Package Management

This is for managing NuGet packages in .NET projects using Central Package Management and the dotnet CLI. The core principle is simple: never edit XML directly, always use CLI commands. It walks you through setting up CPM with Directory.Packages.props to centralize versions across projects, and shows how to use shared version variables for package families like Akka.NET or OpenTelemetry where you want everything on the same version. The guide is honest about when not to use CPM, like legacy projects where version conflicts will surface all at once, or when you're stuck on older tooling. Includes the full command reference for adding, removing, listing, and updating packages.

skills.sh installs: 613
GitHub stars: 1.3K
last updated: Aug 21, 2026

View on GitHub

Install

$ npx -y skills add aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills --skill package-management --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

Files

NuGet Package Management

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Adding, removing, or updating NuGet packages
Setting up Central Package Management (CPM) for a solution
Managing package versions across multiple projects
Troubleshooting package conflicts or restore issues

Golden Rule: Never Edit XML Directly

Always use dotnet CLI commands to manage packages. Never manually edit .csproj or Directory.Packages.props files.

# DO: Use CLI commands
dotnet add package Newtonsoft.Json
dotnet remove package Newtonsoft.Json
dotnet list package --outdated

# DON'T: Edit XML directly
# <PackageReference Include="Newtonsoft.Json" Version="13.0.3" />

Why: