Topic: copilot
977 skills in this topic.
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including-generated-files
Fix MSBuild targets that generate files during the build but those files are missing from compilation or output. Only activate in MSBuild/.NET build context. USE FOR: generated source files not compiling (CS0246 for a type that should exist), custom build tasks that create files but they are invisible to subsequent targets, globs not capturing build-generated files because they expand at evaluation time before execution creates them, ensuring generated files are cleaned by the Clean target. Covers correct BeforeTargets timing (CoreCompile, BeforeBuild, AssignTargetPaths), adding to Compile/FileWrites item groups, using $(IntermediateOutputPath) instead of hardcoded obj/ paths. DO NOT USE FOR: C# source generators that already work via the Roslyn pipeline, T4 design-time generation that runs in Visual Studio, non-MSBuild build systems. INVOKES: no tools — pure knowledge skill.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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incremental-build
Guide for optimizing MSBuild incremental builds. Only activate in MSBuild/.NET build context. USE FOR: builds slower than expected on subsequent runs, 'nothing changed but it rebuilds anyway', diagnosing why targets re-execute unnecessarily, fixing broken no-op builds. Covers 8 common causes: missing Inputs/Outputs on custom targets, volatile properties in output paths (timestamps/GUIDs), file writes outside tracked Outputs, missing FileWrites registration, glob changes, Visual Studio Fast Up-to-Date Check (FUTDC) issues. Key diagnostic: look for 'Building target completely' vs 'Skipping target' in binlog. DO NOT USE FOR: first-time build slowness (use build-perf-baseline), parallelism issues (use build-parallelism), evaluation-phase slowness (use eval-performance), non-MSBuild build systems. INVOKES: dotnet build /bl, binlog replay with diagnostic verbosity.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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template-discovery
Helps find, inspect, and compare .NET project templates. Resolves natural-language project descriptions to ranked template matches with pre-filled parameters. USE FOR: finding the right dotnet new template for a task, comparing templates side by side, inspecting template parameters and constraints, understanding what a template produces before creating a project, resolving intent like "web API with auth" to concrete template + parameters. DO NOT USE FOR: actually creating projects (use template-instantiation), authoring custom templates (use template-authoring), MSBuild or build issues (use dotnet-msbuild plugin), NuGet package management unrelated to template packages.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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template-instantiation
Creates .NET projects from templates with validated parameters, smart defaults, Central Package Management adaptation, and latest NuGet version resolution. USE FOR: creating new dotnet projects, scaffolding solutions with multiple projects, installing or uninstalling template packages, creating projects that respect Directory.Packages.props (CPM), composing multi-project solutions (API + tests + library), getting latest NuGet package versions in newly created projects. DO NOT USE FOR: finding or comparing templates (use template-discovery), authoring custom templates (use template-authoring), modifying existing projects or adding NuGet packages to existing projects.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-roslynator
Use the open-source free `Roslynator` analyzer packages and optional CLI for .NET. Use when a repo wants broad C# static analysis, auto-fix flows, dead-code detection, optional CLI checks, or extra rules beyond the SDK analyzers.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-trace-collect
Guide developers through capturing diagnostic artifacts to diagnose production .NET performance issues. Use when the user needs help choosing diagnostic tools, collecting performance data, or understanding tool trade-offs across different environments (Windows/Linux, .NET Framework/modern .NET, container/non-container).
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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mcp-csharp-test
Test C# MCP servers at multiple levels: unit tests for individual tools and integration tests using the MCP client SDK. USE FOR: unit testing MCP tool methods, integration testing with in-memory MCP client/server, end-to-end testing via MCP protocol, testing HTTP MCP servers with WebApplicationFactory, mocking dependencies in tool tests, creating evaluations for MCP servers, writing eval questions, measuring tool quality. DO NOT USE FOR: testing MCP clients (this is server testing only), load or performance testing, testing non-.NET MCP servers, debugging server issues (use mcp-csharp-debug).
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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exp-test-maintainability
Detects duplicate boilerplate, copy-paste tests, and structural maintainability issues across .NET test suites. Use when the user asks to reduce repetition, consolidate similar test methods, convert copy-paste tests to data-driven parameterized tests, suggest a better test structure, or identify refactoring opportunities. Identifies repeated construction, assertion patterns, copy-paste methods convertible to DataRow/Theory/TestCase, redundant setup/teardown, and shared infrastructure. Produces an analysis report with concrete before/after suggestions. Works with MSTest, xUnit, NUnit, and TUnit. DO NOT USE FOR: writing new tests (use writing-mstest-tests), reviewing test quality or anti-patterns (use test-anti-patterns), or deep mock auditing (use exp-mock-usage-analysis).
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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maui-safe-area
.NET MAUI safe area and edge-to-edge layout guidance for .NET 10+. Covers the new SafeAreaEdges property, SafeAreaRegions enum, per-edge control, keyboard avoidance, Blazor Hybrid CSS safe areas, migration from legacy iOS-only APIs, and platform-specific behavior for Android, iOS, and Mac Catalyst. USE FOR: "safe area", "edge-to-edge", "SafeAreaEdges", "SafeAreaRegions", "keyboard avoidance", "notch insets", "status bar overlap", "iOS safe area", "Android edge-to-edge", "content behind status bar", "UseSafeArea migration", "soft input keyboard", "IgnoreSafeArea replacement". DO NOT USE FOR: general layout or grid design (use Grid and StackLayout), app lifecycle handling (use maui-app-lifecycle), theming or styling (use maui-theming), or Shell navigation structure.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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check-bin-obj-clash
Detects MSBuild projects with conflicting OutputPath or IntermediateOutputPath. Only activate in MSBuild/.NET build context. USE FOR: builds failing with 'Cannot create a file when that file already exists', 'The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process', intermittent build failures that succeed on retry, missing outputs in multi-project builds, multi-targeting builds where project.assets.json conflicts. Diagnoses when multiple projects or TFMs write to the same bin/obj directories due to shared OutputPath, missing AppendTargetFrameworkToOutputPath, or extra global properties like PublishReadyToRun creating redundant evaluations. DO NOT USE FOR: file access errors unrelated to MSBuild (OS-level locking), single-project single-TFM builds, non-MSBuild build systems. INVOKES: dotnet msbuild binlog replay, grep for output path analysis.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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resolve-project-references
Guide for interpreting ResolveProjectReferences time in MSBuild performance summaries. Only activate in MSBuild/.NET build context. Activate when ResolveProjectReferences appears as the most expensive target and developers are trying to optimize it directly. Explains that the reported time includes wait time for dependent project builds and is misleading. Guides users to focus on task self-time instead. Do not activate for general build performance -- use build-perf-diagnostics instead.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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crap-score
Calculates CRAP (Change Risk Anti-Patterns) score for .NET methods, classes, or files. Use when the user asks to assess test quality, identify risky untested code, compute CRAP scores, or evaluate whether complex methods have sufficient test coverage. Requires code coverage data (Cobertura XML) and cyclomatic complexity analysis. DO NOT USE FOR: writing tests, general test execution unrelated to coverage/CRAP analysis, or general code coverage reporting without CRAP context.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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platform-detection
Reference data for detecting the test platform (VSTest vs Microsoft.Testing.Platform) and test framework (MSTest, xUnit, NUnit, TUnit) from project files. DO NOT USE directly — loaded by run-tests, mtp-hot-reload, and migrate-vstest-to-mtp when they need detection logic.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-aspnet-core
Build, debug, modernize, or review ASP.NET Core applications with correct hosting, middleware, security, configuration, logging, and deployment patterns on current .NET.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-maui
Build, review, or migrate .NET MAUI applications across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows with correct cross-platform UI, platform integration, and native packaging assumptions.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-microsoft-agent-framework
Build .NET AI agents and multi-agent workflows with Microsoft Agent Framework using the right agent type, threads, tools, workflows, hosting protocols, and enterprise guardrails.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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maui-collectionview
Guidance for implementing CollectionView in .NET MAUI apps — data display, layouts (list & grid), selection, grouping, scrolling, empty views, templates, incremental loading, swipe actions, and pull-to-refresh. USE FOR: "CollectionView", "list view", "grid layout", "data template", "item template", "grouping", "pull to refresh", "incremental loading", "swipe actions", "empty view", "selection mode", "scroll to item", displaying scrollable data, replacing ListView. DO NOT USE FOR: simple static layouts without scrollable data (use Grid or StackLayout), map pin lists (use Microsoft.Maui.Controls.Maps), table-based data entry forms, or non-MAUI list controls.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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maui-data-binding
Guidance for .NET MAUI XAML and C# data bindings — compiled bindings, INotifyPropertyChanged / ObservableObject, value converters, binding modes, multi-binding, relative bindings, fallbacks, and MVVM best practices. USE FOR: setting up compiled bindings with x:DataType, implementing INotifyPropertyChanged or CommunityToolkit ObservableObject, creating IValueConverter / IMultiValueConverter, choosing binding modes, configuring BindingContext, relative bindings, binding fallbacks, StringFormat, code-behind SetBinding with lambdas, and enforcing XC0022/XC0025 warnings. DO NOT USE FOR: CollectionView item templates and layouts (use maui-collectionview), Shell navigation data passing (use maui-shell-navigation), dependency injection (use maui-dependency-injection), or animations triggered by property changes (use .NET MAUI animation APIs).
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-signalr
Implement or review SignalR hubs, streaming, reconnection, transport, and real-time delivery patterns in ASP.NET Core applications.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-uno-platform
Build cross-platform .NET applications with Uno Platform targeting WebAssembly, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, and Windows from a single XAML/C# codebase.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-wpf
Build and modernize WPF applications on .NET with correct XAML, data binding, commands, threading, styling, and Windows desktop migration decisions.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-archunitnet
Use the open-source free `ArchUnitNET` library for architecture rules in .NET tests. Use when a repo needs richer architecture assertions than lightweight fluent rule libraries usually provide.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-managedcode-storage
Use ManagedCode.Storage when a .NET application needs a provider-agnostic storage abstraction with explicit configuration, container selection, upload and download flows, and backend-specific integration kept behind one library contract.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302
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dotnet-mcp
Build or consume Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and clients in .NET using the official MCP C# SDK, including stdio, Streamable HTTP, tools, prompts, resources, and capability negotiation.
managedcode/dotnet-skills 302