The ASP.NET Command Line Interface (CLI) is a cross-platform toolchain for developing, building, running, and publishing ASP.NET applications. It provides a set of commands that can be used to create and manage ASP.NET projects from the command line, making it easier for developers to work in environments where a graphical user interface (GUI) is not available or preferred.

Key Features of ASP.NET CLI

  • Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Project Management: Create, build, run, and publish ASP.NET applications.
  • Package Management: Manage NuGet packages and dependencies.
  • Integration: Easily integrates with other tools and services.

Common Commands

Here are some common commands used in the ASP.NET CLI:

  • dotnet new: Creates a new project or solution.
  • dotnet build: Builds the project and its dependencies.
  • dotnet run: Runs the application.
  • dotnet publish: Publishes the application for deployment.
  • dotnet add package: Adds a NuGet package to the project.

Sample Code: Creating a New ASP.NET Core Web Application

To create a new ASP.NET Core web application using the CLI, follow these steps:

  1. Open your command line interface.
  2. Run the following command to create a new web application:
dotnet new webapp -n MyWebApp

This command creates a new ASP.NET Core web application named MyWebApp.

Building and Running the Application

After creating the application, navigate to the project directory:

cd MyWebApp

Now, build the application using the following command:

dotnet build

Once the build is successful, run the application:

dotnet run

Your application will start, and you can access it in your web browser at http://localhost:5000.

Publishing the Application

To publish your application for deployment, use the following command:

dotnet publish -c Release

This command compiles the application and prepares it for deployment in the bin/Release/net5.0/publish directory (the path may vary based on the .NET version).

Conclusion

The ASP.NET CLI is a powerful tool that simplifies the development process for ASP.NET applications. By using the command line, developers can quickly create, build, run, and publish their applications, making it an essential part of modern web development workflows.