Restrict scaffolder discovery to dotnet-scaffold by danroth27 · Pull Request #3833 · dotnet/Scaffolding

danroth27 · 2026-09-16T22:43:26Z

Problem

Running dotnet scaffold without arguments opens the interactive scaffolding experience. To discover available scaffolders, the tool currently:

Lists every local and global .NET tool installed on the machine.
Restores local tools when any are present.
Executes every discovered tool with a get-commands argument.
Waits for every tool to exit without a timeout.

There is no way to know whether an installed tool implements the scaffolding protocol before executing it. An unrelated tool can therefore prevent dotnet scaffold from starting or cause unexpected side effects. This has resulted in hangs and tools opening UI or starting background processes during scaffolder discovery.

Change

This PR keeps the existing scaffolder discovery flow but restricts its default tool set to the installed Microsoft.dotnet-scaffold tool. The interactive experience still retrieves its built-in ASP.NET Core and Aspire command metadata through the existing get-commands protocol, but it no longer executes unrelated local or global tools. Default built-in discovery also skips dotnet tool restore, which would otherwise restore every tool in the local manifest; explicitly supplied component lists retain the existing restore behavior.

The longer-term extensibility model is explicit opt-in: dotnet scaffold tool install should register a scaffolder so that it is included in discovery, and dotnet scaffold tool uninstall should remove it. The existing IDotNetToolService APIs continue to accept an explicit component list, so a future registered-tool discovery mechanism can supply that intentional set of trusted tools without restoring broad installed-tool probing. #3250 tracks moving the existing install and uninstall commands to the System.CommandLine command surface; wiring the registered tools into discovery remains future work.

This is deliberately a surgical change:

DotNetToolService remains responsible for tool discovery and command metadata.
Interactive category and command discovery pass through an explicitly selected component while using the restricted default otherwise.
Existing component identity, execution, and telemetry remain unchanged.
No new scaffolder metadata abstraction is introduced.

Closes #3832.

Validation

The dotnet-scaffold.Tests project builds for .NET 10 with no warnings or errors.
Installed the patched Microsoft.dotnet-scaffold package in a local tool manifest alongside redth.mauidevflow.cli 0.23.1 and exercised the production DotNetToolService.GetAllCommandsParallel() path. Discovery returned all 18 built-in commands in 3.5 seconds without starting a MAUI or broker process.

Use the scaffold runner metadata for the interactive flow instead of invoking every installed .NET tool with get-commands. Remove the broad discovery APIs so unrelated tools cannot hang or produce side effects during startup. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 4754ee2b-cd5a-452e-a6ec-2862e8357bee

Route interactive discovery through a composable scaffolder catalog while implementing only the built-in provider. Preserve component identity so registered tool providers can be added later without restructuring the picker. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Keep the existing .NET tool management and discovery APIs unchanged while bypassing broad installed-tool probing in the interactive flow. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Keep the focused built-in metadata conversion test and remove tests of trivial catalog composition and defensive empty input behavior. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Keep the existing logger field and constructor parameter so the discovery fix changes only the category picker's scaffolder source. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Follow the repository style by keeping short predicates and catalog expressions on a single line instead of applying an unconfigured line-length limit. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Rename the provider and catalog around metadata, and pass configured scaffolders from the composition root instead of coupling metadata discovery to IScaffoldRunner. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Let the built-in metadata provider retrieve configured scaffolders from IScaffoldRunner so the interactive composition root can use standard service registration. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Keep the existing IDotNetToolService discovery flow, but query only Microsoft.dotnet-scaffold by default so unrelated installed tools are never executed with get-commands. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Copilot

🟡 Changes recommended

Discovery still enumerates and may restore unrelated tools before filtering.

Get a fresh assessment by requesting another Copilot review.

Pull request overview

This PR restricts default scaffolder discovery to Microsoft.dotnet-scaffold and updates related API documentation. However, broad tool listing and local restoration still occur before filtering.

Changes:

Filters default command probing to Microsoft.dotnet-scaffold.
Updates service documentation.

File summaries

File	Description
`src/dotnet-scaffolding/dotnet-scaffold/Services/IDotNetToolService.cs`	Documents the restricted default tool set.
`src/dotnet-scaffolding/dotnet-scaffold/Services/DotNetToolService.cs`	Filters discovered tools before querying commands.

Review details

Files reviewed: 2/2 changed files
Comments generated: 1
Review effort level: Lite

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Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Copilot

🟡 Changes recommended

Explicit component discovery must pass the selected component instead of using the restricted default.

Get a fresh assessment by requesting another Copilot review.

Review details

Files reviewed: 2/2 changed files
Comments generated: 1
Review effort level: Lite

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Copilot

🟡 Changes recommended

One or more issues must be addressed before approval.

Get a fresh assessment by requesting another Copilot review.

Review details

Files reviewed: 4/4 changed files
Comments generated: 1
Review effort level: Lite

Avoid depending on an unrestored local installation when retrieving built-in commands. Preserve third-party invocation and tool roll-forward support, and add regression coverage for local and global tool metadata. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: b044f665-4dd1-48e1-b5c7-b108fd553e9d

Copilot

Copilot review overview

🟡 Changes recommended

Add regression coverage for the default discovery path, including filtering unrelated tools and skipping restore.

Get a fresh assessment by requesting another Copilot review.

Review effort: Lite
Findings: 1

Open (1)

Add regression test for default command discovery filtering and restore avoidan… · New

Resolved since last review (1)

GetDotNetTools removes global entries when a local tool has the same Command before this filter…

Add a narrow execution wrapper so discovery tests can supply local/global tool-list fixtures and record process invocations without running installed tools. Cover null and empty defaults, filtering, restore avoidance, and explicit third-party component behavior. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: b044f665-4dd1-48e1-b5c7-b108fd553e9d

danroth27 · 2026-09-22T19:59:18Z

/azp run scaffolding-ci

azure-pipelines · 2026-09-22T19:59:30Z

Azure Pipelines: Successfully started running 1 pipeline(s).

Write the exit code, standard output, and standard error to xUnit output before checking scaffolded files so CI test results retain the underlying failure. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: b044f665-4dd1-48e1-b5c7-b108fd553e9d

Select Microsoft.Extensions 10.0.12 for older-target tool and shared-library builds so DiagnosticSource resolves to its matching framework asset instead of the incompatible .NET Standard fallback. Leave net10 and net11 versions unchanged. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: b044f665-4dd1-48e1-b5c7-b108fd553e9d

Copilot

Copilot review overview

🟢 Approval recommended

No unresolved blocking issues were identified.

Review effort: Lite
Findings: None

Resolved since last review (1)

Add regression test for default command discovery filtering and restore avoidan…

danroth27 marked this pull request as draft September 16, 2026 22:58

danroth27 added 8 commits September 16, 2026 16:13

danroth27 changed the title ~~Discover built-in scaffolders in process~~ Restrict scaffolder discovery to dotnet-scaffold Sep 17, 2026

Remove scaffolder package predicate test

388a8cf

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

danroth27 marked this pull request as ready for review September 17, 2026 22:50

danroth27 requested review from haileymck and a lite review from Copilot September 17, 2026 22:50

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of danroth27 September 17, 2026 22:53 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Sep 17, 2026

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Comment thread src/dotnet-scaffolding/dotnet-scaffold/Services/DotNetToolService.cs

danroth27 added 10 commits September 17, 2026 16:10

Skip tool restore during built-in discovery

77f01d3

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Reuse explicit component check

e567427

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Keep selected components non-null

b867bd1

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Avoid nullable suppression in tool discovery

799f337

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Distinguish null and empty component lists

add1e2d

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Clarify local tool restore behavior

9c8b012

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Preserve local tool restore rationale

b0f17d9

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Simplify local tool restore comment

33fa0e6

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Preserve empty component discovery behavior

e35d91f

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

Simplify default component selection

09335d4

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

danroth27 requested a lite review from Copilot September 18, 2026 00:17

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of danroth27 September 18, 2026 00:18 View session

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Comment thread src/dotnet-scaffolding/dotnet-scaffold/Services/DotNetToolService.cs

Preserve explicit component discovery

28a3412

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Copilot-Session: 7fb3b19f-ebcc-4206-acbe-23ac5b51963d

danroth27 requested a lite review from Copilot September 18, 2026 02:30

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of danroth27 September 18, 2026 02:31 View session

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Comment thread src/dotnet-scaffolding/dotnet-scaffold/Services/DotNetToolService.cs

haileymck requested a lite review from Copilot September 21, 2026 20:49

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of haileymck September 21, 2026 20:50 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Sep 21, 2026

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Comment thread src/dotnet-scaffolding/dotnet-scaffold/Services/DotNetToolService.cs

haileymck previously approved these changes Sep 22, 2026

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danroth27 enabled auto-merge September 22, 2026 18:49

danroth27 disabled auto-merge September 22, 2026 18:49

danroth27 enabled auto-merge (squash) September 22, 2026 18:50

danroth27 dismissed haileymck’s stale review via aa3b1af September 22, 2026 21:04

danroth27 requested a lite review from Copilot September 22, 2026 23:08

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of danroth27 September 22, 2026 23:09 View session

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This was referenced Sep 22, 2026

Measure Linux CI disk usage and clean SDK staging #3861

Open

Update .NET 11 Blazor Identity scaffolding #3836

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Restrict scaffolder discovery to dotnet-scaffold - #3833

Restrict scaffolder discovery to dotnet-scaffold#3833
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danroth27 commented Sep 16, 2026 •

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danroth27 commented Sep 16, 2026 •

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