Installation Guide

This guide covers the different ways to install NuGet packages in your .NET projects.

Prerequisites

Before installing any package, ensure you have:

• .NET SDK 6.0 or later installed
• A .NET project (Console, Web API, Blazor, etc.)
• Access to NuGet.org

Installation Methods

Using .NET CLI (Recommended)

The simplest way to install a package is using the .NET CLI:

dotnet add package PackageName

For example, to install CleanArchSharp:

dotnet add package CleanArchSharp

Using Package Manager Console

In Visual Studio, you can use the Package Manager Console:

Install-Package PackageName

Using Visual Studio

1. Right-click on your project in Solution Explorer
2. Select “Manage NuGet Packages”
3. Search for the package name
4. Click “Install”

Specifying Version

To install a specific version:

dotnet add package PackageName --version 1.0.0

Verifying Installation

After installation, verify the package is added to your project by checking the .csproj file:

<ItemGroup>
  <PackageReference Include="PackageName" Version="1.0.0" />
</ItemGroup>

Updating Packages

To update a package to the latest version:

dotnet add package PackageName

To update to a specific version:

dotnet add package PackageName --version 2.0.0

Removing Packages

To remove a package:

dotnet remove package PackageName

Next Steps

After installing a package:

1. Check the package’s documentation for usage examples
2. Add any required configuration to appsettings.json or Program.cs
3. Register services in the dependency injection container if needed

Troubleshooting

Package Not Found

If you get a “Package not found” error:

1. Check the package name spelling
2. Verify the package exists on NuGet.org
3. Ensure your NuGet sources are configured correctly

Version Conflicts

If you encounter version conflicts:

dotnet list package --outdated
dotnet add package PackageName

Restore Issues

If packages fail to restore:

dotnet restore

Or clear the NuGet cache:

dotnet nuget locals all --clear