al-build

Compiles, publishes, and tests AL/Business Central apps through a single PowerShell build gate.

4|Updated Feb 22, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/FBakkensen/bc-agentic-dev-tools-marketplace --skill al-build-fbakkensen
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: al-build
Source: https://github.com/FBakkensen/bc-agentic-dev-tools-marketplace/tree/main/plugins/al-agentic-dev/skills/al-build
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/FBakkensen/bc-agentic-dev-tools-marketplace --skill al-build-fbakkensen

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires BcContainerHelper, and includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? AL/Business Central development lacks a unified local build-and-test gate: compiling with the right analyzer set, publishing to a Docker container, and running both unit and integration tests normally require manual, error-prone steps. This Skill runs the entire gate in one command and returns a structured pass/fail report. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Canonical build/test gate: Runs compilation with Microsoft and ALCops analyzers, publishes apps to a branch-scoped BC Docker container, and executes container tests plus AL Runner unit tests, writing JUnit XML results and a machine-readable summary.json. - Fast inner-loop unit testing: The -UnitTestOnly mode compiles all apps through the analyzer gate and runs AL Runner tests without needing a container, supporting RED-GREEN TDD cycles. - Breaking-change detection: Optionally caches the previous release as an AppSourceCop baseline so breaking changes surface as AS00xx compile diagnostics in every gate run. - Use Case: After modifying AL code, ask the agent to run the build gate; it delegates to a subagent that executes test.ps1 and returns a verdict with per-runner test counts, failing test names, and telemetry file paths. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to run the al-build gate to verify your AL changes compile and all tests pass before committing.

Frequently Asked Questions about al-build

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I build and test a Business Central AL app locally?

Run the al-build gate, which executes test.ps1 to compile the app with analyzers, publish it to a BC Docker container, and run all tests. Results are written as JUnit XML files and a summary.json under .output/TestResults.

How to run fast unit tests for AL without a Docker container?

Configure unitTestApp in al-build.json, then run test.ps1 with the -UnitTestOnly flag. It compiles all apps through the analyzer gate and runs AL Runner unit tests without needing a container, ideal for TDD inner loops.

Does al-build support breaking-change detection for AppSource apps?

Yes, enable breakingChange.enabled in al-build.json. The provision script caches the previous release as an AppSourceCop baseline, so breaking changes surface as AS00xx compile diagnostics in every gate run.

Why does the AL build fail with compiler or symbols not found?

The provision step has not been run or is stale. Run provision.ps1 to install the AL compiler channels, refresh ALCops analyzers, and download symbol packages before invoking the test gate.

What are the prerequisites for running the AL build gate?

You need PowerShell 7.2 or later, Docker Desktop, the .NET SDK, Node.js 22+ for ALCops analyzer installation, and the BcContainerHelper PowerShell module. A repo-root al-build.json configuration file is also required.