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Version: Next

Generate build server files

The ModularPipelines package can create the minimal YAML needed to run a pipeline project in GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Azure Pipelines.

Add the build system to the pipeline project's .csproj:

<PropertyGroup>
  <ModularPipelinesBuildSystem>GitHubActions</ModularPipelinesBuildSystem>
</PropertyGroup>

The next build creates the provider's conventional file:

ValueGenerated file
GitHubActions.github/workflows/modular-pipelines.yml
GitLab.gitlab-ci.yml
AzurePipelinesazure-pipelines.yml

The generated job installs .NET and runs the pipeline project in Release configuration. Commit the generated YAML to the repository.

Azure Repos pull request validation​

Azure Repos Git does not support YAML pr triggers. After creating the Azure Pipeline, configure it as an automatic Build validation branch policy for the target branch. The generated pr block applies only when Azure Pipelines builds a GitHub or Bitbucket Cloud repository. See Set build validation.

Pipeline projects below the repository root​

Generation defaults to the directory containing the pipeline project. If that project is in a subdirectory, set the repository root:

<PropertyGroup>
  <ModularPipelinesBuildSystem>GitHubActions</ModularPipelinesBuildSystem>
  <ModularPipelinesRepositoryRoot>$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)/../..</ModularPipelinesRepositoryRoot>
</PropertyGroup>

The project path in the generated command is calculated relative to this root. Override it explicitly when needed:

<ModularPipelinesPipelineProject>build/MyPipeline/MyPipeline.csproj</ModularPipelinesPipelineProject>

Customization and overwrite safety​

The following optional properties customize the generated file:

PropertyDefault
ModularPipelinesBuildBranchmain
ModularPipelinesDotNetVersion10.0.x
ModularPipelinesDotNetSdkImagemcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:10.0
ModularPipelinesTargetFrameworkTargetFramework, or the first TargetFrameworks entry

For a multi-target pipeline project, set ModularPipelinesTargetFramework to choose which target framework the generated job runs.

Existing YAML is preserved. To intentionally regenerate and replace it, build once with:

dotnet build -p:ModularPipelinesOverwriteBuildServerFiles=true

Remove ModularPipelinesBuildSystem after committing the generated file if no further regeneration is wanted.