If you're like me, you're used to finding your .NET build artifacts in /bin and /obj directories inside your source projects. It's been this way my whole career.
In .NET 8 Preview 3, this can be changed to dump the /bin and /obj artifacts into an .artifacts directory instead of the source root.
.NET Manager Chet Husk Writes about it in the comments of 'What's new in .NET 8 Preview 3' discussion.
I'd like to test this little feature out. First, I needed to install .NET 8 Preview 3. It required a system restart.
First, a new console app in a directory testartifactsoutput.
~#@❯ dotnet new console ❮
Welcome to .NET 8.0!
---------------------
SDK Version: 8.0.100-preview.3.23178.7
Telemetry
---------
The .NET tools collect usage data in order to help us improve your experience..... *SNIP*
Read more about .NET CLI Tools telemetry: https://aka.ms/dotnet-cli-telemetry
----------------
Installed an ASP.NET Core HTTPS development certificate.
To trust the certificate run 'dotnet dev-certs https --trust' (Windows and macOS only).
Learn about HTTPS: https://aka.ms/dotnet-https
----------------
Write your first app: https://aka.ms/dotnet-hello-world
Find out what's new: https://aka.ms/dotnet-whats-new
Explore documentation: https://aka.ms/dotnet-docs
Report issues and find source on GitHub: https://github.com/dotnet/core
Use 'dotnet --help' to see available commands or visit: https://aka.ms/dotnet-cli
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The template "Console App" was created successfully.
Processing post-creation actions...
Restoring C:\danschnauprojects\testartifactsoutput\testartifactsoutput.csproj:
Determining projects to restore...
Restored C:\danschnauprojects\testartifactsoutput\testartifactsoutput.csproj (in 76 ms).
Restore succeeded.
The default behavior is still to build to the /bin directory.
~#@❯ dotnet build ❮
MSBuild version 17.6.0-preview-23174-01+e7de13307 for .NET
Determining projects to restore...
All projects are up-to-date for restore.
C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\8.0.100-preview.3.23178.7\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\targets\Microsoft.NET.RuntimeIdentifierInference.targ
ets(287,5): message NETSDK1057: You are using a preview version of .NET. See: https://aka.ms/dotnet-support-policy [C:\danschnaupr
ojects\testartifactsoutput\testartifactsoutput.csproj]
testartifactsoutput -> C:\danschnauprojects\testartifactsoutput\bin\Debug\net8.0\testartifactsoutput.dll
Then, we create a Directory.Build.Props file.
~#@❯ dotnet new buildprops ❮
The template "MSBuild Directory.Build.props file" was created successfully.
The buildprops file is pretty sparse.
<Project>
<!-- See https://aka.ms/dotnet/msbuild/customize for more details on customizing your build -->
<PropertyGroup>
</PropertyGroup>
</Project>
We add the UseArtifactsOutput flag to the file:
<Project>
<!-- See https://aka.ms/dotnet/msbuild/customize for more details on customizing your build -->
<PropertyGroup>
<UseArtifactsOutput>true</UseArtifactsOutput>
</PropertyGroup>
</Project>
Now I cleaned up the build by deleting the /bin and obj directories.
~#@❯ ls ❮
Directory: C:\danschnauprojects\testartifactsoutput
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 4/20/2023 3:25 PM 212 Directory.Build.props
-a---- 4/20/2023 3:20 PM 105 Program.cs
-a---- 4/20/2023 3:20 PM 252 testartifactsoutput.csproj
And now, a build:
~#@❯ dotnet build ❮
MSBuild version 17.6.0-preview-23174-01+e7de13307 for .NET
Determining projects to restore...
Restored C:\danschnauprojects\testartifactsoutput\testartifactsoutput.csproj (in 64 ms).
C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\8.0.100-preview.3.23178.7\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\targets\Microsoft.NET.RuntimeIdentifierInference.targ
ets(287,5): message NETSDK1057: You are using a preview version of .NET. See: https://aka.ms/dotnet-support-policy [C:\danschnaupr
ojects\testartifactsoutput\testartifactsoutput.csproj]
testartifactsoutput -> C:\danschnauprojects\testartifactsoutput\.artifacts\bin\testartifactsoutput\debug\testartifactsoutput.dll
Build succeeded.
0 Warning(s)
0 Error(s)
Time Elapsed 00:00:01.20
Ooh, I see the .artifacts directory in the output there.
The /bin and /obj directories are now in their own /.artifacts folder. Sweet.
~#@❯ ls ❮ 1s 452ms
Directory: C:\danschnauprojects\testartifactsoutput
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
d----- 4/20/2023 3:26 PM .artifacts
-a---- 4/20/2023 3:25 PM 212 Directory.Build.props
-a---- 4/20/2023 3:20 PM 105 Program.cs
-a---- 4/20/2023 3:20 PM 252 testartifactsoutput.csproj
~#@❯ ls .\.artifacts\ ❮
Directory: C:\danschnauprojects\testartifactsoutput\.artifacts
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
d----- 4/20/2023 3:26 PM bin
d----- 4/20/2023 3:26 PM obj