Aspnet Core
fanslead/ReverseProxy.Store
Build, review, refactor, or architect ASP.NET Core web applications using current official guidance for .NET web development.
Compares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications.
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Install Template Comparison
$ npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install dotnet/skills template-comparison --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/dotnet/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison .claude/skills/template-comparison && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "template-comparison" agent skill from https://github.com/dotnet/skills/tree/main/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison into .claude/skills/template-comparison/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "template-comparison", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/dotnet/skills/tree/main/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparisonType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install dotnet/skills template-comparison --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/dotnet/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison .agents/skills/template-comparison && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "template-comparison" agent skill from https://github.com/dotnet/skills/tree/main/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison into .agents/skills/template-comparison/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "template-comparison", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install dotnet/skills template-comparison --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/dotnet/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison .cursor/skills/template-comparison && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "template-comparison" agent skill from https://github.com/dotnet/skills/tree/main/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison into .cursor/skills/template-comparison/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "template-comparison", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/dotnet/skills.git --path plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install dotnet/skills template-comparison --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/dotnet/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison .gemini/skills/template-comparison && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "template-comparison" agent skill from https://github.com/dotnet/skills/tree/main/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison into .gemini/skills/template-comparison/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "template-comparison", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install dotnet/skills template-comparisonInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/dotnet/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison .github/skills/template-comparison && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "template-comparison" agent skill from https://github.com/dotnet/skills/tree/main/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison into .github/skills/template-comparison/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "template-comparison", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install dotnet/skills template-comparison --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/dotnet/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison .opencode/skills/template-comparison && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "template-comparison" agent skill from https://github.com/dotnet/skills/tree/main/plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison into .opencode/skills/template-comparison/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "template-comparison", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
template-comparison- GitHub stars
- 5.6k
- Used in
- 1 other repo
- Token cost
- ~2.1k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 963 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 91
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Compares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications.
- Works in 3 steps: Inspect each template → Build the comparison table → Recommend
- : deciding between similar templates (webapi vs webapp
- SKILL.md covers When to Use, When Not to Use, Inputs and Workflow, plus 3 more sections
- Calls dotnet
What it does
Template Comparison is an agent skill from dotnet/skills, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Compares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications. USE FOR: deciding between similar templates (webapi vs webapp, blazor vs blazorwasm, console vs worker), producing a side-by-side comparison of parameters and feature support, understanding how templates differ before creating a project. DO NOT USE FOR: creating a project from a template (use template-instantiation), authoring or validating custom…
Its SKILL.md is about 2.1k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.
It works with .NET and Blazor. The repository describes itself as: Repository for skills to assist AI coding agents with .NET and C. The licence is MIT.
When your agent uses it
- : deciding between similar templates (webapi vs webapp
- Blazor vs blazorwasm
- Console vs worker)
- Producing a side-by-side comparison of parameters and feature support
Example prompts
- “Use the template-comparison skill to compare two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters…”
- “/template-comparison”
Requirements
- Docker
Workflow steps
3 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 8d670fa. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
Shell commands in SKILL.md call:
dotnet
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):
learn.microsoft.com
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Template Comparison loads about 2.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 162 tokens; SKILL.md has 963 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from dotnet/skills at commit 8d670fa, republished under its MIT licence (© dotnet). 963 words, ~2,055 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/template-comparison/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- template-comparison
- description
- Compares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications. USE FOR: deciding between similar templates (webapi vs webapp, blazor vs blazorwasm, console vs worker), producing a side-by-side comparison of parameters and feature support, understanding how templates differ before creating a project. DO NOT USE FOR: creating a project from a template (use template-instantiation), authoring or validating custom templates (use template-authoring and template-validation), general single-template discovery (use template-discovery).
- license
- MIT
Template Comparison
This skill helps an agent compare 2+ dotnet new templates side by side so the user can
pick the right one. It inspects each template's parameters and feature support and renders
a comparison table.
When to Use
- User is deciding between similar templates (e.g.,
webapivswebapp,blazorvsblazorwasm) - User asks "which template should I use for X?"
- User wants to understand how two or more templates differ before creating a project
When Not to Use
- User wants to create a project — route to
template-instantiation - User wants to author or validate a custom template — route to
template-authoringortemplate-validation - User just needs to find or inspect a single template — route to
template-discovery
Inputs
| Input | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Template short names | Yes | Two or more template short names to compare (e.g., webapi, webapp) |
| Comparison focus | No | Optional aspect to emphasize (auth, AOT, frameworks, interactivity) |
Workflow
Evidence contract: a side-by-side table is useful only when every option claim is
grounded in the currently installed templates. Run each --help command sequentially,
capture the same requested dimensions for each template, and label an unavailable option
as Not exposed rather than guessing or borrowing a flag from another template.
Decision contract: optimize the comparison for the user's stated decision, not table
size. Cover every requested dimension, omit unrelated option rows, give a scenario-specific
reason, and include one safe --dry-run command for the recommended starting point when it
would make the recommendation actionable.
Step 1: Inspect each template
Run dotnet new <template> --help for each template being compared to collect its
parameters (names, types, defaults, choices) and supported frameworks:
dotnet new webapi --help
dotnet new webapp --helpIf a template is not installed, search for its provider and report the missing prerequisite. Install it only when the user asked you to modify the environment or approved the install.
Run
--helpcalls sequentially. The template engine uses a global mutex, so running severaldotnet new <template> --helpcommands concurrently can fail with a transient "mutex"/"persistence" error and empty output. Inspect templates one at a time; if a call fails, retry it once before moving on, and still produce the comparison from whatever parameter knowledge you have rather than ending with no answer.
Step 2: Build the comparison table
Produce a side-by-side table covering:
- Parameters — name, type, default, choices
- Feature support — auth, AOT, Docker, controllers, interactivity
- Available frameworks — e.g., net8.0, net9.0, net10.0
- Classifications — categories the template advertises (Web, API, Blazor, etc.)
Use one row per requested decision dimension and cite the observed option name in the cell. Do not fill a requested row with general framework knowledge when it is specifically about what the template generates or exposes.
When the user asks about generated dependencies without allowing project creation,
inspect the installed template package's source .csproj files. --help and --dry-run
do not reveal package references. Do not create temporary projects merely to inspect them,
and do not guess current package IDs or test-platform defaults.
Example shape:
| Aspect | webapi | webapp |
|---|---|---|
Auth (--auth) | None, Individual, SingleOrg, Windows | None, Individual, SingleOrg, ... |
AOT (--aot flag) | present if dotnet new webapi --help lists --aot | present if dotnet new webapp --help lists --aot |
Controllers (--use-controllers) | Yes | n/a |
| Interactivity | n/a | n/a |
| Frameworks | net8.0 / net9.0 / net10.0 | net8.0 / net9.0 / net10.0 |
| Classifications | Web, WebAPI | Web, Razor Pages |
Step 3: Recommend
End with a decisive Recommendation line — never leave the user with just a table. Format:
Recommendation:
<template>— one sentence tying the choice to the user's stated scenario. (Pick the other if<condition>.)
Then link to template-instantiation to create it. A comparison that ends without naming a winner (or a clear "it depends on X") is incomplete — that indecision is what makes this skill tie with a plain answer.
Show full SKILL.md (359 more words)Show less
Decision shortcuts for common pairs
Use these only for the recommendation, not as evidence of current parameter support. Still
inspect with --help before filling the comparison table:
| Pair | Default pick | Because |
|---|---|---|
webapi vs webapp | webapi for a JSON/REST backend; webapp for server-rendered HTML/Razor Pages | webapi ships controllers/minimal APIs + OpenAPI, no UI |
blazor vs blazorwasm | blazorwasm when offline / no server is required; blazor (Web App) for flexible server + client interactivity | Standalone WASM runs fully client-side, works offline |
worker vs console | worker for long-lived/queue/background processing | Generic Host: DI, logging, config, graceful shutdown, IHostedService lifecycle |
mvc vs webapp | webapp (Razor Pages) for page-focused apps; mvc for controller/view separation at scale | Razor Pages is lighter for CRUD-style pages |
These constraints override the shorthand above:
- Choose
mvcwhen the user explicitly anticipates a large application or shared controller logic, even if its first pages are CRUD-focused. - Choose
blazorwith Server interactivity overwebappwhen rich interactive forms are central but useful HTML must arrive on the first response. Explain that the initial render is server-produced and that interactive components use the Blazor form/component model rather than Razor PagesPageModel. - For offline support, choose
blazorwasmand explain the PWA/service-worker requirement, cached-after-first-load behavior, and lack of a required live server for execution. - For a durable queue processor, choose
workerand tie the decision to Generic Host lifecycle, dependency injection, configuration, logging, graceful shutdown, and a real durable queue rather than an in-memory loop.
Validation
- Every template requested was inspected via
dotnet new <template> --help - The comparison covers parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications
- Differences relevant to the user's scenario are called out explicitly
- A recommendation (or clear trade-off) is provided
- Unsupported or absent options are labeled instead of guessed
- The final recommendation is a single decisive
Recommendation:line
Common Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Solution |
|---|---|
| Comparing uninstalled templates from memory | Install and inspect each template so the comparison reflects the real parameters and choices. |
| Assuming feature parity | Parameter names and feature support vary by template — confirm each with --help. |
| Comparing fundamentally different template types | Only compare templates that solve overlapping problems; note when they target different scenarios. |
More Info
- dotnet new templates — built-in template reference
- dotnet new — CLI reference
© dotnet, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
Just SKILL.md in plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison of dotnet/skills.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 8d670fa
Used in 1 other repository
We found 2 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 1 other GitHub owner. This page covers the copy in dotnet/skills, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.
Compare with similar skills
Template Comparison next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template Comparison this skilldotnet/skills | 5.6k | 1 repos | ~2.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Aspnet Corefanslead/ReverseProxy.Store | 163 | 2 repos | ~1.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Maui AI DebuggingRedth/Maui.Gtk | 101 | — | ~4.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Test Firstdeanhume/html-minifier | 142 | — | ~876 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| QA TesterJocysCom/FocusLogger | 213 | — | ~12k | Automated safety check: Pass | GPL-3.0 | |
| Maui Hot Reload Diagnosticsdavidortinau/maui-skills | 174 | — | ~1.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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Related
Questions about Template Comparison
What does Template Comparison do?
Compares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications. Template Comparison is an agent skill from dotnet/skills, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Compares two or more dotnet new templates side by side to help users choose between them based on parameters, feature support, frameworks, and classifications.
When should I use Template Comparison?
Template Comparison fits situations like: : deciding between similar templates (webapi vs webapp; blazor vs blazorwasm; console vs worker); producing a side-by-side comparison of parameters and feature support.
How do I install Template Comparison in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison in dotnet/skills) into .claude/skills/template-comparison in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Template Comparison in Codex?
Run `npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/dotnet-template-engine/skills/template-comparison in dotnet/skills) into .agents/skills/template-comparison in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Template Comparison in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill template-comparison -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/template-comparison, .gemini/skills/template-comparison, .github/skills/template-comparison and .opencode/skills/template-comparison in your project.
What does Template Comparison need to run?
Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Template Comparison needs the command-line tools its instructions call (dotnet). Our summary lists: Docker.
Does Template Comparison access the network?
SKILL.md names 1 domain. As links in the text: learn.microsoft.com. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Template Comparison safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Template Comparison use?
Template Comparison is published under the MIT licence (declared in SKILL.md). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Template Comparison use?
About 2.1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 8.2k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Template Comparison?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Template Comparison: Aspnet Core (fanslead/ReverseProxy.Store, 163 stars), Maui AI Debugging (Redth/Maui.Gtk, 101 stars), Test First (deanhume/html-minifier, 142 stars) and QA Tester (JocysCom/FocusLogger, 213 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Template Comparison?
dotnet (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in dotnet/skills, which has 5,568 GitHub stars. The repository holds 91 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 7, 2026.
Source: dotnet/skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.