Build, Publish and Deploy ASP.NET Web Applications from the Command Line

---
title: Build, Publish and Deploy ASP.NET Web Applications from the Command Line
subtitle: How to use the MSBuild (or dotnet) command to build, publish, deploy ASP.NET web applications from the command line.
author: Microsoft
date: December 12, 2019
source: https://github.com/aspnet/websdk/wiki
source: https://jonlabelle.com/snippets/view/markdown/build-publish-and-deploy-aspnet-web-applications-from-the-command-line
---

## Folder publish (Cross-platform)

using MSBuild (without a profile)

```
msbuild WebApplication.csproj /p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:PublishUrl="C:\deployedApp\newapp"
```

using dotnet (without a profile)

```
dotnet publish WebApplication.csproj /p:PublishDir="C:\deployedApp\newapp"
```

Profile can be added to the following location in the project `/Properties/PublishProfiles/<FolderProfile.pubxml>`. Folder Publish profile samples are available below:

Using MSBuild (with a profile)

```
msbuild WebApplication.csproj /p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:PublishProfile=<FolderProfile>
```

Using dotnet (with a profile)

```
dotnet publish WebApplication.csproj /p:PublishProfile=<FolderProfile>
```

### Sample Folder Profile:

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
    <PropertyGroup>
    <WebPublishMethod>FileSystem</WebPublishMethod>
    <PublishProvider>FileSystem</PublishProvider>
    <LastUsedBuildConfiguration>Release</LastUsedBuildConfiguration>
    <LastUsedPlatform>Any CPU</LastUsedPlatform>
    <publishUrl>bin\Release\PublishOutput</publishUrl>
    <DeleteExistingFiles>False</DeleteExistingFiles>
  </PropertyGroup>
</Project>
```

> source: <https://github.com/aspnet/websdk/wiki/Folder-Publish-(Cross-Plat)>

## MsDeploy Package

Using MsBuild (with the default profile)

```
msbuild WebApplication.csproj /p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:WebPublishMethod=Package /p:PublishProfile=Default
```

Using dotnet (with the default profile)

```
dotnet publish WebApplication.csproj /p:WebPublishMethod=Package /p:PublishProfile=Default
```

Profile can be added to the following location in the project `/Properties/PublishProfiles/<MsDeployPackage.pubxml>`. MsDeployPackage Publish profile samples are available below:

Using MsBuild (with a profile)

```
msbuild WebApplication.csproj /p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:PublishProfile=<MsDeployPackage>
```

Using dotnet (with a profile)

```
dotnet publish WebApplication.csproj /p:PublishProfile=<MsDeployPackage>
```

### Sample MsDeploy Package Publish Profile

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <WebPublishMethod>Package</WebPublishMethod>
    <LastUsedBuildConfiguration>Release</LastUsedBuildConfiguration>
    <LastUsedPlatform>Any CPU</LastUsedPlatform>
    <DesktopBuildPackageLocation>c:\DeployedApp\WebDeployPackage.zip</DesktopBuildPackageLocation>
    <DeployIisAppPath>Default Web Site/WebAppWithDB</DeployIisAppPath>
  </PropertyGroup>
</Project>
```

> source: <https://github.com/aspnet/websdk/wiki/MSDeploy-Package-Publish>

## MSDeploy Publish

Using MsBuild (with the default profile)

```
msbuild WebApplication.csproj /p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:WebPublishMethod=MSDeploy /p:MSDeployServiceURL=<msdeployUrl> /p:DeployIisAppPath=<IISSiteName> /p:UserName=<username> /p:Password=<DeploymentPassword> /p:PublishProfile=Default
```

Using dotnet (with the default profile)

```
dotnet publish WebApplication.csproj /p:WebPublishMethod=MSDeploy /p:MSDeployServiceURL=<msdeployUrl> /p:DeployIisAppPath=<IISSiteName> /p:UserName=<username> /p:Password=<DeploymentPassword> /p:PublishProfile=Default
```

Profile can be added to the following location in the project `/Properties/PublishProfiles/<MsDeployProfile.pubxml>`. MsDeploy Publish profile samples are available below:

Using MsBuild (with a profile)

```
msbuild WebApplication.csproj /p:DeployOnBuild=true /p:PublishProfile=<MsDeployProfile> /p:Password=<DeploymentPassword>
```

Using dotnet (with a profile)

```
dotnet publish WebApplication.csproj /p:PublishProfile=<MsDeployProfile> /p:Password=<DeploymentPassword>
```

### Sample MsDeploy Publish Profile:

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <WebPublishMethod>MSDeploy</WebPublishMethod>
    <PublishProvider>AzureWebSite</PublishProvider>
    <LastUsedBuildConfiguration>Release</LastUsedBuildConfiguration>
    <LastUsedPlatform>Any CPU</LastUsedPlatform>
    <SiteUrlToLaunchAfterPublish>http://webappwithdb.azurewebsites.net</SiteUrlToLaunchAfterPublish>
    <LaunchSiteAfterPublish>True</LaunchSiteAfterPublish>
    <MSDeployServiceURL>webappwithdb.scm.azurewebsites.net:443</MSDeployServiceURL>
    <DeployIisAppPath>webappwithdb</DeployIisAppPath>
    <SkipExtraFilesOnServer>True</SkipExtraFilesOnServer>
    <MSDeployPublishMethod>WMSVC</MSDeployPublishMethod>
    <EnableMSDeployBackup>True</EnableMSDeployBackup>
    <UserName>$vramakwebappwithdb</UserName>
    <Password>DeployPassword</Password>
  </PropertyGroup>
</Project>
```

### Sample MsDeploy Profile With Destination Connection String and EF Migrations

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <WebPublishMethod>MSDeploy</WebPublishMethod>
    <PublishProvider>AzureWebSite</PublishProvider>
    <LastUsedBuildConfiguration>Release</LastUsedBuildConfiguration>
    <LastUsedPlatform>Any CPU</LastUsedPlatform>
    <SiteUrlToLaunchAfterPublish>http://webappwithdb.azurewebsites.net</SiteUrlToLaunchAfterPublish>
    <LaunchSiteAfterPublish>True</LaunchSiteAfterPublish>
    <MSDeployServiceURL>webappwithdb.scm.azurewebsites.net:443</MSDeployServiceURL>
    <DeployIisAppPath>webappwithdb</DeployIisAppPath>
    <SkipExtraFilesOnServer>True</SkipExtraFilesOnServer>
    <MSDeployPublishMethod>WMSVC</MSDeployPublishMethod>
    <EnableMSDeployBackup>True</EnableMSDeployBackup>
    <UserName>$vramakwebappwithdb</UserName>
    <Password>DeployPassword</Password>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <DestinationConnectionStrings Include="ShoppingCartConnection">
      <Value>Data Source=tcp:dbserver.database.windows.net,1433;Initial Catalog=shoppingcartdbdb_db;User Id=appUser@dbserver;Password=password</Value>
    </DestinationConnectionStrings>
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <EFMigrations Include="ShoppingCartContext">
      <Value>Data Source=tcp:dbserver.database.windows.net,1433;Initial Catalog=shoppingcartdbdb_db;User Id=efMigrationUser@dbserver;Password=password</Value>
    </EFMigrations>
  </ItemGroup>
</Project>
```

Sample to prevent files from being published:

```xml
<ItemGroup>
    <Content Update="wwwroot/images/*.svg" CopyToPublishDirectory="Never" />
</ItemGroup>
```

Sample to skip specific folders and files during Web Deploy Publish:

```xml
<ItemGroup>
    <MsDeploySkipRules Include="CustomSkipFolder1">
      <ObjectName>dirPath</ObjectName>
      <AbsolutePath>wwwroot</AbsolutePath>
    </MsDeploySkipRules>

    <MsDeploySkipRules Include="CustomSkipFolder2">
      <ObjectName>dirPath</ObjectName>
      <AbsolutePath>wwwroot\\Content$</AbsolutePath>
    </MsDeploySkipRules>

    <MsDeploySkipRules Include="CustomSkipFile1">
      <ObjectName>filePath</ObjectName>
      <AbsolutePath>Views\\Home\\About.cshtml</AbsolutePath>
    </MsDeploySkipRules>

     <MsDeploySkipRules Include="CustomSkipFile2">
      <ObjectName>filePath</ObjectName>
      <AbsolutePath>Views\\Home\\About2.cshtml</AbsolutePath>
    </MsDeploySkipRules>
</ItemGroup>
```

> source: <https://github.com/aspnet/websdk/wiki/MSDeploy-Publish>

## Publish Extensibility

Sample to Add Pre-Publish and Post-Publish extensibility:

```xml
  <Target Name="CustomActionsBeforePublish" BeforeTargets="BeforePublish">
    <Message Text="Actions BeforePublish" Importance="high" />
  </Target>

  <Target Name="CustomActionsAfterPublish" AfterTargets="AfterPublish">
    <Message Text="Actions AfterPublish" Importance="high" />
  </Target>
```

> source: <https://github.com/aspnet/websdk/wiki/Publish-Extensibility>