dotnet-tool-management

Managing .NET CLI tools consistently across a team involves using local tool manifest files. You create a `.config/dotnet-tools.json` file, install tools locally, and commit the manifest so all team members get the exact same tool versions.

To restore dotnet tools in a CI/CD pipeline, you run `dotnet tool restore` against a committed manifest file. This ensures the automated build environment installs the exact pinned tool versions required for reproducible builds.

Global .NET CLI tools are installed system-wide and available from any directory, while local tools are scoped to a specific project using a manifest file. Local tools ensure project-specific version consistency, whereas global tools offer convenience across projects.

To pin a specific version of a dotnet tool, you install it locally within your project scope. This updates the project's manifest file with the exact version number, preventing unintended upgrades and ensuring reproducible builds.

Using `dotnet tool restore` requires a local tool manifest file to exist. If the `.config/dotnet-tools.json` manifest is missing, the restore command cannot determine which tools or versions to install for the environment.

A `dotnet-tools.json` file is needed for local tool management because it acts as a manifest recording all project-scoped tools and their pinned versions. This guarantees that every team member and CI server uses identical tool versions.