A .NET Core global tool to display and update outdated NuGet packages in .NET projects from the command line.
dotnet-outdated is a .NET Core global command-line tool that identifies and updates outdated NuGet packages in .NET projects. It solves the problem of managing dependencies outside of an IDE, providing developers with a way to keep their projects current directly from the terminal. The tool offers detailed reporting, automated upgrades, and integration into CI/CD pipelines.
.NET developers and teams working in command-line or CI/CD environments who need to manage NuGet package dependencies without relying on Visual Studio's GUI.
Developers choose dotnet-outdated because it provides a dedicated, feature-rich CLI tool for NuGet dependency management that is not natively included in the .NET Core SDK, offering greater control, automation capabilities, and integration into modern development workflows than manual methods.
A .NET Core global tool to display and update outdated NuGet packages in a project
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.
Supports both automatic and interactive package updates via the -u option, allowing teams to choose between hands-off and controlled upgrade processes directly from the CLI.
Configurable transitive dependency reporting with -t and -td options provides insights into indirect package health, crucial for security audits and compliance checks.
Can return a non-zero exit code with the -f flag when updates are found, enabling easy failure in build pipelines for automated dependency compliance.
Includes a built-in MCP server for integration with AI assistants like Claude Desktop, as highlighted in the README, future-proofing the tool for emerging workflows.
README specifically notes issues on macOS with user-level config file detection and the need for clear-text password storage, complicating secure feed setup on non-Windows systems.
FAQ acknowledges that using the upgrade option can cause unrelated changes to .csproj files due to reliance on the underlying dotnet add package command, risking unexpected edits.
Documentation warns that analyzing transitive dependencies too deeply with -td can significantly slow down the process, making it impractical for large, complex dependency graphs.