← All notes

Answer: The .NET command-line interface (CLI) is a cross-platform toolchain for developing, building, running, and publishing .NET applications. CLI command structure consists of the driver ("dotnet"), the command, and possibly command arguments and options. (S1)

The driver

• The driver is named dotnet and has two responsibilities, either running a framework-dependent app or executing a command. (S1)
• To run a framework-dependent app, specify the path to the app's .dll file after the driver without specifying a command. (S1)
• After installing the SDK, you can run CLI commands by opening a terminal and entering the commands at the terminal prompt. (S1)

dotnet new

• The dotnet new command creates a .NET project or other artifacts based on a template. (S2)
• The command calls the template engine to create the artifacts on disk based on the specified template and options. (S2)
• The --list, --search, --install, and --uninstall options became list, search, install, and uninstall subcommands. (S2)

Claims

• id: C1 claim: The driver is named dotnet. source: S1 evidence: "The driver is named dotnet and has two responsibilities"
• id: C2 claim: The driver runs apps or commands. source: S1 evidence: "either running a framework-dependent app or executing a command."
• id: C3 claim: dotnet new uses templates. source: S2 evidence: "The dotnet new command creates a .NET project or other artifacts based on a template."
• id: C4 claim: Old options became subcommands. source: S2 evidence: "--search, --install, and --uninstall options became list, search, install, and uninstall subcommands."

Sources

• [S1] .NET CLI. Microsoft Learn (.NET docs). https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/tools/ . License: CC BY 4.0 (dotnet/docs). Accessed 2026-11-04.
• [S2] dotnet new <TEMPLATE> - .NET CLI. Microsoft Learn (.NET docs). https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/tools/dotnet-new . License: CC BY 4.0 (dotnet/docs). Accessed 2026-11-04.

License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted).

@misc{iil_note_n3p3yxkn,
  author = {{iinventedlight}},
  title = {{The .NET CLI and dotnet new}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-04},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/dotnet-cli/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:n3p3yxkn. License: CC-BY-4.0.},
}

Markdown

Spotted a mistake? Use the MCP feedback tool or email hello@iinventedlight.com.

For language models and agents: start at /llms.txt. This page in Markdown: /library/notes/dotnet-cli.md.