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● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsMedium impact1 neutral1 positive

Microsoft introduces dotnetup, a .NET toolchain manager for macOS and Linux

🔄 Updated 17d ago — new reporting from InfoQ
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Key points

  • dotnetup is a new .NET toolchain manager.
  • Manages SDKs and runtimes on macOS and Linux.
  • Installs to user accounts, no admin permissions needed.
  • Supports side-by-side runtime versions.
  • Microsoft released a public preview of dotnetup.
  • dotnetup was announced on October 15 by Chet Husk.
  • dotnetup follows the model of rustup and nvm.
  • Commands and behavior may change between preview releases.
  • Production machines should keep using installers, package managers, or Visual Studio.
  • dotnetup tracks intent instead of versions.
  • dotnetup resolves channels like latest, lts, preview, daily, major, minor, or feature band to a release.
  • Exact versions stay pinned during updates.
  • Several requirements can share one managed installation.
  • The tool reads the nearest global.json.
  • Files live under the user's local data directory on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • dotnetup never writes to Program Files\dotnet or /usr/share/dotnet.

New Toolchain Manager for .NET

Microsoft has launched a public preview of dotnetup, a new tool designed to manage .NET SDKs and runtimes. This tool is specifically for macOS and Linux environments, addressing historical complexities in setting up .NET on these operating systems.

Addressing Installation Challenges

Previously, installing .NET on macOS and Linux involved various methods such as system package managers, tarballs, or shell scripts. These methods often led to administrative permission issues, scattered files, or difficulties in managing multiple runtime versions simultaneously. dotnetup aims to resolve these problems by providing a unified and user-centric management solution.

Key Features and Benefits

dotnetup offers a consistent user experience across platforms, operates without requiring administrative permissions by installing everything in user-owned folders, and facilitates side-by-side management of multiple .NET runtime versions, including preview channels and daily builds. It also tracks major or feature bands to keep installations updated monthly and integrates with existing global.json files for project pinning.

Getting Started with dotnetup

Users can install dotnetup on macOS or Linux by running a bootstrap script in their terminal. After installation, the 'dotnetup init' command sets up the shell profile and fetches the latest stable .NET SDK. The 'dotnetup list' command provides an inventory of installed SDKs and runtimes.

Updates

🕒 2026-10-21 · new reporting from InfoQ
  • Microsoft released a public preview of dotnetup.
  • dotnetup was announced on October 15 by Chet Husk.
  • dotnetup follows the model of rustup and nvm.
  • Commands and behavior may change between preview releases.
  • Production machines should keep using installers, package managers, or Visual Studio.
  • dotnetup tracks intent instead of versions.
  • dotnetup resolves channels like latest, lts, preview, daily, major, minor, or feature band to a release.
  • Exact versions stay pinned during updates.
  • Several requirements can share one managed installation.
  • The tool reads the nearest global.json.
  • Files live under the user's local data directory on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • dotnetup never writes to Program Files\dotnet or /usr/share/dotnet.

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Primary sources

GitHub dotnet/sdk

How outlets covered it

Microsoft released a public preview of dotnetup, a cross-platform toolchain manager for .NET SDKs and runtimes. This tool installs and manages .NET components within a user's account, offering a flexible alternative to system-wide installations and simplifying updates for developers.

Microsoft has released a public preview of dotnetup, a new toolchain manager for .NET SDKs and runtimes on macOS and Linux. This tool aims to simplify installation, management, and updates by operating within user accounts, avoiding system-level permissions and conflicts.