Use dotnet CLI exclusively (no MSBuild) by paulmedynski · Pull Request #4168 · dotnet/SqlClient

paulmedynski · 2026-04-08T19:09:50Z

Description

Removed use of MSBuild in pipelines and documentation.
Legacy build.proj still uses it, and will be replaced shortly by build2.proj which uses the dotnet CLI exclusively.

Testing

Automatic PR/CI runs will confirm changes to those pipelines.
Manual runs of OneBranch pipelines will confirm changes there.

benrr101

In general I think this will be good - but let me know what your proposed timeline for getting this through is so I can get prepared for merge conflicts in my build2.proj work :)

paulmedynski · 2026-04-08T19:13:47Z

@benrr101 - This PR will wait for your work to complete. I will deal with any conflicts here.

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR updates the repo’s build/test orchestration to use the dotnet CLI end-to-end (instead of invoking MSBuild directly), aligning OneBranch + CI templates and developer documentation with the upcoming build2.proj workflow.

Changes:

Updated OneBranch pipeline steps to invoke dotnet build / DotNetCoreCLI@2 for .proj-driven builds, packing, and Roslyn analyzer runs.
Updated CI templates to use DotNetCoreCLI@2 for .proj targets and removed the msbuild agent demand where it’s no longer needed.
Updated BUILDGUIDE and internal docs/instructions to recommend dotnet build build.proj ... and removed MSBuild-specific wording.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 16 out of 16 changed files in this pull request and generated no comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
eng/pipelines/onebranch/steps/roslyn-analyzers-sqlclient-step.yml	Switch Roslyn analyzer build command to `dotnet build` for `build2.proj`.
eng/pipelines/onebranch/steps/roslyn-analyzers-csproj-step.yml	Switch Roslyn analyzer build command to `dotnet build` for `build.proj`.
eng/pipelines/onebranch/steps/pack-sqlclient-step.yml	Replace MSBuild task with `DotNetCoreCLI@2` `build` for `PackMds`.
eng/pipelines/onebranch/steps/pack-csproj-step.yml	Replace MSBuild task with `DotNetCoreCLI@2` `build` for pack targets.
eng/pipelines/onebranch/steps/build-sqlclient-step.yml	Replace MSBuild task with `DotNetCoreCLI@2` `build` for `BuildMds`.
eng/pipelines/onebranch/steps/build-csproj-step.yml	Replace MSBuild task with `DotNetCoreCLI@2` `build` for csproj build targets.
eng/pipelines/common/templates/steps/run-all-tests-step.yml	Convert Windows test orchestration from MSBuild task usage to `DotNetCoreCLI@2` `build`.
eng/pipelines/common/templates/steps/ci-project-build-step.yml	Convert project build steps to `DotNetCoreCLI@2` `build` with equivalent properties.
eng/pipelines/common/templates/jobs/ci-build-nugets-job.yml	Remove `msbuild` demand and use `DotNetCoreCLI@2` for packing AKV provider.
doc/apps/AzureAuthentication/README.md	Remove MSBuild-specific wording for build properties.
BUILDGUIDE.md	Update guidance/examples to use `dotnet build build.proj ...` and adjust prerequisites text.
.github/plans/apicompat-ref-assembly-validation.md	Update example commands from `dotnet msbuild` to `dotnet build`.
.github/instructions/testing.instructions.md	Update testing instructions to use `dotnet build build.proj ...` and generalize IDE guidance.
.github/instructions/architecture.instructions.md	Replace “MSBuild property” wording with “build property”.
.github/instructions/ado-pipelines.instructions.md	Rename `dotnetVerbosity` description away from MSBuild-specific wording.
.github/copilot-instructions.md	Update repo build description to reflect `dotnet build` usage.

paulmedynski · 2026-04-08T19:16:39Z

    displayName: 'Create AKV Provider NuGet Package'
    inputs:
-      solution: build.proj
-      msbuildArchitecture: x64


msBuildArchitecture is irrelevant and has been removed everywhere.

paulmedynski · 2026-04-08T19:19:06Z

@@ -154,17 +154,16 @@ steps:
          -p:DotnetPath=${{ parameters.dotnetx86RootPath }}


The DotnetPath decides which dotnet runtime architecture to use. msBuildArchitecture above wasn't useful here anyway.

codecov · 2026-04-08T23:18:16Z

Codecov Report

✅ All modified and coverable lines are covered by tests.
✅ Project coverage is 64.31%. Comparing base (771b16c) to head (438d1ab).
⚠️ Report is 2 commits behind head on main.

Additional details and impacted files

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##             main    #4168      +/-   ##
==========================================
- Coverage   65.95%   64.31%   -1.65%     
==========================================
  Files         277      272       -5     
  Lines       42989    65783   +22794     
==========================================
+ Hits        28354    42309   +13955     
- Misses      14635    23474    +8839

Flag	Coverage Δ
CI-SqlClient	`?`
PR-SqlClient-Project	`64.31% <ø> (?)`

Flags with carried forward coverage won't be shown. Click here to find out more.

☔ View full report in Codecov by Sentry.
📢 Have feedback on the report? Share it here.

🚀 New features to boost your workflow:

❄️ Test Analytics: Detect flaky tests, report on failures, and find test suite problems.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 18 out of 19 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

Comments suppressed due to low confidence (1)

build.proj:559

GetSqlClientPackageVersionCommand switched from dotnet msbuild to dotnet build, but the command still uses MSBuild-only switches (-nologo, -verbosity:quiet, -getProperty:...). dotnet build doesn't reliably accept/forward these unless passed after --, and -getProperty in particular is intended for dotnet msbuild. This will likely break PackSqlClient when it tries to evaluate SqlClientPackageVersion.

Consider reverting this one command to dotnet msbuild, or use dotnet build ... -- -getProperty:SqlClientPackageVersion -nologo -verbosity:quiet so the switches are forwarded to MSBuild correctly.

      <GetSqlClientPackageVersionCommand>
        "$(DotnetPath)dotnet" build "$(SqlClientProjectPath)"
        -nologo
        -verbosity:quiet
        -getProperty:SqlClientPackageVersion

- Removed use of MSBuild in pipelines and documentation. - Legacy build.proj still uses it, and will be replaced shortly by build2.proj which uses the dotnet CLI exclusively.

- Rebased to the latest build.proj and updated everything to use dotnet CLI.

- Converted the CI AKV build/pack steps to use build.proj targets.

paulmedynski · 2026-04-27T15:25:58Z

+        -p:PackageVersionSqlClient=${{ parameters.mdsPackageVersion }}
+        -p:PackageVersionAkvProvider=${{ parameters.akvPackageVersion }}
+
+  - task: CopyFiles@2


The PackAkvProvider target doesn't put the NuGet files in the $(packagePath), so we copy them there. This is a stop-gap measure until the new CI pipelines build/pack all of the products the same way.

paulmedynski · 2026-04-27T15:27:06Z

      - name: buildArguments
        value: >-
-          --configuration ${{ parameters.buildConfiguration }}
+          -p:Configuration=${{ parameters.buildConfiguration }}


Specifying the build configuration now consistently uses -p: syntax.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 18 out of 19 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

paulmedynski added this to the 7.1.0-preview1 milestone Apr 8, 2026

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 8, 2026 19:09

paulmedynski added the Area\Engineering Use this for issues that are targeted for changes in the 'eng' folder or build systems. label Apr 8, 2026

github-project-automation Bot added this to SqlClient Board Apr 8, 2026

github-project-automation Bot moved this to To triage in SqlClient Board Apr 8, 2026

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of paulmedynski April 8, 2026 19:10 View session

paulmedynski force-pushed the dev/paul/remove-msbuild branch from 0721576 to 98cb968 Compare April 8, 2026 19:12

benrr101 reviewed Apr 8, 2026

View reviewed changes

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 8, 2026

View reviewed changes

paulmedynski commented Apr 8, 2026

View reviewed changes

paulmedynski moved this from To triage to Investigating in SqlClient Board Apr 8, 2026

paulmedynski mentioned this pull request Apr 13, 2026

7.0.0 crashes on framework 4.7.2 using VS2019 #4122

Open

paulmedynski modified the milestones: 7.1.0-preview1, 7.1.0-preview2 Apr 21, 2026

paulmedynski force-pushed the dev/paul/remove-msbuild branch from 98cb968 to fc203bc Compare April 27, 2026 12:23

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 27, 2026 15:22

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of paulmedynski April 27, 2026 15:23 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 27, 2026

View reviewed changes

Comment thread BUILDGUIDE.md

Comment thread .github/plans/apicompat-ref-assembly-validation.md

Comment thread .github/instructions/testing.instructions.md Outdated

paulmedynski moved this from Investigating to In progress in SqlClient Board Apr 27, 2026

paulmedynski added 4 commits April 28, 2026 07:14

Task 43695: Use dotnet CLI exclusively

bbbe411

- Removed use of MSBuild in pipelines and documentation. - Legacy build.proj still uses it, and will be replaced shortly by build2.proj which uses the dotnet CLI exclusively.

Task 43695: Use dotnet CLI exclusively

cdb098b

- Rebased to the latest build.proj and updated everything to use dotnet CLI.

Task 43695: Use dotnet CLI exclusively

eaf06b7

- Converted the CI AKV build/pack steps to use build.proj targets.

Use dotnet-based pipeline steps and fix docs

d276965

paulmedynski commented Apr 28, 2026

View reviewed changes

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 28, 2026 10:15

paulmedynski force-pushed the dev/paul/remove-msbuild branch from 14486bf to d276965 Compare April 28, 2026 10:15

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of paulmedynski April 28, 2026 10:16 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 28, 2026

View reviewed changes

Comment thread eng/pipelines/stress/stress-tests-job.yml

Comment thread .github/instructions/testing.instructions.md Outdated

paulmedynski marked this pull request as ready for review April 28, 2026 13:32

paulmedynski requested a review from a team as a code owner April 28, 2026 13:32

paulmedynski moved this from In progress to In review in SqlClient Board Apr 28, 2026

Fixed a typo in agent testing instructions.

438d1ab

mdaigle approved these changes Apr 28, 2026

View reviewed changes

cheenamalhotra approved these changes Apr 30, 2026

View reviewed changes

		@@ -154,17 +154,16 @@ steps:
		-p:DotnetPath=${{ parameters.dotnetx86RootPath }}

Conversation

paulmedynski commented Apr 8, 2026

Description

Testing

Uh oh!

benrr101 left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

paulmedynski commented Apr 8, 2026

Uh oh!

Copilot AI left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Pull request overview

Reviewed changes

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

paulmedynski Apr 8, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

paulmedynski Apr 8, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

codecov Bot commented Apr 8, 2026 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Codecov Report

Uh oh!

Copilot AI left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Pull request overview

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

paulmedynski Apr 27, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

paulmedynski Apr 27, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Copilot AI left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Pull request overview

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

5 participants

codecov Bot commented Apr 8, 2026 •

edited

Loading