Guides creation and validation of custom dotnet new templates.
Template Comparison
Compares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications. USE FOR: deciding between similar templates (webapi vs webapp, blazor vs blazorwasm, console vs worker), producing a side-by-side comparison of parameters and feature support, understanding how templates differ before creating a project. DO NOT USE FOR: creating a project from a template (use template-instantiation), authoring or validating custom templates (use template-authoring and template-validation), general single-template discovery (use template-discovery).
Workflow
Step 1: Inspect each template
Run dotnet new <template> --help for each template being compared to collect its parameters (names, types, defaults, choices) and supported frameworks:
dotnet new webapi --help
dotnet new webapp --helpIf a template is not installed, find and install it first (dotnet new search <keyword>, then dotnet new install <package>).
> Run `--help` calls sequentially. The template engine uses a global mutex, so running > several dotnet new <template> --help commands concurrently can fail with a transient > "mutex"/"persistence" error and empty output. Inspect templates one at a time; if a call > fails, retry it once before moving on, and still produce the comparison from whatever > parameter knowledge you have rather than ending with no answer.
Step 2: Build the comparison table
Produce a side-by-side table covering:
- Parameters — name, type, default, choices
- Feature support — auth, AOT, Docker, controllers, interactivity
- Available frameworks — e.g., net8.0, net9.0, net10.0
- Classifications — categories the template advertises (Web, API, Blazor, etc.)
Example shape:
| Aspect | webapi | webapp | |--------|----------|----------| | Auth (--auth) | None, Individual, SingleOrg, Windows | None, Individual, SingleOrg, ... | | AOT (--aot flag) | n/a — native AOT via publish-time PublishAot | n/a | | Controllers (--use-controllers) | Yes | n/a | | Interactivity | n/a | n/a | | Frameworks | net8.0 / net9.0 / net10.0 | net8.0 / net9.0 / net10.0 | | Classifications | Web, WebAPI | Web, Razor Pages |
Step 3: Recommend
Summarize the key differences and recommend a template for the user's stated scenario, linking to template-instantiation to create it.
Related skills
Helps find, inspect, and compare .NET project templates.
Creates .NET projects from templates with validated parameters, smart defaults, Central Package Management adaptation, and latest NuGet version resolution.