https://github.com/microsoft/slngen
Visual Studio solution generator
https://github.com/microsoft/slngen
Last synced: about 2 months ago
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Visual Studio solution generator
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/microsoft/slngen
- Owner: microsoft
- License: mit
- Created: 2017-12-01T14:53:23.000Z (over 7 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-04-14T09:17:44.000Z (3 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-05-07T23:47:48.642Z (about 2 months ago)
- Language: C#
- Homepage:
- Size: 992 KB
- Stars: 411
- Watchers: 8
- Forks: 82
- Open Issues: 24
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
- License: LICENSE.txt
- Security: SECURITY.md
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README
# SlnGen
[](https://devdiv.visualstudio.com/DevDiv/_build/latest?definitionId=12516&branchName=master)
## Overview
SlnGen is a Visual Studio solution file generator. Visual Studio solutions generally do not scale well for large project trees. They are scoped views of a set of projects. Enterprise-level builds use custom logic like traversal to convey how they should be built by a hosted build environment. Maintaining Visual Studio solutions becomes hard because you have to keep them in sync with the other build logic. Instead, SlnGen reads the project references of a given project to create a Visual Studio solution on demand. For example, you can run it against a unit test project and be presented with a Visual Studio solution containing the unit test project and all of its project references. You can also run SlnGen against a traversal project in a rooted folder to open a Visual Studio solution containing that view of your project tree.
## Getting Started - .NET Core Global Tool (Recommended)
[](https://nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.VisualStudio.SlnGen.Tool)
[](https://nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.VisualStudio.SlnGen.Tool)
To install SlnGen, run the following command:
```
dotnet tool install --global Microsoft.VisualStudio.SlnGen.Tool --add-source https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json --ignore-failed-sources
```
Once installed, .NET Core will add `slngen` to your PATH so you can run it from any command window:
```
slngen --help
```
More documentation is available at [https://microsoft.github.io/slngen/](https://microsoft.github.io/slngen/).
## Getting Started - MSBuild Target
[](https://nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.VisualStudio.SlnGen)
[](https://nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.VisualStudio.SlnGen)
The MSBuild target must be installed as a NuGet package and restored. This can slow down the process so a .NET Core tool might be preferable.
Install the package to an individual project (not recommended):
```
Install-Package Microsoft.VisualStudio.SlnGen
```
Or add it your [Directory.Build.props](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/msbuild/customize-your-build#directorybuildprops-example):
```xml
```
Generate and open a Visual Studio solution with MSBuild:
```
> MSBuild /Restore /t:SlnGen
```
You can also create a [DOSKEY](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOSKEY) alias as a shortcut
```
> doskey slngen=msbuild /nologo /v:m /t:slngen
```
More documentation is available at [https://microsoft.github.io/slngen/](https://microsoft.github.io/slngen/).
# Contributing
This project has adopted the [Microsoft Open Source Code of Conduct](https://opensource.microsoft.com/codeofconduct/). For more information see the [Code of Conduct FAQ](https://opensource.microsoft.com/codeofconduct/faq/) or contact [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) with any additional questions or comments.