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binlog-failure-analysis

Diagnose MSBuild build failures by querying binary log files via MCP tools.

1|Updated Jun 1, 2026
Search Tags:#mcp#diagnostics#dotnet#build failure#msbuild#binlog#build analysis
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/D1ssolve/craft-agents --skill binlog-failure-analysis-d1ssolve
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: binlog-failure-analysis
Source: https://github.com/D1ssolve/craft-agents/tree/main/skills/binlog-failure-analysis
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/D1ssolve/craft-agents --skill binlog-failure-analysis-d1ssolve

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? MSBuild build failures often produce console output that is too terse or too noisy to identify the root cause, especially in multi-project solutions with cascading errors. This Skill reads the structured data inside a .binlog file to pinpoint errors, warnings, properties, and target execution details. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Structured binlog inspection: Query errors, warnings, MSBuild properties, items (PackageReference, ProjectReference), and target execution through the binlog MCP server tools. - Fallback text replay: When the MCP server is unavailable, replay the binlog into diagnostic, errors-only, and warnings-only text logs with dotnet msbuild and search them with grep. - Use Case: A CI build fails with a vague CS0246 error across several projects. Point the Skill at the captured build.binlog to trace which project failed, inspect its evaluated properties and references, and identify the missing dependency. ## Quick Start Analyze the build.binlog file in this repository and explain why the build failed, listing the errors and the projects that produced them.

Frequently Asked Questions about binlog-failure-analysis

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I analyze an MSBuild binlog file for build errors?▼

Use the binlog MCP server tools to query the .binlog for errors, warnings, properties, and target execution details. Never read the binary file directly with cat or strings; if the MCP is unavailable, replay it to text logs with dotnet msbuild and grep them.

How do I generate a binlog file for MSBuild?▼

Run dotnet build with the /bl:build.binlog flag to produce a binary log of the build. This Skill focuses on analyzing an existing binlog; generation is only a preliminary step when no binlog exists yet.

Can I read a .binlog file with cat or a text editor?▼

No, the .binlog format is binary and cannot be read with cat, head, strings, or a text editor. Use the binlog MCP tools to query it, or replay it to text logs with dotnet msbuild -fl options.

What if the binlog MCP server is not available?▼

Fall back to replaying the binlog with dotnet msbuild build.binlog -noconlog plus -fl file logger switches to produce full, errors-only, and warnings-only text logs, then search them with grep for error codes and failed targets.

Does binlog analysis work for non-MSBuild build systems?▼

No, this workflow only applies to MSBuild and .NET builds that produce .binlog files. Other build systems like Gradle, Bazel, or Make require their own logging and diagnostic tooling.

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