Octocode Code Research
bgauryy/octocode
Researches code with evidence: traces callers, imports and cross-repo links, diagnoses failures and reports findings with exact file and line references and a confidence label.
Reference for how MSBuildLocator loads MSBuild assemblies and finds the .NET SDK on .NET Core hosts, for anyone editing or debugging that loader code.
Install MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader
$ npx skills add microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/MSBuildLocator msbuild-loader-netcore --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/microsoft/MSBuildLocator.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore .claude/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore && 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 "msbuild-loader-netcore" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator/tree/main/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore into .claude/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "msbuild-loader-netcore", 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/microsoft/MSBuildLocator/tree/main/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcoreType 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 microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/MSBuildLocator msbuild-loader-netcore --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore .agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "msbuild-loader-netcore" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator/tree/main/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore into .agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "msbuild-loader-netcore", 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 microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/MSBuildLocator msbuild-loader-netcore --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore .cursor/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore && 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 "msbuild-loader-netcore" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator/tree/main/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore into .cursor/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "msbuild-loader-netcore", 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/microsoft/MSBuildLocator.git --path .agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore--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 microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/MSBuildLocator msbuild-loader-netcore --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore .gemini/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore && 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 "msbuild-loader-netcore" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator/tree/main/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore into .gemini/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "msbuild-loader-netcore", 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 microsoft/MSBuildLocator msbuild-loader-netcoreInstalls 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 microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore .github/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore && 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 "msbuild-loader-netcore" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator/tree/main/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore into .github/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "msbuild-loader-netcore", 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 microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/MSBuildLocator msbuild-loader-netcore --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore .opencode/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore && 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 "msbuild-loader-netcore" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/MSBuildLocator/tree/main/.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore into .opencode/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "msbuild-loader-netcore", 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
msbuild-loader-netcore- GitHub stars
- 263
- Token cost
- ~1.1k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 354 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 3
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- Custom licence
At a glance
Reference for how MSBuildLocator loads MSBuild assemblies and finds the .NET SDK on .NET Core hosts, for anyone editing or debugging that loader code.
- Editing or reviewing the net8.0 loader, registration or SDK-discovery code
- SKILL.md covers Assembly-resolution handler, SDK environment variables…, SDK discovery and Widening flags, plus 2 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
- Diagnosing assembly-resolution problems on a .NET Core host
What it does
The skill documents the net8.0 branches, the NETCOREAPP code paths, of MSBuildLocator, covering MSBuildLocator.cs, DotNetSdkLocationHelper.cs and NativeMethods.cs. The assembly-resolution handler hooks AssemblyLoadContext.Default.Resolving, caches loaded assemblies by full name under a lock because resolution is not thread-safe, and probes each registered search path for the requested DLL before loading it with Assembly.LoadFrom.
On registration it sets MSBUILD_EXE_PATH, MSBuildExtensionsPath and MSBuildSDKsPath for the chosen SDK, with different rules for RegisterMSBuildPath, its array overload and RegisterInstance. SDK discovery goes through hostfxr (hostfxr_resolve_sdk2, which honors global.json, and hostfxr_get_available_sdks), and the dotnet location is probed in order from DOTNET_ROOT, the current process directory, DOTNET_HOST_PATH, DOTNET_MSBUILD_SDK_RESOLVER_CLI_DIR and PATH. The .NET Framework path is covered by a separate skill.
When your agent uses it
- Editing or reviewing the net8.0 loader, registration or SDK-discovery code
- Diagnosing assembly-resolution problems on a .NET Core host
- Checking the order in which MSBuildLocator looks for the dotnet install
Example prompts
- “Review my change to the Resolving handler in MSBuildLocator for thread safety.”
- “Why does MSBuildLocator pick the wrong SDK when global.json is present?”
- “Which environment variables does registration set for the .NET SDK, and when?”
Requirements
- A checkout of the MSBuildLocator repository
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit ff0b900. 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
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
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
MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader loads about 1.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 140 tokens; SKILL.md has 354 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
Its licence (Custom licence) doesn't allow us to republish the file, so here is its outline and opening line. It has 354 words (~1,052 tokens).
“Scope: src/MSBuildLocator/MSBuildLocator.cs #if NETCOREAPP branches, plus DotNetSdkLocationHelper.cs and NativeMethods.cs. For build/test and cross-cutting conventions, see AGENTS.md.”
- name
- msbuild-loader-netcore
Files
Just SKILL.md in .agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore of microsoft/MSBuildLocator.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit ff0b900
Compare with similar skills
MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader this skillmicrosoft/MSBuildLocator | 263 | — | ~1.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | Custom licence | |
| Octocode Code Researchbgauryy/octocode | 946 | — | ~1.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Dotnet Debuggingnovotnyllc/dotnet-artisan | 233 | — | ~2.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Okojo Node Ink Debugakeit0/okojo | 160 | — | ~798 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Nes Rom Debugjonathanpeppers/dotnes | 780 | — | ~1.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Raven Debug Compilermarinasundstrom/raven | 108 | — | ~1.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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More from microsoft/MSBuildLocator
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Related
Works with
Categories
Questions about MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader
What does MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader do?
Reference for how MSBuildLocator loads MSBuild assemblies and finds the .NET SDK on .NET Core hosts, for anyone editing or debugging that loader code. cs.LoadFrom.
When should I use MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader?
MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader fits situations like: editing or reviewing the net8.0 loader, registration or SDK-discovery code; diagnosing assembly-resolution problems on a .NET Core host; checking the order in which MSBuildLocator looks for the dotnet install.
How do I install MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore in microsoft/MSBuildLocator) into .claude/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader in Codex?
Run `npx skills add microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (.agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore in microsoft/MSBuildLocator) into .agents/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader 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 microsoft/MSBuildLocator --skill msbuild-loader-netcore -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore, .gemini/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore, .github/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore and .opencode/skills/msbuild-loader-netcore in your project.
What does MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: A checkout of the MSBuildLocator repository.
Does MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader 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 MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader use?
MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader has a licence file (the repository's licence) that doesn't match a standard licence. Read it on GitHub before reusing the skill.
How many tokens does MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader use?
About 1.1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 4.2k 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 MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader: Octocode Code Research (bgauryy/octocode, 946 stars), Dotnet Debugging (novotnyllc/dotnet-artisan, 233 stars), Okojo Node Ink Debug (akeit0/okojo, 160 stars) and Nes Rom Debug (jonathanpeppers/dotnes, 780 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains MSBuildLocator .NET Core Loader?
microsoft (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in microsoft/MSBuildLocator, which has 263 GitHub stars. The repository holds 3 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 6, 2026.
Source: microsoft/MSBuildLocator on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.