dotnet-csproj-reading

Overview / Scope Boundary

Teaches agents to read and safely modify SDK-style .csproj files. Covers project structure, PropertyGroup conventions, ItemGroup patterns, conditional expressions, Directory.Build.props/.targets, and central package management (Directory.Packages.props). Each subsection provides annotated XML examples and common modification patterns.

Out of scope: Project organization and SDK selection (owned by [skill:dotnet-project-structure]). Build error interpretation (owned by [skill:dotnet-build-analysis]). Common agent coding mistakes (owned by [skill:dotnet-agent-gotchas]).

Prerequisites

.NET 8.0+ SDK. SDK-style projects only (legacy .csproj format is not covered). MSBuild (included with .NET SDK).

Cross-references: [skill:dotnet-project-structure] for project organization and SDK selection, [skill:dotnet-build-analysis] for interpreting build errors from project misconfiguration, [skill:dotnet-agent-gotchas] for common project structure mistakes agents make.

Subsection 1: SDK-Style Project Structure

SDK-style projects use a <Project Sdk="..."> declaration that imports hundreds of default targets and props. Understanding what the SDK provides implicitly is essential to avoid redundant or conflicting declarations.