How do you list all the installed packages in an ASPNET Core project

Managing dependencies is a crucial aspect of developing applications in ASP.NET Core. Knowing which packages are installed in your project can help you maintain and update your application effectively. The .NET Command Line Interface (CLI) provides a simple command to list all the installed packages in your ASP.NET Core project. This guide will walk you through the steps to do this.

What is `dotnet list package`?

The dotnet list package command is used to display the list of NuGet packages that are installed in a specific project. This command provides information about the packages, including their versions and whether they are up to date.

When to Use `dotnet list package`

You should use the dotnet list package command when:

You want to review the dependencies of your project.
You need to check for outdated packages that may require updates.
You are preparing to remove or replace a package and want to see the current list of installed packages.

How to Use `dotnet list package`

To list all installed packages in your ASP.NET Core project, 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 List Package Command

Use the following command to list all installed packages:

dotnet list package

This command will display a list of all NuGet packages installed in the project, along with their versions.

Example

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

cd MyWebApp
dotnet list package

After executing this command, you will see output similar to the following:

Project 'MyWebApp' has the following packages installed:
    <br>   PackageReference
    <br>   ├── Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc 2.2.0
    <br>   ├── Newtonsoft.Json 13.0.1
    <br>   └── Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore 5.0.0

This output shows the installed packages along with their versions.

Listing Outdated Packages

If you want to check for outdated packages, you can use the following command:

dotnet list package --outdated

This command will display a list of packages that have newer versions available, along with the current and latest versions.

Conclusion

The dotnet list package command is a valuable tool for managing dependencies in ASP.NET Core projects. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily list all installed packages, check for outdated packages, and maintain your project's dependencies effectively. Understanding how to use this command is essential for any ASP.NET Core developer looking to keep their project organized and up to date.