dotnet-centralized-packages

Centralize NuGet package versions by creating a Directory.Packages.props file at your solution root. Define all package versions there, enable Central Package Management in your projects, and remove version numbers from individual package references. This ensures consistency across your solution and prevents version conflicts.

Central Package Management (CPM) is a .NET feature that consolidates package version definitions in one file instead of scattering them across projects. Use it in multi-project solutions to maintain a single source of truth, simplify updates, and avoid transitive dependency conflicts like NU1008 errors.

Add the package version to your Directory.Packages.props file, then reference it in project files without specifying a version. The project automatically inherits the version from the central file, ensuring all projects use the same release.

Yes, Directory.Packages.props and Directory.Build.props work together. Directory.Packages.props manages NuGet versions centrally while Directory.Build.props handles build properties and settings, providing complementary organization at the solution level.

Enable ManagePackageVersionsCentrally and set CentralPackageTransitivePinningEnabled properties in your project files or Directory.Build.props. These enforce centralized version control and pin transitive dependencies, preventing version drift.

Verify all packages are declared in Directory.Packages.props at the solution root, check that ManagePackageVersionsCentrally is enabled in project files, and ensure no project files override central versions. Review transitive dependencies and use CentralPackageTransitivePinningEnabled to lock them.