The “dotnet restore” command is a part of the .NET development framework and is used to restore the dependencies and tools required by a .NET project. This command ensures that all the necessary packages and dependencies specified in the project file are downloaded and made available for the project’s compilation and execution.
Here are some key aspects of the “dotnet restore” command:
- Dependency resolution: When you execute the “dotnet restore” command, it analyzes the project file (typically a .csproj or .vbproj file) and resolves the dependencies listed within it. These dependencies can include NuGet packages, which are third-party libraries and frameworks that your project relies on.
- Package management: The “dotnet restore” command interacts with the NuGet package manager to download and install the required packages. It retrieves the packages from the configured package sources, such as the official NuGet.org repository, and ensures that all the necessary versions and dependencies are fetched.
- Tool restoration: In addition to dependencies, the “dotnet restore” command also restores any required development tools specified in the project file. These tools can be used during the build process or for other development tasks. The command ensures that the correct versions of the tools are downloaded and made available.
- Project-specific settings: The “dotnet restore” command takes into account project-specific settings, such as the target framework and any conditional compilation symbols defined in the project file. This ensures that the correct versions of dependencies and tools compatible with the project’s configuration are restored.
- Incremental restoration: By default, the “dotnet restore” command performs an incremental restoration. This means that it only downloads and installs the packages and tools that have changed since the last restore operation. This helps in reducing the time and bandwidth required for restoring dependencies, especially in large projects.
The “dotnet restore” command is an important step in setting up a .NET project for successful compilation and execution. It ensures that all the required dependencies and tools are available, allowing you to build and run the project without issues.
Please note that the specifics of the “dotnet restore” command, such as available options or additional functionality, may vary depending on the version of the .NET framework or the tools you are using. For detailed and up-to-date information, it is recommended to refer to the official .NET documentation or use the “–help” flag alongside the command to access the command-specific help information.
dotnet restore Command Examples
1. Restore dependencies for a .NET project or solution in the current directory:
# dotnet restore
2. Restore dependencies for a .NET project or solution in a specific location:
# dotnet restore /path/to/project_or_solution
3. Restore dependencies without caching the HTTP requests:
# dotnet restore --no-cache
4. Force all dependencies to be resolved even if the last restore was successful:
# dotnet restore --force
5. Restore dependencies using package source failures as warnings:
# dotnet restore --ignore-failed-sources
6. Restore dependencies with a specific verbosity level:
# dotnet restore --verbosity [quiet|minimal|normal|detailed|diagnostic]