How to install NuGet Packages locally

If you are a NuGet package creator and want to test it before publish them, just need to register a new source in NuGet.Config file.

OS	Path
Win	%appdata%\NuGet\NuGet.Config
Mac	~/.nuget/NuGet/NuGet.Config

Open your file, and inside packageSources add a new local key following this structure <add key="local" value="path" />. This path can be a relative or absolute from NuGet.config folder.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <packageSources>
    <add key="nuget.org" value="https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json" protocolVersion="3" />
    <add key="local" value="/Users/username/NuGet/Packages" />
  </packageSources>
</configuration>

Now you can install a package locally with dotnet add package and source option to local.

dotnet add package <PACKAGE_NAME> -s local

NuGet will search the nupkg file to be restored from your local folder.

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When you want to switch to restore de Package from nuget.org. That may show a message saying it is unable to find the new version. You'll need to clear your local packages cache before restoring.

dotnet nuget locals --clear all

Afterward, you can restore packages without a problem:

dotnet restore or dotnet build

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That’s All Folks!
Happy Coding 🖖

Comments

[Platinum Lucario]

I tried following everything you said in there, it doesn't work...

C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\VG Music Studio - GTK4>dotnet add package C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\CreateNugets\bin\Release\VGMusicStudio.Dependencies.Adwaita.Native.win-x64.1.6.3.nupkg -s local

Build succeeded in 1.2s
info : X.509 certificate chain validation will use the default trust store selected by .NET for code signing.
info : X.509 certificate chain validation will use the default trust store selected by .NET for timestamping.
info : Adding PackageReference for package 'C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\CreateNugets\bin\Release\VGMusicStudio.Dependencies.Adwaita.Native.win-x64.1.6.3.nupkg' into project 'C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\VG Music Studio - GTK4\VG Music Studio - GTK4.csproj'.
error: There are no versions available for the package 'C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\CreateNugets\bin\Release\VGMusicStudio.Dependencies.Adwaita.Native.win-x64.1.6.3.nupkg'.

And when I try to put in --version followed by the version number, this happens:

C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\VG Music Studio - GTK4>dotnet add package C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\CreateNugets\bin\Release\VGMusicStudio.Dependencies.Adwaita.Native.win-x64.1.6.3.nupkg -s local --version 1.6.3

Build succeeded in 1.0s
info : X.509 certificate chain validation will use the default trust store selected by .NET for code signing.
info : X.509 certificate chain validation will use the default trust store selected by .NET for timestamping.
info : Adding PackageReference for package 'C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\CreateNugets\bin\Release\VGMusicStudio.Dependencies.Adwaita.Native.win-x64.1.6.3.nupkg' into project 'C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\VG Music Studio - GTK4\VG Music Studio - GTK4.csproj'.
info : Restoring packages for C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\VG Music Studio - GTK4\VG Music Studio - GTK4.csproj...
error: NU1101: Unable to find package C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\CreateNugets\bin\Release\VGMusicStudio.Dependencies.Adwaita.Native.win-x64.1.6.3.nupkg. No packages exist with this id in source(s): C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\VG Music Studio - GTK4\local
error: Package 'C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\CreateNugets\bin\Release\VGMusicStudio.Dependencies.Adwaita.Native.win-x64.1.6.3.nupkg' is incompatible with 'all' frameworks in project 'C:\Users\Silve\source\repos\VGMusicStudio\VG Music Studio - GTK4\VG Music Studio - GTK4.csproj'.

Either I'm doing it completely wrong, there's something wrong with my csproj, or this guide is completely misleading.

[Camilo Martinez]

Sorry, I'm actually nos working with nuget anymore.
This guide is almos 4 years old, so it's possible that not apply for current versions.