Setting up NuGet Manager for disciplined .NET dependency work

This guide explains how to load the official NuGet Manager skill from github/awesome-copilot. Place the skill instructions in the skill directory supported by your coding agent or reference them through the agent's configuration. Use the official source file only and review changes to the skill as you would review any other external instruction set.

Prerequisites

Practical package maintenance requires a compatible .NET SDK, an available dotnet CLI, and an existing .NET project or solution. The skill's rules are written for repositories that may use project-level package references, Directory.Packages.props, and configured NuGet sources. Microsoft's official documentation remains the authority for the exact behavior of the SDK version installed on the workstation.

Load the skill and define scope

Load the content of skills/nuget-manager into the local skill location used by your agent. Then tell the agent which project or solution area is in scope and what outcome is required. Ask it to determine first whether the package is already referenced and whether its version is managed in the project or centrally. This check prevents a local edit from bypassing a central package-management policy.

Review the change and restore

For a new or removed reference, the agent should follow the dotnet workflow prescribed by the skill. For a version-only change, an existing version string may be edited after the target version has been verified as available on NuGet. Dependency restore must follow the change. Inspect project files, lock files, and restore messages. Run the existing build or relevant tests afterward when the repository provides them.

Review and protection

Do not accept a package change without reviewing the diff. Check for unexpected sources, target framework conflicts, new transitive dependencies, and licensing obligations. Credentials for private feeds belong in protected local configuration and never in prompts, logs, or commits. The agent should stop and ask for clarification when package identity or version ownership is unclear. This matters because a small dependency edit can affect both the build and the software supply chain.