Use the LibMan CLI with ASP.NET Core

Article
01/11/2024

Library Manager (LibMan) is a lightweight, client-side library acquisition tool. LibMan downloads popular libraries and frameworks from the file system or from a content delivery network (CDN). The supported CDNs include CDNJS, jsDelivr, and unpkg. The selected library files are fetched and placed in the appropriate location within the ASP.NET Core project.

Prerequisites

latest .NET SDK

Installation

The following command installs LibMan:

dotnet tool install -g Microsoft.Web.LibraryManager.Cli

Note

By default the architecture of the .NET binaries to install represents the currently running OS architecture. To specify a different OS architecture, see dotnet tool install, --arch option. For more information, see GitHub issue dotnet/AspNetCore.Docs #29262.

A .NET Core Global Tool is installed from the Microsoft.Web.LibraryManager.Cli NuGet package.

Usage

libman

To view the installed LibMan version:

libman --version

To view the available CLI commands:

libman --help

The preceding command displays output similar to the following:

 1.0.163+g45474d37ed

Usage: libman [options] [command]

Options:
  --help|-h  Show help information
  --version  Show version information

Commands:
  cache      List or clean libman cache contents
  clean      Deletes all library files defined in libman.json from the project
  init       Create a new libman.json
  install    Add a library definition to the libman.json file, and download the 
             library to the specified location
  restore    Downloads all files from provider and saves them to specified 
             destination
  uninstall  Deletes all files for the specified library from their specified 
             destination, then removes the specified library definition from 
             libman.json
  update     Updates the specified library

Use "libman [command] --help" for more information about a command.

The following sections outline the available CLI commands.

Initialize LibMan in the project

The libman init command creates a libman.json file if one doesn't exist. The file is created with the default item template content.

Synopsis

libman init [-d|--default-destination] [-p|--default-provider] [--verbosity]
libman init [-h|--help]

Options

The following options are available for the libman init command:

-d|--default-destination <PATH>

A path relative to the current folder. Library files are installed in this location if no destination property is defined for a library in libman.json. The <PATH> value is written to the defaultDestination property of libman.json.
-p|--default-provider <PROVIDER>

The provider to use if no provider is defined for a given library. The <PROVIDER> value is written to the defaultProvider property of libman.json. Replace <PROVIDER> with one of the following values:
- cdnjs
- filesystem
- jsdelivr
- unpkg

-h|--help

Show help information.
--verbosity <LEVEL>

Set the verbosity of the output. Replace <LEVEL> with one of the following values:
- quiet
- normal
- detailed

Examples

To create a libman.json file in an ASP.NET Core project:

Navigate to the project root.
Run the following command:
```
libman init
```
Type the name of the default provider, or press Enter to use the default CDNJS provider. Valid values include:
- cdnjs
- filesystem
- jsdelivr
- unpkg

A libman.json file is added to the project root with the following content:

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "defaultProvider": "cdnjs",
  "libraries": []
}

Add library files

The libman install command downloads and installs library files into the project. A libman.json file is added if one doesn't exist. The libman.json file is modified to store configuration details for the library files.

Synopsis

libman install <LIBRARY> [-d|--destination] [--files] [-p|--provider] [--verbosity]
libman install [-h|--help]

Arguments

LIBRARY

The name of the library to install. This name may include version number notation (for example, @1.2.0).

Options

The following options are available for the libman install command:

-d|--destination <PATH>

The location to install the library. If not specified, the default location is used. If no defaultDestination property is specified in libman.json, this option is required.

Note: There are limitations to the destination path. For example, when the package source has a full project structure and not just the distribution folder, you can't specify moving a folder. For more information, see Issue #407 and Issue #702
--files <FILE>

Specify the name of the file to install from the library. If not specified, all files from the library are installed. Provide one --files option per file to be installed. Relative paths are supported too. For example: --files dist/browser/signalr.js.
-p|--provider <PROVIDER>

The name of the provider to use for the library acquisition. Replace <PROVIDER> with one of the following values:
- cdnjs
- filesystem
- jsdelivr
- unpkg
If not specified, the defaultProvider property in libman.json is used. If no defaultProvider property is specified in libman.json, this option is required.

-h|--help

Show help information.
--verbosity <LEVEL>

Set the verbosity of the output. Replace <LEVEL> with one of the following values:
- quiet
- normal
- detailed

Examples

Consider the following libman.json file:

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "defaultProvider": "cdnjs",
  "libraries": []
}

To install the jQuery version 3.2.1 jquery.min.js file to the wwwroot/scripts/jquery folder using the CDNJS provider:

libman install jquery@3.2.1 --provider cdnjs --destination wwwroot/scripts/jquery --files jquery.min.js

The libman.json file resembles the following:

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "defaultProvider": "cdnjs",
  "libraries": [
    {
      "library": "jquery@3.2.1",
      "destination": "wwwroot/scripts/jquery",
      "files": [
        "jquery.min.js"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

To install the calendar.js and calendar.css files from C:\temp\contosoCalendar\ using the file system provider:

libman install C:\temp\contosoCalendar\ --provider filesystem --files calendar.js --files calendar.css

The following prompt appears for two reasons:

The libman.json file doesn't contain a defaultDestination property.
The libman install command doesn't contain the -d|--destination option.

libman install command - destination

After accepting the default destination, the libman.json file resembles the following:

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "defaultProvider": "cdnjs",
  "libraries": [
    {
      "library": "jquery@3.2.1",
      "destination": "wwwroot/scripts/jquery",
      "files": [
        "jquery.min.js"
      ]
    },
    {
      "library": "C:\\temp\\contosoCalendar\\",
      "provider": "filesystem",
      "destination": "wwwroot/lib/contosoCalendar",
      "files": [
        "calendar.js",
        "calendar.css"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Restore library files

The libman restore command installs library files defined in libman.json. The following rules apply:

If no libman.json file exists in the project root, an error is returned.
If a library specifies a provider, the defaultProvider property in libman.json is ignored.
If a library specifies a destination, the defaultDestination property in libman.json is ignored.

Synopsis

libman restore [--verbosity]
libman restore [-h|--help]

Options

The following options are available for the libman restore command:

-h|--help

Show help information.
--verbosity <LEVEL>

Set the verbosity of the output. Replace <LEVEL> with one of the following values:
- quiet
- normal
- detailed

Examples

To restore the library files defined in libman.json:

libman restore

Delete library files

The libman clean command deletes library files previously restored via LibMan. Folders that become empty after this operation are deleted. The library files' associated configurations in the libraries property of libman.json aren't removed.

Synopsis

libman clean [--verbosity]
libman clean [-h|--help]

Options

The following options are available for the libman clean command:

-h|--help

Show help information.
--verbosity <LEVEL>

Set the verbosity of the output. Replace <LEVEL> with one of the following values:
- quiet
- normal
- detailed

Examples

To delete library files installed via LibMan:

libman clean

Uninstall library files

The libman uninstall command:

Deletes all files associated with the specified library from the destination in libman.json.
Removes the associated library configuration from libman.json.

An error occurs when:

No libman.json file exists in the project root.
The specified library doesn't exist.

If more than one library with the same name is installed, you're prompted to choose one.

Synopsis

libman uninstall <LIBRARY> [--verbosity]
libman uninstall [-h|--help]

Arguments

LIBRARY

The name of the library to uninstall. This name may include version number notation (for example, @1.2.0).

Options

The following options are available for the libman uninstall command:

-h|--help

Show help information.
--verbosity <LEVEL>

Set the verbosity of the output. Replace <LEVEL> with one of the following values:
- quiet
- normal
- detailed

Examples

Consider the following libman.json file:

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "defaultProvider": "cdnjs",
  "libraries": [
    {
      "library": "jquery@3.3.1",
      "files": [
        "jquery.min.js",
        "jquery.js",
        "jquery.min.map"
      ],
      "destination": "wwwroot/lib/jquery/"
    },
    {
      "provider": "unpkg",
      "library": "bootstrap@4.1.3",
      "destination": "wwwroot/lib/bootstrap/"
    },
    {
      "provider": "filesystem",
      "library": "C:\\temp\\lodash\\",
      "files": [
        "lodash.js",
        "lodash.min.js"
      ],
      "destination": "wwwroot/lib/lodash/"
    }
  ]
}

To uninstall jQuery, either of the following commands succeed:
```
libman uninstall jquery
```
```
libman uninstall jquery@3.3.1
```
To uninstall the Lodash files installed via the filesystem provider:
```
libman uninstall C:\temp\lodash\
```

Update library version

The libman update command updates a library installed via LibMan to the specified version.

An error occurs when:

No libman.json file exists in the project root.
The specified library doesn't exist.

If more than one library with the same name is installed, you're prompted to choose one.

Synopsis

libman update <LIBRARY> [-pre] [--to] [--verbosity]
libman update [-h|--help]

Arguments

LIBRARY

The name of the library to update.

Options

The following options are available for the libman update command:

-pre

Obtain the latest prerelease version of the library.
--to <VERSION>

Obtain a specific version of the library.

-h|--help

Show help information.
--verbosity <LEVEL>

Set the verbosity of the output. Replace <LEVEL> with one of the following values:
- quiet
- normal
- detailed

Examples

To update jQuery to the latest version:
```
libman update jquery
```
To update jQuery to version 3.3.1:
```
libman update jquery --to 3.3.1
```
To update jQuery to the latest prerelease version:
```
libman update jquery -pre
```

Manage library cache

The libman cache command manages the LibMan library cache. The filesystem provider doesn't use the library cache.

Synopsis

libman cache clean [<PROVIDER>] [--verbosity]
libman cache list [--files] [--libraries] [--verbosity]
libman cache [-h|--help]

Arguments

PROVIDER

Only used with the clean command. Specifies the provider cache to clean. Valid values include:

cdnjs
filesystem
jsdelivr
unpkg

Options

The following options are available for the libman cache command:

--files

List the names of files that are cached.
--libraries

List the names of libraries that are cached.

-h|--help

Show help information.
--verbosity <LEVEL>

Set the verbosity of the output. Replace <LEVEL> with one of the following values:
- quiet
- normal
- detailed

Examples

To view the names of cached libraries per provider, use one of the following commands:

libman cache list

libman cache list --libraries

Output similar to the following is displayed:

Cache contents:
---------------
unpkg:
    knockout
    react
    vue
cdnjs:
    font-awesome
    jquery
    knockout
    lodash.js
    react

To view the names of cached library files per provider:

libman cache list --files

Output similar to the following is displayed:

Cache contents:
---------------
unpkg:
    knockout:
        <list omitted for brevity>
    react:
        <list omitted for brevity>
    vue:
        <list omitted for brevity>
cdnjs:
    font-awesome
        metadata.json
    jquery
        metadata.json
        3.2.1\core.js
        3.2.1\jquery.js
        3.2.1\jquery.min.js
        3.2.1\jquery.min.map
        3.2.1\jquery.slim.js
        3.2.1\jquery.slim.min.js
        3.2.1\jquery.slim.min.map
        3.3.1\core.js
        3.3.1\jquery.js
        3.3.1\jquery.min.js
        3.3.1\jquery.min.map
        3.3.1\jquery.slim.js
        3.3.1\jquery.slim.min.js
        3.3.1\jquery.slim.min.map
    knockout
        metadata.json
        3.4.2\knockout-debug.js
        3.4.2\knockout-min.js
    lodash.js
        metadata.json
        4.17.10\lodash.js
        4.17.10\lodash.min.js
    react
        metadata.json

Notice the preceding output shows that jQuery versions 3.2.1 and 3.3.1 are cached under the CDNJS provider.

To empty the library cache for the CDNJS provider:
```
libman cache clean cdnjs
```
After emptying the CDNJS provider cache, the libman cache list command displays the following:
```
Cache contents:
---------------
unpkg:
    knockout
    react
    vue
cdnjs:
    (empty)
```
To empty the cache for all supported providers:
```
libman cache clean
```
After emptying all provider caches, the libman cache list command displays the following:
```
Cache contents:
---------------
unpkg:
    (empty)
cdnjs:
    (empty)
```

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Use the LibMan CLI with ASP.NET Core

Prerequisites

Installation

Usage

Initialize LibMan in the project

Synopsis

Options

Examples

Add library files

Synopsis

Arguments

Options

Examples

Restore library files

Synopsis

Options

Examples

Delete library files

Synopsis

Options

Examples

Uninstall library files

Synopsis

Arguments

Options

Examples

Update library version

Synopsis

Arguments

Options

Examples

Manage library cache

Synopsis

Arguments

Options

Examples

Additional resources

Additional resources