Update Packages

1. Install / restore dotnet-outdated tool

Run once per machine (or verify it is already installed):

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-outdated-tool

If already installed, update the tool itself to the latest version:

dotnet tool update --global dotnet-outdated-tool

2. Inspect outdated packages (dry run)

Navigate to the solution root and list all outdated packages without applying changes:

dotnet outdated backend.slnx

Pinned packages – do not upgrade beyond the listed major version regardless of instructions:

Package	Max allowed version
MassTransit.*	8.x.x

Review the output. Note packages that are:

• patch updates – safe, apply unconditionally.
• minor updates – generally safe, but review changelog for breaking changes.
• major updates – require manual review; apply one-by-one and verify.

3. Apply updates

Default behavior: patch and minor updates only.
Major version upgrades must never be applied unless the user explicitly requests them.

Default – Update patch and minor versions (always safe to run)

dotnet outdated backend.slnx --upgrade --version-lock Major

Explicit instruction only – Update a specific package including a major bump

Only run this when the user has explicitly named the package and the target major version:

dotnet outdated backend.slnx --upgrade --include <PackageName>

Explicit instruction only – Update all packages including major versions

Only run this when the user has explicitly requested a full upgrade across all major versions:

dotnet outdated backend.slnx --upgrade

Important: This project uses Central Package Management (Directory.Packages.props). dotnet-outdated respects CPM and updates versions in that file. Verify that Directory.Packages.props was modified after the upgrade step.

4. Verify restore

After upgrades are applied, run a full restore to confirm no version conflicts:

dotnet restore backend.slnx

If restore fails:

• Identify the conflicting package from the error output.
• Revert that specific version entry in Directory.Packages.props to its previous value.
• Re-run dotnet restore until clean.

5. Build verification

After a successful restore, confirm the solution still builds:

dotnet build backend.slnx --no-restore

Fix any compilation errors introduced by API changes in updated packages before proceeding.

6. Commit

Use a Conventional Commit message, e.g.:

chore(deps): update NuGet packages to latest versions

If updating a single notable package, include it in the scope:

chore(deps): update MassTransit to 8.x

Rules

• Never update packages directly on main.
• Always run dotnet restore and dotnet build after updates.
• Do not manually edit Directory.Packages.props to bump versions during this workflow – let dotnet-outdated --upgrade handle it.
• Major version upgrades are forbidden by default. Only apply them when the user has explicitly given the instruction, naming the package or confirming a full major upgrade.
• When a major upgrade is explicitly requested, apply and validate one package at a time to isolate issues.
• If a package update causes build or test failures, revert that package's version and document it in the PR description.

Done Criteria

• All targeted packages updated in Directory.Packages.props.
• dotnet restore completes without errors.
• dotnet build completes without errors.
• Changes committed on a feature branch with a compliant Conventional Commit message.
• PR opened targeting develop with a summary of updated packages.37:["$","$L3e",null,{"content":"$3f","frontMatter":{"name":"update-packages","description":"Update all outdated NuGet packages in the solution using dotnet-outdated. Handles tool installation, discovery, and safe update workflow with restore verification."}}]