eval-performance

Use the binlog MCP server evaluations tool to list all evaluations and durations, or replay the binlog with dotnet msbuild build.binlog -flp:v=diag and grep for evaluation started/finished events. The /clp:PerformanceSummary flag also separates evaluation time from target execution.

Add large directories like node_modules, .git, bin, and obj to DefaultItemExcludes so globs skip them. Also narrow glob paths, for example use src/**/*.cs instead of **/*.cs, to avoid walking the entire directory tree.

A project is evaluated once per unique set of global properties, so references from multiple projects with differing global properties cause repeated evaluations. Normalize global properties or use graph build with /graph to reduce redundant evaluations.

Do not use it for compilation-time slowness, which requires build performance diagnostics, or for incremental build issues, which need incremental build analysis. It also does not apply to non-MSBuild build systems.

The -pp:full.xml flag outputs the fully expanded project with all imports inlined, revealing import depth, total content volume, and what is imported. Output over 10K lines indicates heavy evaluation that may need optimization.