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GlobalJson.md

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Understanding and Using global.json

This guide explains the purpose and structure of the global.json file in .NET projects, focusing on its role in ensuring consistent builds.

What is global.json?

The global.json file is a configuration file that allows you to define settings for the .NET SDK used in your project. Its primary purpose is to pin or lock the .NET SDK version, ensuring that everyone working on the project uses the same SDK version, regardless of what they have installed locally. This is vital for consistent builds across development machines, continuous integration (CI) servers, and other environments.

Why use global.json?

Imagine a team of developers. Without global.json, each developer might have a different .NET SDK version installed. This can lead to:

  • Version Mismatches: Developers unknowingly use different SDK versions.
  • Inconsistent Builds: Builds produce different results depending on the environment.
  • Compatibility Issues: Code that works for one developer might break for another due to SDK differences.

global.json solves these problems by explicitly specifying the SDK version, guaranteeing:

  • Consistent SDK Usage: Everyone uses the same SDK version.
  • Consistent Builds: Builds produce the same results across all environments.
  • Improved Compatibility: Reduces the risk of compatibility issues due to SDK version differences.

Customization:

While global.json primarily focuses on SDK version management, it does offer some customization options. This guide covers the essentials, but you can explore more advanced features in the official Microsoft documentation: global.json.

Example global.json Structure:

{
  "sdk": {
    "version": "8.0.404",
    "rollForward": "disable",
    "allowPrerelease": false
  }
}

Explanation of Settings:

  • sdk: This section defines the .NET SDK settings.
    • version: Specifies the exact .NET SDK version to use (e.g., "8.0.404"). This is the most important setting.
    • rollForward: Determines how the SDK should handle situations where the specified version is not found. Common values include:
      • latestMajor: Roll forward to the latest major version.
      • latestMinor: Roll forward to the latest minor version.
      • latestPatch: Roll forward to the latest patch version.
      • disable: Do not roll forward. This is often preferred for production to ensure maximum consistency.
    • allowPrerelease: A boolean value. true allows using prerelease (e.g., preview, alpha, beta) SDK versions. Generally, set this to false for production projects.

Again: There are more to customize for this file, but for me, this is enough.