name: template-discovery description: > Helps find, inspect, and compare .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, comparing templates side by side, inspecting template parameters and constraints, understanding what a template produces before creating a project, resolving intent like "web API with auth" to concrete template + parameters. DO NOT USE FOR: actually creating projects (use template-instantiation), authoring custom templates (use template-authoring), MSBuild or build issues (use dotnet-msbuild plugin), NuGet package management unrelated to template packages. license: MIT

Template Discovery

This skill helps an agent find, inspect, and select the right dotnet new template for a given task using dotnet new CLI commands for search, listing, and parameter inspection.

When to Use

• User asks "What templates are available for X?"
• User describes a project in natural language ("I need a web API with authentication")
• User wants to compare templates or understand parameters before creating a project
• User needs to know what a template produces (files, structure) before committing

When Not to Use

• User wants to create a project — route to template-instantiation skill
• User wants to author or validate a custom template — route to template-authoring skill
• User is troubleshooting build issues — route to dotnet-msbuild plugin

Inputs

Workflow

Step 1: Resolve intent to template candidates

Map the user's natural-language description to template short names using these common keyword mappings:

Step 2: Search for templates

Use dotnet new search to find templates by keyword across both locally installed templates and NuGet.org:

dotnet new search blazor

Use dotnet new list to show only installed templates, with optional filters:

dotnet new list --language C# --type project
dotnet new list web

Step 3: Inspect template details

Use dotnet new <template> --help to get full parameter details for a specific template — parameter names, types, defaults, and allowed values:

dotnet new webapi --help

Step 4: Preview output

Use dotnet new <template> --dry-run to show what files and directories a template would create without writing anything to disk:

dotnet new webapi --name MyApi --auth Individual --dry-run

Step 5: Present findings

Summarize the best template match with:

• Template name and short description
• Key parameters and recommended values
• What the user should expect (files created, project structure)
• Any constraints or prerequisites

Validation

• At least one template match was found for the user's intent
• Template parameters are explained with types and defaults
• User understands what the template produces before proceeding to creation

Common Pitfalls

More Info

• dotnet new templates — built-in template reference
• Template Engine Wiki — template engine internals