Debugging a NuGet Package in Visual Studio 2019: A Perplexing Yet Bursting Task

Debugging a NuGet package in Visual Studio 2019 can be a challenging task, particularly for those who are new to the process. However, with the right knowledge and tools, debugging a NuGet package in Visual Studio 2019 can be a breeze. In this article, you will learn the steps you need to implement to debug a NuGet package in Visual Studio 2019.

Step 1: Install the NuGet Package

Before you can start debugging a NuGet package, you need to install it. You can do this easily in Visual Studio 2019. Simply go to the “Tools” menu and select “NuGet Package Manager” and then “Manage NuGet Packages for Solution”. Once the NuGet Package Manager is open, you can search for the package you want to install, and then click on the “Install” button. This will install the NuGet package and any dependencies that it may have.

Step 2: Add the Package to Your Project

Once you have installed the NuGet package, you need to add it to your project. To do this, right-click on your project in the “Solution Explorer” and select “Add” and then “Reference”. In the “Reference Manager” window, you should see the NuGet package you just installed in the “Installed” section. Select the package and then click on the “OK” button to add it to your project.

Step 3: Debug the Package

Now that you have installed and added the NuGet package to your project, you can start debugging it. First, you need to set breakpoints in the package code. To do this, locate the code that you want to debug and click on the left-hand margin of the code editor to create a breakpoint. You can set breakpoints in both the NuGet package code and in your own code that calls the package.

Next, you need to start the debugger. To do this, go to the “Debug” menu and select “Start Debugging” or press the F5 key. This will start the debugger and attach it to your application. When your application runs, the debugger will stop at any breakpoints you set, allowing you to step through the code and see exactly what is happening.

Step 4: Debug the Package Using Source Code

Sometimes, you may need to debug a package using its source code instead of the compiled package code. To do this, you will need to download the source code for the package and add it to your solution. Once you have the source code, you can add it to your solution by right-clicking on your project and selecting “Add” and then “Existing Project”. Browse to the location of the source code and select the project file for the package.

Once you have added the source code project to your solution, you can set breakpoints in the package code just as you would with your own code. When you start the debugger, it will use the source code instead of the compiled package code.

Conclusion

Debugging a NuGet package in Visual Studio 2019 may seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and knowledge, it can be straightforward. By installing the NuGet package, adding it to your project, and setting breakpoints in the code, you can easily debug the package and see exactly what is happening. And if you need to debug using the source code, you now know how to do that as well. With these steps, you can become a master at debugging NuGet packages in Visual Studio 2019.