How to Install the Dotnet Skills for Copilot CLI

Add the dotnet/skills marketplace to Copilot CLI using /plugin marketplace add dotnet/skills, then install the core plugin with /plugin install dotnet@dotnet-agent-skills, restart the CLI, and verify installation with /skills and /agents.

The dotnet/skills repository provides a marketplace of plugins that extend Copilot CLI and Claude Code with rich .NET capabilities such as C# language-server support and test automation. Learning how to install the dotnet skills for Copilot CLI enables you to access diagnostics, project analysis, and specialized development tools directly from your chat interface according to the installation instructions defined in the repository's top-level README.md.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

The installation process requires adding the marketplace to your Copilot CLI environment, installing specific plugins, and verifying they load correctly.

Add the Dotnet Skills Marketplace

First, launch Copilot CLI or Claude Code. Once the interface is ready, add the dotnet/skills marketplace to make the plugins available for installation:

/plugin marketplace add dotnet/skills

This command registers the repository's plugin collection with your Copilot CLI instance, allowing you to access all plugins stored under the plugins/ directory in the source code.

Install the Core Dotnet Plugin

After adding the marketplace, install the core dotnet plugin which provides the C# language-server capabilities. Each plugin in this repository follows the naming convention <plugin>@dotnet-agent-skills:

/plugin install dotnet@dotnet-agent-skills

This installs the plugin located at plugins/dotnet/ in the repository. According to the plugins/dotnet/README.md, this core plugin exposes skills for C# development, project analysis, and language-server protocol (LSP) integration.

Restart Copilot CLI

Plugins require a restart to load properly. Exit Copilot CLI and relaunch it to initialize the newly installed dotnet skills:

exit

# Relaunch Copilot CLI

Verify Your Installation

Confirm the dotnet skills are loaded by listing available skills and agents:

/skills
/agents

The /skills command displays all available skills from installed plugins, while /agents lists any agents bundled with those plugins. You should see dotnet-specific capabilities in the output.

Installing Additional Plugins

The dotnet/skills repository contains multiple specialized plugins beyond the core dotnet plugin. Each plugin resides in its own subdirectory under plugins/<name>/ and includes a dedicated README with domain-specific documentation.

Install additional plugins using the same pattern:

/plugin install dotnet-test@dotnet-agent-skills
/plugin install dotnet-diag@dotnet-agent-skills
/plugin install dotnet-aspnetcore@dotnet-agent-skills

These plugins extend Copilot CLI with capabilities for test automation, diagnostics, and ASP.NET Core development respectively. Specific configuration details for each plugin are available in their respective plugins/<plugin>/README.md files.

Source File Structure

Understanding the repository structure helps identify which source files control the installation and behavior of the skills:

• [README.md](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/README.md) (lines 31-46): Contains the primary installation instructions for Copilot CLI and Claude Code users in the "🚀 Plugins – Copilot CLI / Claude Code" section.
• plugins/dotnet/README.md: Documents the core dotnet plugin's prerequisites, LSP server requirements, and exposed skills.
• plugins/<plugin>/README.md: Individual documentation for each specialized plugin (e.g., plugins/dotnet-test/README.md).
• LICENSE: License information governing the entire skill set.

Each plugin directory contains the implementation files that Copilot CLI loads when you run the installation commands.

Summary

• Add the marketplace first using /plugin marketplace add dotnet/skills to register the plugin source.

• Install the core plugin with /plugin install dotnet@dotnet-agent-skills to enable C# language-server support.

• Restart Copilot CLI to load the newly installed plugins into the session.

• Verify installation using /skills and /agents to confirm the dotnet capabilities are available.

• Extend functionality by installing additional plugins like dotnet-test or dotnet-diag from their respective plugins/<name>/ directories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between adding the marketplace and installing a plugin?

Adding the marketplace with /plugin marketplace add dotnet/skills registers the repository as a source of plugins, making them discoverable by Copilot CLI. Installing a plugin with /plugin install <name>@dotnet-agent-skills actually downloads and activates a specific plugin from that marketplace into your local environment.

Can I install multiple dotnet plugins simultaneously?

Yes, you can install multiple plugins from the dotnet/skills repository. After adding the marketplace once, run separate /plugin install commands for each plugin you need, such as dotnet-test@dotnet-agent-skills for test automation or dotnet-diag@dotnet-agent-skills for diagnostics tools. Each plugin resides in its own subdirectory under plugins/<name>/ and operates independently.

Where are the plugin files located in the repository source code?

Each plugin is stored under the plugins/ directory in the repository root. The core plugin is located at plugins/dotnet/, while specialized plugins exist in directories like plugins/dotnet-test/ and plugins/dotnet-diag/. Each directory contains its own README.md with specific implementation details and skill descriptions.

Do I need to restart Copilot CLI after installing every plugin?

Yes, Copilot CLI requires a restart to load newly installed plugins into the active session. After running /plugin install, exit the CLI and relaunch it before attempting to use the /skills or /agents commands to verify the installation.

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