Fix: dotnet command not found error C#

The ‘dotnet command not found’ error occurs when the .NET SDK is installed but the dotnet command is not accessible from the command line, typically due to PATH configuration issues.

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How the Error Happens

This error typically occurs when:

• .NET SDK is installed but not added to PATH
• Terminal/shell was opened before SDK installation
• PATH environment variable is misconfigured
• Wrong installation directory
• Multiple conflicting installations

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Solution 1: Verify .NET SDK Installation

# ❌ This shows the error
dotnet --version
# Output: bash: dotnet: command not found (Linux/Mac) or 'dotnet' is not recognized (Windows)

# ✅ First, verify if .NET SDK is actually installed
# Windows:
dir "C:\Program Files\dotnet" /s

# macOS:
ls -la /usr/local/share/dotnet/

# Linux:
ls -la /usr/share/dotnet/

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Solution 2: Add .NET to PATH (Windows)

# ✅ Check current PATH
echo %PATH%

# ✅ Add to PATH via Command Prompt (temporary)
set PATH=%PATH%;C:\Program Files\dotnet\

# ✅ Add to PATH permanently via Command Prompt
setx PATH "%PATH%;C:\Program Files\dotnet\" /M

# ✅ PowerShell method to add to PATH
$currentPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", "Machine")
$newPath = $currentPath + ";C:\Program Files\dotnet\"
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", $newPath, "Machine")

# ✅ Or add to user PATH
$userPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", "User")
$userPath += ";C:\Program Files\dotnet\"
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", $userPath, "User")

# ✅ Alternative: Use System Properties
# 1. Press Win+R, type "sysdm.cpl"
# 2. Go to Advanced tab
# 3. Click Environment Variables
# 4. Under System Variables, find "Path"
# 5. Click Edit > New > Add "C:\Program Files\dotnet\"

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Solution 3: Add .NET to PATH (macOS/Linux)

# ✅ Check current PATH
echo $PATH

# ✅ Add to PATH in bash profile (permanent)
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/share/dotnet' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

# ✅ For zsh users
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/share/dotnet' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

# ✅ For fish shell users
echo 'set -gx PATH $PATH /usr/local/share/dotnet' >> ~/.config/fish/config.fish

# ✅ Create symbolic link (Linux/macOS)
sudo ln -s /usr/local/share/dotnet/dotnet /usr/local/bin/dotnet

# ✅ Or copy to bin directory
sudo cp /usr/local/share/dotnet/dotnet /usr/local/bin/

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Solution 4: Restart Terminal/Shell

# ✅ Close and reopen terminal after PATH changes
# Or restart shell session:

# For bash:
exec bash

# For zsh:
exec zsh

# For PowerShell:
# Close and reopen PowerShell as Administrator

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Solution 5: Use Full Path as Temporary Workaround

# ✅ Use full path to dotnet executable
# Windows:
"C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe" --version

# macOS/Linux:
/usr/local/share/dotnet/dotnet --version

# ✅ Create alias for convenience
# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:
alias dotnet="/usr/local/share/dotnet/dotnet"

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Solution 6: Verify Installation Location

# ✅ Find where dotnet is installed
# Windows:
where /r C:\ dotnet.exe

# macOS/Linux:
which dotnet
find / -name dotnet 2>/dev/null

# ✅ Check common installation directories:
# Windows: C:\Program Files\dotnet\
# macOS: /usr/local/share/dotnet/, /opt/dotnet/
# Linux: /usr/share/dotnet/, /usr/local/share/dotnet/

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Solution 7: Reinstall .NET SDK

# ✅ Download and reinstall .NET SDK
# Visit: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download

# ✅ Or use package managers:

# Windows (Chocolatey):
choco uninstall dotnet-sdk
choco install dotnet-sdk

# macOS (Homebrew):
brew uninstall --cask dotnet-sdk
brew install --cask dotnet-sdk

# Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):
sudo apt remove dotnet-sdk-8.0
# Follow fresh installation steps

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Solution 8: Use .NET Install Script

# ✅ Use official installation script (Linux/macOS)
curl -sSL https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.sh | sudo bash /dev/stdin -c LTS --install-dir /usr/share/dotnet

# ✅ For PowerShell (Windows):
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.ps1 -OutFile dotnet-install.ps1
.\dotnet-install.ps1 -Channel LTS -InstallDir 'C:\Program Files\dotnet'

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Solution 9: IDE-Specific Fixes

// ✅ VS Code settings.json
{
    "omnisharp.dotnetPath": "/usr/local/share/dotnet", // Linux/macOS
    // OR
    "omnisharp.dotnetPath": "C:\\Program Files\\dotnet" // Windows
}

# ✅ Visual Studio Developer Command Prompt
# Use Visual Studio Developer Command Prompt instead of regular command prompt
# This automatically sets up the PATH

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Solution 10: Docker and Container Solutions

# ✅ Use .NET SDK in Docker
FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:8.0
# dotnet command is available in this image

# ✅ Use .NET in container without local installation
docker run -it mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:8.0 dotnet --version

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Verification Steps

# ✅ After applying fixes, verify:
dotnet --version
dotnet --info
dotnet help

# ✅ Create and run a test project:
dotnet new console -n TestApp
cd TestApp
dotnet run
cd .. && rm -rf TestApp

# ✅ PowerShell verification script:
try {
    $version = dotnet --version
    Write-Host "✅ .NET SDK version: $version" -ForegroundColor Green
    Write-Host "✅ dotnet command is working!" -ForegroundColor Green
} catch {
    Write-Host "❌ dotnet command still not found" -ForegroundColor Red
}

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Common Causes and Prevention

1. PATH not updated: Manually add .NET installation directory to PATH
2. Terminal not restarted: Close and reopen terminal after installation
3. Wrong architecture: Install correct x64/x86 version
4. Incomplete installation: Reinstall if installation was interrupted
5. Multiple installations: Remove conflicting installations
6. Permission issues: Install with appropriate permissions

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Best Practices

• Always restart terminal after installing .NET SDK
• Use official Microsoft installation methods
• Keep PATH clean and organized
• Document installation paths for troubleshooting
• Use global.json for version consistency
• Test installation with basic commands
• Check for multiple SDK installations
• Verify both user and system PATH variables