Package Management

This is a comprehensive guide to NuGet package management with a strong emphasis on using the dotnet CLI instead of editing XML by hand. The big win here is the Central Package Management section, which shows you how to set up Directory.Packages.props to manage versions across multiple projects in one place. The shared version variables pattern is genuinely useful for keeping framework families like Akka.NET or OpenTelemetry in sync. I appreciate that it includes a "When NOT to Use CPM" section covering legacy projects and older tooling, which saves you from learning the hard way. The CLI reference is thorough and includes the dotnet-outdated tool, which you'll want if you're maintaining anything beyond a toy project.

skills.sh installs: 518
GitHub stars: 90
last updated: Aug 21, 2026

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Install

$ npx -y skills add wshaddix/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dotnet list package --outdated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: