Agent Skills: what each one lets an agent do

migrate-vstest-to-mtpMicrosoftUse this skill before answering, planning, or editing whenever .NET tests or CI are switching from VSTest to Microsoft.Testing.Platform (MTP), or an MTP migration behaves differently. Triggers include "switch from VSTest"; MSTest/NUnit/xUnit MTP enablement; Ou…OfficialInstructions only

migrate-xunit-to-mstestMicrosoftConvert .NET tests from xUnit.net v2/v3 to MSTest v4 while preserving VSTest or MTP. Use for replacing xunit packages, Fact/Theory/InlineData/MemberData, assertions, IClassFixture/ICollectionFixture, ITestOutputHelper, TestContext cancellation, traits/Owner, s…OfficialInstructions only

migrate-xunit-to-xunit-v3MicrosoftMigrate .NET test projects from xUnit.net v2 to xunit.v3 and fix v3 breaks. Use for package/CPM conversion, OutputType=Exe, preserving the VSTest or MTP runner (including projects currently using YTest.MTP.XUnit2), incompatible TFMs, async void tests, string-t…OfficialInstructions only

msbuildMicrosoftUse only for MSBuild failure investigation, build-performance analysis, or review of existing build XML/extension contracts. A plan to convert a working legacy/non-SDK project to SDK style or migrate packages.config is a project-system migration, NOT a build-f…OfficialInstructions only

msbuild-antipatternsMicrosoftDO NOT INVOKE when the primary request explicitly asks to convert, migrate, modernize, or rewrite a legacy/old-style project to SDK style; use msbuild-modernization. Migration prompts often mention ToolsVersion, explicit Compile/Reference entries, packages.con…OfficialInstructions only

msbuild-modernizationMicrosoftGuide for modernizing and migrating MSBuild project files to SDK-style format. USE FOR: converting legacy .csproj/.vbproj with verbose XML to SDK-style, migrating packages.config to PackageReference, removing Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs in favor of auto-generat…OfficialInstructions only

mtp-hot-reloadMicrosoftSet up or recover MTP hot reload for a long-lived console-host edit/re-run loop in a Microsoft Testing Platform project. Use for explicit MTP console requests such as "enable hot reload", "dotnet run to rerun on edit", or unsupported/rude edits. Covers setup, …OfficialInstructions only

no-eval-skillMicrosoftA skill with no eval.yaml for testing discovery behavior.OfficialInstructions only

nuget-trusted-publishingMicrosoftSet up NuGet trusted publishing (OIDC) on a GitHub Actions repo — replaces long-lived API keys with short-lived tokens. USE FOR: trusted publishing, NuGet OIDC, keyless NuGet publish, migrate from NuGet API key, NuGet/login, secure NuGet publishing. DO NOT USE…OfficialInstructions only1 high finding

optimizing-ef-core-queriesMicrosoftReview and optimize application data access that uses Entity Framework Core (EF Core). Use for EF Core performance and correctness reviews of services, repositories, imports, and background jobs: slow or memory-heavy queries, excessive round-trips, hidden Save…OfficialInstructions only

plan-ui-changeMicrosoftPlan complex Blazor UI features by decomposing them into focused components. USE FOR: building a complex Blazor page with multiple sections, planning component decomposition, designing a multi-section dashboard or layout, breaking down a large UI feature into …OfficialInstructions only

platform-detectionMicrosoftIdentify a .NET project's test platform, framework, command mode, and SDK-style vs classic project system. Use only for "which test platform/framework?", "VSTest or MTP?", or "what runner does this project use?", including bridge settings, UseVSTest opt-outs, …OfficialInstructions only

process-api-net11MicrosoftProvides guidance on the new System.Diagnostics.Process APIs introduced in .NET 11: Process.Run, Process.RunAndCaptureText, Process.StartAndForget, Process.ReadAllText/Bytes/Lines, KillOnParentExit, InheritedHandles, and StartDetached. USE FOR: starting, orche…OfficialInstructions only

property-patternsMicrosoftDiagnose and fix concrete MSBuild property defects in projects and existing shared-file hierarchies. USE FOR: conditions, defaults, append versus overwrite, last-write-wins values, OS/TFM checks, portable paths, normalization, and reviews centered on those pro…OfficialInstructions only

resolve-project-referencesMicrosoftGuide for interpreting ResolveProjectReferences time in MSBuild performance summaries. Activate when ResolveProjectReferences appears as the most expensive target and developers are trying to optimize it directly. Explains that the reported time includes wait …OfficialInstructions only

run-testsMicrosoftALWAYS USE before running .NET tests or answering with a test command or flags. Trigger on "run the tests", "exact dotnet test command", one test/class/category/trait/target framework, combined filters, `--filter-query`, `--no-build`, `--diag`, diagnostic logs…OfficialInstructions only

sample-skillMicrosoftA sample skill for testing the validator. Helps with greeting generation.OfficialInstructions only

scaffold-dotnet-test-projectMicrosoftMUST USE when an existing .NET test project was excluded from a .slnf/CI solution filter, disappeared from .sln/.slnx discovery, or lost its production ProjectReference; also for requests to set up, create, reuse, add, register, include, or repair a test proje…OfficialInstructions only

setup-local-sdkMicrosoftInstall a .NET SDK locally for safe preview testing, specific-version pinning, or reproducible team setups — without modifying the system-wide installation. USE FOR: trying .NET previews safely, testing specific SDK versions, installing MAUI or other workloads…OfficialDestructive commandsReaches the network1 finding

support-prerenderingMicrosoftMake interactive Blazor components work correctly with prerendering. USE FOR fixing duplicate data loads, UI flicker during prerender-to-interactive handoff, null references during prerender, persisting state across prerender, disabling prerendering, excluding…OfficialInstructions only

system-text-json-net11MicrosoftImperative guidance for the System.Text.Json APIs added in .NET 11: the built-in `JsonNamingPolicy.PascalCase` naming policy, and the strongly-typed generic `JsonSerializerOptions.GetTypeInfo` and `JsonSerializerOptions.TryGetTypeInfo` metadata accessors (gene…OfficialReaches the network

target-authoringMicrosoftCanonical patterns for writing custom MSBuild targets. USE FOR: diagnosing and fixing custom target authoring anti-patterns; broken SDK target chains across files (e.g., Directory.Build.targets silently redefining SDK targets); targets that replace CompileDepe…OfficialInstructions only

technology-selectionMicrosoftGuides technology selection and implementation of AI and ML features in .NET 8+ applications using ML.NET, Microsoft.Extensions.AI (MEAI), Microsoft Agent Framework (MAF), GitHub Copilot SDK, ONNX Runtime, and OllamaSharp. Covers the full spectrum from classic…OfficialInstructions only

template-authoringMicrosoftGuides creation and validation of custom dotnet new templates from existing projects. Generates a .template.config/template.json that preserves the source project's conventions. USE FOR: creating a reusable dotnet new template from an existing project, bootstr…OfficialInstructions only1 high finding

template-comparisonMicrosoftCompares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications. USE FOR: deciding between similar templates (webapi vs webapp, blazor vs blazorwasm, console vs work…OfficialInstructions only

template-discoveryMicrosoftHelps find, inspect, and compare (at a high level) .NET project templates. Resolves natural-language project descriptions to ranked template matches with pre-filled parameters. USE FOR: finding the right dotnet new template for a task, inspecting a template's …OfficialInstructions only

template-instantiationMicrosoftCreates .NET projects from templates with validated parameters, smart defaults, Central Package Management adaptation, and latest NuGet version resolution. USE FOR: creating new dotnet projects, scaffolding solutions with multiple projects, installing or unins…OfficialInstructions only

template-smart-defaultsMicrosoftApplies cross-parameter default rules when creating .NET projects with dotnet new, filling gaps consistently without overriding values the user set explicitly. USE FOR: choosing which target framework to pair with native AOT, deciding whether to keep HTTPS whe…OfficialInstructions only

template-validationMicrosoftValidates custom dotnet new templates for correctness before publishing. Catches missing fields, parameter bugs, shortName conflicts, constraint issues, and common authoring mistakes that cause templates to fail silently. USE FOR: checking template.json files …OfficialInstructions only1 high finding

test-analysis-extensionsMicrosoftProvides file paths to language-specific reference files for the test ANALYSIS skills (assertion-quality, test-anti-patterns, test-gap-analysis, test-smell-detection, test-tagging). Read this catalog to discover available extension files (e.g., dotnet.md for .…OfficialInstructions only

test-anti-patternsMicrosoftAudit a test file or suite; produce a severity-ranked diagnostic report. ALWAYS USE for tests that verify nothing, missing/tautological assertions, swallowed/broad exceptions, flaky/order-dependent tests, duplication, or magic values. Polyglot. DO NOT USE for …OfficialInstructions only

test-gap-analysisMicrosoftFind caller-visible production changes existing tests would miss through pseudo-mutation analysis; verify candidates or close gaps only when requested. Includes read-only per-test composition for grading. Polyglot. USE FOR: would tests catch a bug, behavioral …OfficialInstructions only

test-smell-detectionMicrosoftAudits existing tests in any language using formal, research-backed test smell names and the testsmells.org 19-smell academic taxonomy. Use when the caller asks for an academic or citable test-smell review, named smell categories, or a formal severity-ranked s…OfficialInstructions only

test-taggingMicrosoftClassifies existing tests by standard traits and reports their distribution. USE FOR: tagging all tests with category attributes, categorizing/tagging/ labeling each test, compare happy vs error paths, audit the test mix, describe coverage shape by test type, …OfficialInstructions only

test-value-evidenceMicrosoftAssess tests for an identified code or test change, feature, PR or commit. USE FOR: review changed behavior or regression tests, prove pre-fix/missing behavior is detected, revision-bound red-green evidence. Polyglot. DO NOT USE without an identified change: h…OfficialInstructions only

testability-obstacleMicrosoftMUST USE for C#/.NET deterministic tests that require the smallest production seam for DateTime/Task.Delay/File/Environment/Guid/Random, static API preservation, nested/parallel overrides, or no real I/O. USE ONLY when the target workspace contains C# source p…OfficialInstructions only

thread-abort-migrationMicrosoftGuides migration of .NET Framework Thread.Abort usage to cooperative cancellation in modern .NET. USE FOR: modernizing code that calls Thread.Abort, catching ThreadAbortException, replacing Thread.ResetAbort, replacing Thread.Interrupt for thread termination, …OfficialInstructions only

troubleshoot-binlog-mcpMicrosoftDiagnose dotnet-msbuild binlog MCP startup failures. USE FOR: CONNECTION_CLOSED, binlog server won't connect, missing binlog tools, Microsoft.AITools.BinlogMcp not found, dnx launch errors. Checks workspace SDK, feeds, and source mapping without bypassing poli…OfficialInstructions only

use-igniteui-blazorMicrosoftAdd, configure, or review Ignite UI for Blazor Lite component support in Blazor applications. USE FOR: installing IgniteUI.Blazor.Lite or IgniteUI.Blazor.GridLite, registering AddIgniteUIBlazor() in Blazor Server, WASM, Hybrid, or split Blazor Web App projects…OfficialInstructions only

use-js-interopMicrosoftAdd, review, or fix JavaScript interop in Blazor components. USE FOR: calling JavaScript from Blazor, calling .NET from JavaScript, collocated .razor.js modules, IJSRuntime, IJSObjectReference lifecycle, DotNetObjectReference, ElementReference, timing rules fo…OfficialInstructions only

Agent Skills

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