Guides creation and validation of custom dotnet new templates.
Template Smart Defaults
Applies cross-parameter default rules when creating .NET projects with dotnet new, filling gaps consistently without overriding values the user set explicitly. USE FOR: choosing sensible defaults for related parameters during project creation, resolving cross-parameter interactions (AOT implies a compatible framework, auth implies HTTPS, controllers excludes minimal-API flags), explaining why a default was applied. DO NOT USE FOR: creating the project itself (use template-instantiation), finding or comparing templates (use template-discovery and template-comparison), authoring or validating custom templates (use template-authoring and template-validation).
Workflow
- Gather the parameters the user has explicitly set.
- Apply each rule below only where the corresponding parameter is unset — never override an explicit user value.
- Log every applied default with a short rationale so the user can see and override it.
- Confirm the chosen parameter names and choices against
dotnet new <template> --helpbefore creating.
> AOT at create time vs publish time. --aot is a dotnet new flag only on the templates that expose it (e.g. console, worker, grpc); it is not on webapi/webapp. There is no --publish-aot template flag — publish-time native AOT is enabled with the MSBuild property PublishAot=true (via dotnet publish or in the .csproj), not through dotnet new. Apply the framework rule only when the template actually offers --aot.
Rules
| Rule | Default applied | Rationale | |------|-----------------|-----------| | --aot is set (on templates that support it, e.g. console/worker/grpc) and --framework is unset | Set --framework to the latest AOT-compatible framework the template offers | Native AOT requires a recent, AOT-capable target framework; using the latest avoids build failures. | | --auth is anything other than None | Do NOT pass --no-https | Authentication flows (cookies, tokens, redirects) require HTTPS; disabling it breaks auth. | | --use-controllers is set | Do NOT also pass a minimal-API flag | Controllers and minimal APIs are mutually exclusive program models; passing both is contradictory. | | User set a value explicitly | Leave it unchanged | Smart defaults only fill gaps; explicit user intent always wins. |
Related skills
Compares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications.
Helps find, inspect, and compare .NET project templates.