Strong Name Signing for .NET

Generate a strong name key pair (.snk file) for signing .NET assemblies. Uses the .NET runtime's built-in RSACryptoServiceProvider instead of sn.exe, so it works in any PowerShell or terminal — no Visual Studio Developer Command Prompt needed.

Why this matters

The traditional approach requires sn.exe -k MyKey.snk, which is only available in the Visual Studio Developer PowerShell. This is a common pain point — developers outside Visual Studio (using VS Code, Rider, or plain terminals) can't easily generate key files. The pure .NET approach eliminates this dependency entirely.

Strong names in .NET are about identity, not security (Microsoft's guidance). They ensure assembly uniqueness and are recommended for all publicly published NuGet packages because of strong-naming's viral nature — an unsigned library can't be consumed by signed applications.

Workflow

Confirmation Gate

Generating or writing the .snk file is a protected operation. The initial request to create or generate a key starts the workflow; it is not confirmation of the resolved summary that will be presented. This remains true when the initial request says "generate", "create", "use the defaults", or "proceed", supplies every parameter explicitly, leaves nothing unresolved, or otherwise appears completely actionable.

Confirmation means that the user accepts the complete parameter summary after it has been shown. A summary that has not yet been presented cannot already be confirmed.