dotnet-restore

Restore dependencies for a .NET project or solution in the current directory

$ dotnet restore

$ dotnet restore [path/to/project_or_solution]

$ dotnet restore --no-cache

$ dotnet restore --force

$ dotnet restore --ignore-failed-sources

$ dotnet restore [[-v|--verbosity]] [quiet|minimal|normal|detailed|diagnostic]

dotnet restore [PATH_TO_PROJECT_OR_SOLUTION] [options]

--configfile, -c <FILE>
    Path to alternate NuGet.Config file

--disable-parallel
    Disable restoring multiple projects in parallel

--force
    Force complete rebuild of dependencies

--force-evaluate
    Re-evaluate all dependencies even if lock file exists

--ignore-failed-sources
    Skip sources that fail (treat as empty)

--interactive
    Allow user input for authentication or prompts

--keep-duplicate-packages
    Preserve duplicate packages in graph

--locked-mode
    Require exact match to lock file; fail if missing

--lock-file-path <PATH>
    Path to custom packages.lock.json

--no-cache
    Skip using cache; download all packages

--packages <DIR>
    Directory to place restored packages

--runtime <RID>
    Restore packages for specific runtime identifier

--source, -s <SOURCE>
    Add package source (URL); supports multiple

--use-lock-file
    Create or use packages.lock.json for determinism

--verbosity <LEVEL>
    Set output verbosity: quiet|minimal|normal|detailed|diagnostic

dotnet restore is a core command in the .NET SDK that restores NuGet package dependencies and project-specific tools for .NET projects and solutions. It analyzes the *.csproj, *.fsproj, or *.sln files to identify required packages, downloads them from configured NuGet sources (like nuget.org), and caches them in the global packages folder (typically $HOME/.nuget/packages on Linux) or a custom directory.

The restore process generates an obj/project.assets.json file containing the resolved dependency graph, which is used by dotnet build, dotnet run, and other commands. It supports parallel restores by default for speed, handles transitive dependencies, and respects packages.lock.json files for reproducible builds.

Essential after cloning repositories or modifying dependencies, it ensures local availability without network access during builds. On Linux, it integrates seamlessly with distributions packaging the .NET SDK via apt, yum, etc. Customizable via NuGet.Config files for sources, credentials, and proxies.

Unlike legacy MSBuild /t:Restore, it's optimized for modern .NET workflows and cross-platform use.

Requires .NET SDK 2.0+ installed and in PATH. May prompt for credentials on private feeds. Global packages folder permissions needed on Linux.

Optional path to *.csproj, *.sln, or directory; defaults to current directory.
Supports glob patterns for multiple projects.

0: success
1+: failure (e.g., unresolved deps, network issues)

Introduced in .NET Core SDK 1.0 (2016) as replacement for nuget restore. Enhanced in .NET 5+ for speed, Central Package Management, and lock file support. Now standard in .NET 8+.

dotnet(1), dotnet-build(1), nuget(1)