dotnet-install scripts reference

  • Article

Name

dotnet-install.ps1 | dotnet-install.sh - Script used to install the .NET SDK and the shared runtime.

Synopsis

Windows:

dotnet-install.ps1 [-Architecture <ARCHITECTURE>] [-AzureFeed]
    [-Channel <CHANNEL>] [-DryRun] [-FeedCredential]
    [-InstallDir <DIRECTORY>] [-JSonFile <JSONFILE>]
    [-NoCdn] [-NoPath] [-ProxyAddress] [-ProxyBypassList <LIST_OF_URLS>]
    [-ProxyUseDefaultCredentials] [-Quality <QUALITY>] [-Runtime <RUNTIME>]
    [-SkipNonVersionedFiles] [-UncachedFeed] [-KeepZip] [-ZipPath <PATH>] [-Verbose]
    [-Version <VERSION>]

Get-Help ./dotnet-install.ps1

Linux/macOS:

dotnet-install.sh  [--architecture <ARCHITECTURE>] [--azure-feed]
    [--channel <CHANNEL>] [--dry-run] [--feed-credential]
    [--install-dir <DIRECTORY>] [--jsonfile <JSONFILE>]
    [--no-cdn] [--no-path] [--quality <QUALITY>]
    [--runtime <RUNTIME>] [--runtime-id <RID>]
    [--skip-non-versioned-files] [--uncached-feed] [--keep-zip] [--zip-path <PATH>] [--verbose]
    [--version <VERSION>]

dotnet-install.sh --help

The bash script also reads PowerShell switches, so you can use PowerShell switches with the script on Linux/macOS systems.

Description

The dotnet-install scripts perform a non-admin installation of the .NET SDK, which includes the .NET CLI and the shared runtime. There are two scripts:

Note

.NET collects telemetry data. To learn more and how to opt out, see .NET SDK telemetry.

Purpose

The intended use of the scripts is for Continuous Integration (CI) scenarios, where:

  • The SDK needs to be installed without user interaction and without admin rights.

  • The SDK installation doesn't need to persist across multiple CI runs.

    The typical sequence of events:

    • CI is triggered.
    • CI installs the SDK using one of these scripts.
    • CI finishes its work and clears temporary data including the SDK installation.

To set up a development environment or to run apps, use the installers rather than these scripts.

We recommend that you use the stable version of the scripts:

The source for the scripts is in the dotnet/install-scripts GitHub repository.

Script behavior

Both scripts have the same behavior. They download the ZIP/tarball file from the CLI build drops and proceed to install it in either the default location or in a location specified by -InstallDir|--install-dir.

By default, the installation scripts download the SDK and install it. If you wish to only obtain the shared runtime, specify the -Runtime|--runtime argument.

By default, the script adds the install location to the $PATH for the current session. Override this default behavior by specifying the -NoPath|--no-path argument. The script doesn't set the DOTNET_ROOT environment variable.

Important

The script doesn't add the install location to the user's PATH environment variable, you must manually add it.

Before running the script, make sure that your operating system is supported. For more information, see Install .NET on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

You can install a specific version using the -Version|--version argument. The version must be specified as a three-part version number, such as 2.1.0. If the version isn't specified, the script installs the latest version.

The install scripts do not update the registry on Windows. They just download the zipped binaries and copy them to a folder. If you want registry key values to be updated, use the .NET installers.

Options

  • -Architecture|--architecture <ARCHITECTURE>

    Architecture of the .NET binaries to install. Possible values are <auto>, amd64, x64, x86, arm64, arm, s390x, ppc64le, and riscv64. The default value is <auto>, which represents the currently running OS architecture.

  • -AzureFeed|--azure-feed

    For internal use only. Allows using a different storage to download SDK archives from. This parameter is only used if --no-cdn is false. The default is https://dotnetcli.azureedge.net/dotnet.

  • -Channel|--channel <CHANNEL>

    Specifies the source channel for the installation. The possible values are:

    • STS: The most recent Standard Term Support release.
    • LTS: The most recent Long Term Support release.
    • Two-part version in A.B format, representing a specific release (for example, 3.1 or 8.0).
    • Three-part version in A.B.Cxx format, representing a specific SDK release (for example, 8.0.1xx or 8.0.2xx). Available since the 5.0 release.

    The version parameter overrides the channel parameter when any version other than latest is used.

    The default value is LTS. For more information on .NET support channels, see the .NET Support Policy page.

  • -DryRun|--dry-run

    If set, the script won't perform the installation. Instead, it displays what command line to use to consistently install the currently requested version of the .NET CLI. For example, if you specify version latest, it displays a link with the specific version so that this command can be used deterministically in a build script. It also displays the binary's location if you prefer to install or download it yourself.

  • -FeedCredential|--feed-credential

    Used as a query string to append to the Azure feed. It allows changing the URL to use non-public blob storage accounts.

  • --help

    Prints out help for the script. Applies only to bash script. For PowerShell, use Get-Help ./dotnet-install.ps1.

  • -InstallDir|--install-dir <DIRECTORY>

    Specifies the installation path. The directory is created if it doesn't exist. The default value is %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\dotnet on Windows and $HOME/.dotnet on Linux/macOS. Binaries are placed directly in this directory.

  • -JSonFile|--jsonfile <JSONFILE>

    Specifies a path to a global.json file that will be used to determine the SDK version. The global.json file must have a value for sdk:version.

  • -NoCdn|--no-cdn

    Disables downloading from the Azure Content Delivery Network (CDN) and uses the uncached feed directly.

  • -NoPath|--no-path

    If set, the installation folder isn't exported to the path for the current session. By default, the script modifies the PATH, which makes the .NET CLI available immediately after install.

  • -ProxyAddress

    If set, the installer uses the proxy when making web requests. (Only valid for Windows.)

  • -ProxyBypassList <LIST_OF_URLS>

    If set with ProxyAddress, provides a list of comma-separated urls that will bypass the proxy. (Only valid for Windows.)

  • -ProxyUseDefaultCredentials

    If set, the installer uses the credentials of the current user when using proxy address. (Only valid for Windows.)

  • -Quality|--quality <QUALITY>

    Downloads the latest build of the specified quality in the channel. The possible values are: daily, signed, validated, preview, and GA. Most users should use daily, preview, or GA qualities.

    The different quality values signal different stages of the release process of the SDK or Runtime installed.

    • daily: The latest builds of the SDK or Runtime. They're built every day and aren't tested. They aren't recommended for production use but can often be used to test specific features or fixes immediately after they are merged into the product. These builds are from the dotnet/installer repo, and so if you're looking for fixes from dotnet/sdk you must wait for code to flow and be merged from SDK to Installer before it appears in a daily build.
    • signed: Microsoft-signed builds that aren't validated or publicly released. Signed builds are candidates for validation, preview, and GA release. This quality level is not intended for public use.
    • validated: Builds that have had some internal testing done on them but are not yet released as preview or GA. This quality level is not intended for public use.
    • preview: The monthly public releases of the next version of .NET, intended for public use. Not recommended for production use. Intended to allow users to experiment and test the new major version before release.
    • GA: The final stable releases of the .NET SDK and Runtime. Intended for public use as well as production support.

    The --quality option works only in combination with --channel, but is not applicable for the STS and LTS channels and will be ignored if one of those channels is used.

    For an SDK installation, use a channel value that is in A.B or A.B.Cxx format. For a runtime installation, use channel in A.B format.

    Don't use both version and quality parameters. When quality is specified, the script determines the proper version on its own.

    Available since the 5.0 release.

  • -Runtime|--runtime <RUNTIME>

    Installs just the shared runtime, not the entire SDK. The possible values are:

    • dotnet: The Microsoft.NETCore.App shared runtime.
    • aspnetcore: The Microsoft.AspNetCore.App shared runtime.
    • windowsdesktop The Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App shared runtime.

  • --os <OPERATING_SYSTEM>

    Specifies the operating system for which the tools are being installed. Possible values are: osx, macos, linux, linux-musl, freebsd.

    The parameter is optional and should only be used when it's required to override the operating system that is detected by the script.

  • -SharedRuntime|--shared-runtime

    Note

    This parameter is obsolete and may be removed in a future version of the script. The recommended alternative is the -Runtime|--runtime option.

    Installs just the shared runtime bits, not the entire SDK. This option is equivalent to specifying -Runtime|--runtime dotnet.

  • -SkipNonVersionedFiles|--skip-non-versioned-files

    Skips installing non-versioned files, such as dotnet.exe, if they already exist.

  • -UncachedFeed|--uncached-feed

    For internal use only. Allows using a different storage to download SDK archives from. This parameter is only used if --no-cdn is true.

  • -KeepZip|--keep-zip

    If set, the downloaded SDK archive is kept after installation.

  • -ZipPath|--zip-path <PATH>

If set, the downloaded SDK archive is stored at the specified path.

  • -Verbose|--verbose

    Displays diagnostics information.

  • -Version|--version <VERSION>

    Represents a specific build version. The possible values are:

    • latest: Latest build on the channel (used with the -Channel option).
    • Three-part version in X.Y.Z format representing a specific build version; supersedes the -Channel option. For example: 2.0.0-preview2-006120.

    If not specified, -Version defaults to latest.

Examples

  • Install the latest long-term supported (LTS) version to the default location:

    Windows:

    ./dotnet-install.ps1 -Channel LTS

    macOS/Linux:

    ./dotnet-install.sh --channel LTS

  • Install the latest preview version of the 6.0.1xx SDK to the specified location:

    Windows:

    ./dotnet-install.ps1 -Channel 6.0.1xx -Quality preview -InstallDir C:\cli

    macOS/Linux:

    ./dotnet-install.sh --channel 6.0.1xx --quality preview --install-dir ~/cli

  • Install the 6.0.0 version of the shared runtime:

    Windows:

    ./dotnet-install.ps1 -Runtime dotnet -Version 6.0.0

    macOS/Linux:

    ./dotnet-install.sh --runtime dotnet --version 6.0.0

  • Obtain script and install the 6.0.2 version behind a corporate proxy (Windows only):

    Invoke-WebRequest 'https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.ps1' -Proxy $env:HTTP_PROXY -ProxyUseDefaultCredentials -OutFile 'dotnet-install.ps1';
./dotnet-install.ps1 -InstallDir '~/.dotnet' -Version '6.0.2' -Runtime 'dotnet' -ProxyAddress $env:HTTP_PROXY -ProxyUseDefaultCredentials;

  • Obtain script and install .NET CLI one-liner examples:

    Windows:

    # Run a separate PowerShell process because the script calls exit, so it will end the current PowerShell session.
&powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy unrestricted -Command "[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12; &([scriptblock]::Create((Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing 'https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.ps1'))) <additional install-script args>"

    macOS/Linux:

    curl -sSL https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.sh | bash /dev/stdin <additional install-script args>

Set environment variables

Manually installing .NET doesn't add the environment variables system-wide, and generally only works for the session in which .NET was installed. There are two environment variables you should set for your operating system:

  • DOTNET_ROOT

    This variable is set to the folder .NET was installed to, such as $HOME/.dotnet for Linux and macOS, and $HOME\.dotnet in PowerShell for Windows.

  • PATH

    This variable should include both the DOTNET_ROOT folder and the user's .dotnet/tools folder. Generally this is $HOME/.dotnet/tools on Linux and macOS, and $HOME\.dotnet\tools in PowerShell on Windows.

Tip

For Linux and macOS, use the echo command to set the variables in your shell profile, such as .bashrc:

echo 'export DOTNET_ROOT=$HOME/.dotnet' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$DOTNET_ROOT:$DOTNET_ROOT/tools' >> ~/.bashrc

Uninstall

There is no uninstall script. For information about manually uninstalling .NET, see How to remove the .NET Runtime and SDK.

Signature validation of dotnet-install.sh

Signature validation is an important security measure that helps ensure the authenticity and integrity of a script. By verifying the signature of a script, you can be sure that it has not been tampered with and that it comes from a trusted source.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to verify the authenticity of the dotnet-install.sh script using GPG:

  1. Install GPG: GPG (GNU Privacy Guard) is a free and open-source tool for encrypting and signing data. You can install it by following the instructions on the GPG website.
  2. Import our public key: Download the install-scripts public key file, and then import it into your GPG keyring by running the command gpg --import dotnet-install.asc.
  3. Download the signature file: The signature file for our bash script is available at https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.sig. You can download it using a tool like wget or curl.
  4. Verify the signature: To verify the signature of our bash script, run the command gpg --verify dotnet-install.sig dotnet-install.sh. This will check the signature of the dotnet-install.sh file against the signature in the dotnet-install.sig file.
  5. Check the result: If the signature is valid, you will see a message containing Good signature from "Microsoft DevUXTeamPrague <devuxteamprague@microsoft.com>". This means that the script has not been tampered with and can be trusted.

Preparing environment

Installing GPG and importing our public key is a one time operation.

sudo apt install gpg
wget https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.asc
gpg --import dotnet-install.asc

When successful, you should see output like the following:

gpg: directory '/home/<user>/.gnupg' created
gpg: keybox '/home/<user>/.gnupg/pubring.kbx' created
gpg: /home/<user>/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
gpg: key B9CF1A51FC7D3ACF: public key "Microsoft DevUXTeamPrague <devuxteamprague@microsoft.com>" imported
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg:               imported: 1

Download and verification

With the key imported, you can now download the script and the signature, then verify the script matches the signature:

wget https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.sh
wget https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.sig
gpg --verify dotnet-install.sig dotnet-install.sh

When successful, you should see output like the following:

gpg: Signature made <datetime>
gpg:                using RSA key B9CF1A51FC7D3ACF
gpg: Good signature from "Microsoft DevUXTeamPrague <devuxteamprague@microsoft.com>" [unknown]
gpg: WARNING: This key is not certified with a trusted signature!
gpg:          There is no indication that the signature belongs to the owner.
Primary key fingerprint: 2B93 0AB1 228D 11D5 D7F6  B6AC B9CF 1A51 FC7D 3ACF

The warning means that you don't trust the public key in the keyring, but the script is still verified. The exit code returned by the verification command should be 0, indicating success.

See also