How to Compile a C# Project from Source

Question

So I mean compile without visual studio

Answer 1

use command line with csc.exe or msbuild

Answer 2

Go to the project directory (I assume .NET framework is in your PATH):

msbuild <enter>

If you want to compile a bunch of C# source files (not in a project), you'd use the csc command. vbc is VB.NET compiler. jsc is JScript.NET compiler. cl is C++/CLI (& plain C++) compiler.

Answer 3

There are currently three ways to compile a C# project. The first is with Visual Studio, but you've stated that VS not installed is a constraint. The second is using the raw .NET SDK tools. The third way is to use Mono.

Using msbuild requires Visual Studio to be installed. Using csc does NOT, however it does require the .NET SDK to be installed.

Using .NET:

• Compiles File.cs producing File.exe:

  csc File.cs

• Compiles File.cs producing File.dll:

  csc /target:library File.cs

• Compiles File.cs and creates My.exe:

  csc /out:My.exe File.cs

• Compiles all of the C# files in the current directory, with optimizations on and defines the DEBUG symbol. The output is File2.exe:

  csc /define:DEBUG /optimize /out:File2.exe *.cs

Using Mono:

• Compiles File.cs producing File.exe compat with .NET 1.1:

  mcs File.cs

or for .NET 2.0 compatible

gmcs File.cs

• Compiles File.cs producing File.dll:

  msc /target:library File.cs

• Compiles File.cs and creates My.exe:

  msc /out:My.exe File.cs

• Compiles all of the C# files in the current directory, with optimizations on and defines the DEBUG symbol. The output is File2.exe:

  msc /define:DEBUG /optimize /out:File2.exe *.cs

Answer 4

If you already have a solution or project file, use msbuild tool. You can find it deeply inside folder "%windir%\Microsoft.NET\". For example, on my machine I run the following to compile my project:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\MSBuild.exe MassiveMultithreading.sln

Answer 5

From here:

Compiles File.cs producing File.exe:

csc File.cs

Compiles File.cs producing File.dll:

csc /target:library File.cs

Compiles File.cs and creates My.exe:

csc /out:My.exe File.cs

Compiles all the C# files in the current directory, with optimizations on and defines the DEBUG symbol. The output is File2.exe:

csc /define:DEBUG /optimize /out:File2.exe *.cs

Answer 6

I created a batch file that i use for this, so I can compile multiple projects in a row. This should help you get in the right direction:

cls
echo off
c:


cd windows
cd microsoft.net
cd framework
cd v3.5

msbuild c:\Project\Project.sln /t:rebuild /p:Configuration=Debug /p:Platform="any cpu" /clp:Nosummary