# How to Use dotnet Skills in Cursor IDE: A Complete Setup Guide

> Integrate dotnet skills into Cursor IDE effortlessy. Follow this setup guide to add the dotnet/skills marketplace, install plugins, and leverage powerful coding tools via commands or chat.

- Repository: [.NET Platform/skills](https://github.com/dotnet/skills)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-07-06

---

**You can use dotnet skills in Cursor IDE by adding the `dotnet/skills` marketplace to your Cursor settings.json, installing the desired plugin from the Marketplace panel, and invoking skills via the `/skill` command or chat interface.**

The **dotnet/skills** repository exposes AI-powered development capabilities to the Cursor IDE through a dedicated plugin marketplace architecture. By integrating these **dotnet skills in Cursor IDE**, you gain access to specialized .NET tools for compilation, testing, and code generation directly within your editor's chat interface.

## Enable the dotnet Skills Marketplace

Before installing individual plugins, you must register the `dotnet/skills` marketplace in your Cursor configuration. The repository's [`.cursor-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/.cursor-plugin/marketplace.json) file defines the marketplace (`dotnet-agent-skills`) and enumerates available plugins such as `dotnet`, `dotnet-msbuild`, and `dotnet-test`.

Add the following configuration to your [`settings.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/settings.json):

```json
{
  "chat.plugins.enabled": true,
  "chat.plugins.marketplaces": ["dotnet/skills"]
}

```

After saving the file, reload Cursor using **Developer → Reload Window** to apply the changes.

## Install dotnet Plugins from the Cursor Marketplace

Once the marketplace is registered, open the Marketplace panel using **Command Palette → Cursor: Open Marketplace**. Search for "dotnet" and install the desired plugin, such as the core `dotnet` plugin which provides the base LSP functionality.

The plugin metadata is defined in [`plugins/dotnet/.codex-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/plugins/dotnet/.codex-plugin/plugin.json), which points to the skill folder (`./skills/`) and the LSP server configuration ([`./lsp.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/./lsp.json)). Restart Cursor if prompted after installation to complete the registration process.

## Invoke dotnet Skills in Your Workflow

After installation, Cursor automatically registers the skills from the plugin. You can interact with them in two ways:

- **List all available skills** by typing `/skills` in the chat panel
- **Execute a specific skill** using `/skill <skill-name>`, such as `/skill dotnet.compile`

The skill definitions are located in files like [`plugins/dotnet/skills/.../SKILL.md`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/plugins/dotnet/skills/.../SKILL.md) (for example, [`plugins/dotnet11/skills/system-text-json-net11/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/plugins/dotnet11/skills/system-text-json-net11/SKILL.md)), which contain the implementation details and usage documentation. The LSP server configuration in [`plugins/dotnet/lsp.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/plugins/dotnet/lsp.json) handles the underlying language server communication for compilation and diagnostics.

## Summary

- Add `"chat.plugins.marketplaces": ["dotnet/skills"]` to your Cursor settings to enable the marketplace defined in [`.cursor-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/.cursor-plugin/marketplace.json)
- Install plugins like `dotnet` from the Cursor Marketplace panel, which reads metadata from [`plugins/dotnet/.codex-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/plugins/dotnet/.codex-plugin/plugin.json)
- Invoke skills using `/skill <name>` or browse available options with `/skills`
- Skill execution relies on LSP configurations defined in [`plugins/dotnet/lsp.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/plugins/dotnet/lsp.json) and individual skill definitions in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) files

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do I add the dotnet skills marketplace to Cursor IDE?

Add the `dotnet/skills` entry to your [`settings.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/settings.json) file under `chat.plugins.marketplaces`, ensure `chat.plugins.enabled` is set to true, and reload the window. This allows Cursor to discover plugins listed in the repository's [`.cursor-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/.cursor-plugin/marketplace.json) file.

### What file defines the available dotnet skills in the repository?

The [`.cursor-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/.cursor-plugin/marketplace.json) file at the repository root registers the marketplace and lists all available plugins. Each plugin has its own [`.codex-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/.codex-plugin/plugin.json) file (such as [`plugins/dotnet/.codex-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/plugins/dotnet/.codex-plugin/plugin.json)) that defines its specific skills and LSP server configuration.

### Can I use dotnet skills without installing the Cursor plugin?

No, you must install the specific dotnet plugin (e.g., `dotnet`) from the Cursor Marketplace after registering the marketplace. The skills are packaged within the plugin structure and require installation to register their commands with the Cursor IDE.

### Where are the skill definitions stored in the dotnet/skills repository?

Individual skill definitions are stored in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) files within each plugin's skills directory, such as [`plugins/dotnet11/skills/system-text-json-net11/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/dotnet/skills/blob/main/plugins/dotnet11/skills/system-text-json-net11/SKILL.md). These files contain the skill documentation and invocation logic used by the Cursor chat interface.