All 15 .NET CLI, SDK & Project Structure (csproj) questions
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How do global.json files pin a specific .NET SDK version for a project or repository?

Intermediate

Answer

A global.json file specifies the exact SDK version (and optional roll-forward policy) that `dotnet` commands should use when building within that directory tree, ensuring consistent builds across developer machines and CI regardless of which SDK versions happen to be installed globally.
{
  "sdk": {
    "version": "8.0.100",
    "rollForward": "latestMinor"
  }
}
Real-world example A large enterprise repo commits a global.json pinning SDK 8.0.100 so that a developer with SDK 9.0 preview installed locally still builds using the officially supported 8.0.100 toolchain.

Common follow-ups: What do the different rollForward policies (latestPatch, latestMinor, disable) mean?;How does global.json interact with multiple SDKs installed side by side?

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All 15 .NET CLI, SDK & Project Structure (csproj) questions