dotnet-build-optimization

Installation
SKILL.md

dotnet-build-optimization

Guidance for diagnosing and fixing build performance problems: incremental build failure diagnosis workflows, binary log analysis with MSBuild Structured Log Viewer, parallel build configuration, build caching, and restore optimization. Covers the diagnostic workflow from symptom (full rebuild on every build) through root cause (missing Inputs/Outputs, timestamp corruption, generator side effects) to fix.

Version assumptions: .NET 8.0+ SDK (MSBuild 17.8+). All examples use SDK-style projects.

Scope boundary: This skill owns build optimization and diagnostics -- incremental build failures, binary logs, parallel builds, build caching, and restore optimization. MSBuild error interpretation and CI drift diagnosis is owned by [skill:dotnet-build-analysis]. MSBuild authoring (targets, props, items, conditions) is owned by [skill:dotnet-msbuild-authoring]. Custom task development is owned by [skill:dotnet-msbuild-tasks]. NuGet lock files and Central Package Management configuration is owned by [skill:dotnet-project-structure].

Cross-references: [skill:dotnet-msbuild-authoring] for custom targets, import ordering, and incremental build authoring patterns. [skill:dotnet-msbuild-tasks] for custom task development. [skill:dotnet-build-analysis] for interpreting MSBuild errors, NuGet restore failures, and CI drift diagnosis. [skill:dotnet-project-structure] for lock files, CPM, and nuget.config configuration.


Incremental Build Failure Diagnosis

When a target runs on every build despite no source changes, the build is not incremental. This wastes time and masks real changes. The diagnosis workflow follows a repeatable pattern: detect the symptom, capture a binary log, identify the offending target, determine why incrementality failed, and apply the fix.

Diagnosis Workflow

Related skills

More from wshaddix/dotnet-skills

Installs
22
GitHub Stars
23
First Seen
Mar 7, 2026