MS Build In Brief
Microsoft Build Engine (MSBuild) is the build platform for Microsoft and Visual Studio. It is a platform for building applications. The best phase of MSBuild is its transparency as to how it processes the builds software which allows the developers to orchestrate the scripts as per the requirements. It provides an XML schema for a project file that controls how the build platform approaches and builds software. To specify the elements in the build and how they are to be built, use these 4 parts of MSBuild: properties, items, tasks, and targets.
Visual Studio uses MSBuild to load and build managed projects. The project files in Visual Studio (.csproj, .vbproj, .vcxproj, and others) include MSBuild XML code that executes when you build a project by using the IDE. Visual Studio projects import all the integral settings and build processes to do typical development work, however, you can extend or modify them from within Visual Studio or by using an XML editor. Visual Studio uses MSBuild, but MSBuild would not rely on Visual Studio. By invoking msbuild.exe on your project or solution file, you can orchestrate and build products in environments where Visual Studio isn’t always installed. You can write code in the Visual Studio IDE but run builds by using MSBuild. As any other alternative, you can build code in the IDE on a development computer but run MSBuild from the command line to build code that is built-in from multiple developers. You can additionally use the .NET Core command-line interface (CLI), which uses MSBuild, to build .NET Core projects.
Why need of MS Build
Build in the course of development and one-time integration can easily be executed through IDE. And there is no better way of attaining it. But when it comes to automated build and continuous integration there needs to be a process in place that will replicate a distinct number of tests and generate the output as per the requirements.
There are a few motives why you might prefer to use MSBuild directly in preference to certainly compiling your solution in Visual Studio:
- You can use it on a dedicated build machine except the need to install Visual Studio.
- You can use it to batch build several Visual Studio solutions.
- You can use it to perform additional tasks such as developing installers, archiving, retrieving from source control, etc.
Visual Studio 2019 Support for macOS Development
Visual Studio 2019 allows you to build console applications and ASP.NET applications that target macOS. However, debugging is no longer supported. Visual Studio Code gives a streamlined, extensible developer tool experience for macOS. Visual Studio for Mac gives a feature-rich IDE that allows you to build native macOS apps, along with ASP.NET, using C#.
Visual Studio 2019 Support for Android Development
Visual Studio 2019 enables you to build native Android apps the use of Xamarin and C# or using C++. The Visual Studio Tools for Unity and the Unreal Engine allow Android game development. You can use Visual Studio setup to easily attain the Android SDK and Android API levels 19, 21, 22, and 23. You can download additional API levels one by one using the Android SDK Manager. You can also use Visual Studio Setup to acquire the Android Native Development Kit (R10E), Java SE Development Kit, and Apache Ant.
Latest Developments and Opportunities
MSBuild is now accessible as part of the .NET Core SDK and can build .NET Core projects on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Visual Studio 2019 consists of many new and exciting elements and IDE productiveness enhancements to support Windows app development, cross-platform mobile development, Azure development, web and cloud development, and more. This model of MSBuild shipped with Visual Studio 2019 version 16.0.
MSBuildToolsVersion is now Current. Choose the version of tools and build logic you want to use by selecting from different MSBuild instances, rather than specifying ToolsVersion.
MSBuild now targets .NET 4.7.2.MSBuild now has options to deal with a build as a directed acyclic design of projects. This is an experimental feature. Its public interface may also change before it is stabilized.
There are a lot of opportunities in the market for MSBuild online training. According to Indeed latest reports, MSBuild professional is paid around $96k.This training introduces you to the building blocks of MSBuild and shows you how to write, manipulate, and debug MSBuild projects. The Microsoft Build Engine is a real-time industry project for development and problem-solving. The prerequisites for this project needed a fundamental understanding of using the MS Run commands, XML Schema and representation of data, Build logs, tasks, targets, and other preliminary concepts of programming.
MSBuild is very helpful for the professionals that can be able to and in need of developing projects and builds that are needed to be developed without depending on Visual Studio. With GoLogica’s online training on MSBuild you will learn how to be built, and build products in an environment where Visual Studio isn’t installed. You can be able to build multiple projects in parallel using the MSBuild, with the features of file tracking, customizing the build, and other best practices.
