helps you keep track of the tools available in your development environment. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily view the global tools you have installed, ensuring that you can utilize them effectively in your .NET projects. Understanding how to manage global tools is essential for any .NET developer looking to leverage the full capabilities of the .NET ecosystem.