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im5tu/dotnet-skills · Archived

dotnet-centralise-packages

Converts a .NET solution to use Central Package Management (CPM). Use when the user wants to centralize, consolidate, or unify NuGet package versions across projects.

First seen Feb 4, 2026

Installation

$ npx skills add im5tu/dotnet-skills --skill dotnet-centralise-packages
View on skills.sh ↗ GitHub repository ↗

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More details

Agent compatibility

Declared targets from SKILL.md / docs. Unmarked agents are not listed — the skill may still install via the CLI.

Claude Code Not declared
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GitHub Copilot Not declared
Windsurf Not declared
Gemini CLI Not declared
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OpenCode Not declared

Repository health

Stars 1
License MIT
Default branch main
Open issues 0
Status Archived

Skill metadata

Parsed from SKILL.md frontmatter.

Version1.0
LicenseMIT
Allowed toolsBash(dotnet:*) Read Glob AskUserQuestion
More metadata
author
Im5tu
version
1.0
repositoryUrl
https://github.com/im5tu/dotnet-skills

Package contents

Files included with this skill beyond the listing page.

  • skill md SKILL.md 3,296 B
  • docs SUMMARY.md 200 B

History

  1. First seen on skills.sh
  2. First recorded snapshot · 3 installs

SKILL.md

Convert the current .NET solution to use Central Package Management, centralizing all package versions in a single Directory.Packages.props file.

Steps

  1. Find the solution file (*.sln) in the current directory

- If no .sln found, warn and stop

  1. List all packages (including transitive)

``bash dotnet package list --include-transitive --format json ``

  1. Parse JSON output to extract:

- All unique packages across all projects - Their versions - Whether each package is direct or transitive - If same package has different versions, use the highest version

  1. Check for existing CPM files

- If Directory.Packages.props exists, ask user: overwrite or merge - Note existing Directory.Build.props content if present

  1. Create Directory.Packages.props next to the .sln file:

``xml <Project> <ItemGroup> <PackageVersion Include="PackageName" Version="X.Y.Z" /> <!-- one entry per unique package --> </ItemGroup> </Project> ``

  1. Create or update Directory.Build.props next to the .sln file:

- If file exists, add the property to existing content - If file doesn't exist, create it: ``xml <Project> <PropertyGroup> <ManagePackageVersionsCentrally>true</ManagePackageVersionsCentrally> </PropertyGroup> </Project> ``

  1. Update all .csproj files:

- Remove Version attribute from all <PackageReference> elements - Before: <PackageReference Include="Newtonsoft.Json" Version="13.0.3" /> - After: <PackageReference Include="Newtonsoft.Json" />

  1. Run build to verify:

``bash dotnet build ``

  1. If build fails, ask the user:

- Fix automatically: Review errors and attempt fixes - Fix manually: Show errors and let user handle

  1. Report results:

- List all created/modified files - Show package count centralized - Confirm build status

Transitive vs Direct Packages

  • Direct packages: Explicitly in csproj via <PackageReference>. These get centralized.
  • Transitive packages: Pulled in as dependencies. Generally NOT centralized unless:

- User explicitly wants to pin a transitive package version - A transitive package needs a security update

When centralizing:

  • Only add direct packages to Directory.Packages.props by default
  • Report transitive packages separately for awareness
  • If user wants to pin a transitive, add it as a <PackageVersion> entry

Version Conflict Resolution

When the same package has different versions across projects:

  • Automatically use the highest/latest version
  • No user prompt needed

Error Handling

  • If no .sln found: warn about solution-level CPM requirement
  • If Directory.Packages.props already exists: ask to overwrite or merge
  • If build fails after conversion: offer automatic fix or manual intervention