Command dotnet ef not found

Question

I'm following the docs in order to create an initial migration. When I execute dotnet, I get the help section, meaning that the PATH works properly.

Then I try to execute the command below from the docs in console window:

dotnet ef migrations add InitialCreate

I get the following error:

Could not execute because the specified command or file was not found.
Possible reasons for this include:

You misspelled a built-in dotnet command.
You intended to execute a .NET Core program, but dotnet-ef does not exist.
You intended to run a global tool, but a dotnet-prefixed executable with this name could not be found on the PATH.
I excluded the first item since I copied the command.
I excluded the second item because the package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer is installed.
I excluded the third item because I get the help section when invoking dotnet.

I'm googling the issue but since the version is new, there's not much to go on and/or it's drowning in similar issues from earlier versions.

I tried to forcibly install Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore just in case it needs to be explicitly added. I ran into the error message telling me that the latest version to pick from is 2.2.6 and a downgrade is a no-go. I'm not sure how to install the version compatible with the SQL-package I have on my system already (and even less certain if that's right approach to kill this issue).

Detected package downgrade: Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore from 3.0.0-preview6.19304.10 to 2.2.6. Reference the package directly from the project to select a different version.
Web ->
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer 3.0.0-preview6.19304.10 ->
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational 3.0.0-preview6.19304.10 ->
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore (>= 3.0.0-preview6.19304.10)
Web -> Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore (>= 2.2.6)

Kirk Larkin · Accepted Answer · 2022-11-08T17:04:01.767

931

To install the dotnet-ef tool, run the following command:

.NET 7

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef

.NET 6

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 6.*

.NET 5

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 5.*

.NET Core 3

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 3.*

For more information about the history of dotnet-ef, see the announcement for ASP.NET Core 3 Preview 4, which explains that this tool was changed from being built-in to requiring an explicit install:

The dotnet ef tool is no longer part of the .NET Core SDK

This change allows us to ship dotnet ef as a regular .NET CLI tool that can be installed as either a global or local tool.

edited Nov 08 '22 at 17:04

answered Jul 17 '19 at 06:53

Kirk Larkin

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After installing the tool... same error. When try to re-install `Tool 'dotnet-ef' is already installed.`. Yet running `dotnet ef` results in the error in the OP – Douglas Gaskell Feb 01 '23 at 03:54
@DouglasGaskell That usually means it's a path issue: https://stackoverflow.com/a/60938208/2630078. – Kirk Larkin Feb 05 '23 at 18:28
Time to update the answer with NET8, soon, isn't it? It's rather frequently used (one of my top 5, I believe). – Konrad Viltersten Aug 26 '23 at 17:22

score 34 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:08

34

If you are using a Dockerfile for deployments these are the steps you need to take to resolve this issue.

Change your Dockerfile to include the following:

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/core/sdk:3.1 AS build-env
ENV PATH $PATH:/root/.dotnet/tools
RUN dotnet tool install -g dotnet-ef --version 3.1.1

Also change your dotnet ef commands to be dotnet-ef

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:08

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jan 19 '20 at 20:34

Nick Spicer

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In case still, the PATH doesn't work, use ENV directive like this: ENV PATH $PATH:/root/.dotnet/tools – Jaliya Udagedara Mar 18 '20 at 08:59

score 29 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:27

29

I solved this problem by installing dotnet-f tool locally with the following commands.

If you are setting up this repository

dotnet new tool-manifest

dotnet tool install --local dotnet-ef --version 5.0.6

Then use dotnet dotnet-ef instead of dotnet-ef.

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:27

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jun 07 '21 at 16:32

Amar Anondo

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Please note that the question is a bit dated and at the time of it's creation, the considered version was .NET Core 3.x whereas your solution suggests .NET Core 5 (or rather .NET 5 or whatever MS calls it this week). I still appreciate your answer (hence the upvote) and I'd like it to stay. Just making a remark for the future, sloppy reader. – Konrad Viltersten Jun 08 '21 at 14:53
I am using .net 7 and this worked the other way for .net 7 did not and that is on their documentations – AlThePal78 May 16 '23 at 02:54
I'm using mac and thats worked me. – Fatih Jul 27 '23 at 14:41

score 14 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 30 '20 at 19:36

14

Global tools can be installed in the default directory or in a specific location. The default directories are:

Linux/macOS ---> $HOME/.dotnet/tools

Windows ---> %USERPROFILE%\.dotnet\tools

If you're trying to run a global tool, check that the PATH environment variable on your machine contains the path where you installed the global tool and that the executable is in that path.

Troubleshoot .NET Core tool usage issues

answered Mar 30 '20 at 19:36

Gambitier

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This was my problem, when I installed on MacOS via "dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef" I got a prompt to close and reopen the terminal window so that the new configuration would take effect, but in fact the default installation folder $HOME/.net/tools had not been added to the PATH variable. – Mike Dailor Apr 22 '20 at 13:32
I am glad it helped you :) – Gambitier Apr 22 '20 at 13:51
1

Why does a global install put things in $HOME? And why doesn't it tell you that you need to augment you PATH? It's barmy... – cliffordheath Jul 29 '22 at 00:27

score 12 · Answer 5 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:33

12

For everyone using .NET Core CLI on MinGW MSYS:

After installing using

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef

add this line to to the bashrc file (C:\msys64\home\username\ - .bashrc (the location depends on your setup)

export PATH=$PATH:/c/Users/username/.dotnet/tools

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:33

Peter Mortensen

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answered Oct 22 '20 at 07:13

thebennies

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This answer does not tackle the problem the OP has. Please consider answering the general question, while also introducing this specific way of solving the issue. – lnjuanj Oct 22 '20 at 10:05
OP does not explain its environment. A "console window" could use many environment. – thebennies Oct 27 '20 at 01:59
This works for Ubuntu as well. I'm surprised this is not documented anywhere – jack4it Dec 21 '20 at 20:10

score 9 · Answer 6 · answered Jun 12 '21 at 18:03

9

This will work for me on Visual studio code, in Ubuntu

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef
dotnet tool restore

After that all the execution are done like

dotnet tool run dotnet-ef

or

dotnet dotnet-ef

answered Jun 12 '21 at 18:03

Prabhakar

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Firstly You should create manifest : `dotnet new tool-manifest` and then `dotnet tool install --local dotnet-ef` – ParisaN Dec 06 '22 at 21:09

score 8 · Answer 7 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:11

8

Run PowerShell or a command prompt as administrator and run the below command.

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 3.1.3

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:11

Peter Mortensen

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answered Apr 23 '20 at 18:11

Surendra Yadav

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score 4 · Answer 8 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:15

4

If you're using Snap package dotnet-sdk on Linux, this can be resolved by updating your ~.bashrc file / etc. as follows:

#!/bin/bash
export DOTNET_ROOT=/snap/dotnet-sdk/current
export MSBuildSDKsPath=$DOTNET_ROOT/sdk/$(${DOTNET_ROOT}/dotnet --version)/Sdks
export PATH="${PATH}:${DOTNET_ROOT}"
export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.dotnet/tools"

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:15

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jun 10 '20 at 05:24

edencorbin

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What do you mean by "/ etc"? [et cetera](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/etc.#Phrase)? Or the directory `/ etc`? Or something else? In any case, can you elaborate? – Peter Mortensen Jun 10 '21 at 14:16

score 4 · Answer 9 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:25

The reason is - The dotnet ef tool is no longer part of the .NET Core SDK in ASP.NET Core 3.0.

Solution: Install dotnet ef as a global tool

Steps:

Run PowerShell or command prompt as Administrator in the project root
Run below command.

For the latest version:

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef

For a specific version:

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version <<version_number>>

score 3 · Answer 10 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:29

3

Sometimes it may occur due to different users within a system.

So to resolve the problem, you can install the dotnet-ef locally in your solution rather than adding it globally.

Steps to install locally.

Create a local manifest file via dotnet new tool-manifest
Go to the config folder:

cd .\.config
Install the tool via dotnet tool install dotnet-ef --version versionNumber. It'll be successfully installed and its commands will be accessible within the project.

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:29

Peter Mortensen

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answered May 21 '21 at 11:53

Syed Tayyab

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I suggest that you check the existing answers before posting an own. The issue is due to an early stage of the version (check the date of the post). – Konrad Viltersten May 21 '21 at 13:23
thanks for the information, but this problem occurred recently with me using .net 5 and this was the only solution I found, so it may help someone. – Syed Tayyab May 25 '21 at 07:44

score 2 · Answer 11 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:31

2

I was having this problem after I installed the dotnet-ef tool using Ansible with sudo escalated privilege on Ubuntu. I had to add become: no for the Playbook task, and then the dotnet-ef tool became available to the current user.

  - name: install dotnet tool dotnet-ef
    command: dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version {{dotnetef_version}}
    become: no

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:31

Peter Mortensen

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answered Feb 24 '21 at 14:13

yibe

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Where should it go? For example, a file? What is the name of the file? Or something else? – Peter Mortensen Jun 10 '21 at 14:32

score 2 · Answer 12 · answered Jul 08 '23 at 15:39

I had same problem on ubuntu.

First install dotnet-ef

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 6.0.0

Then you need to add path to bashrc.

Open bashrc:

vim ~/.bashrc

Add following:

export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.dotnet/tools/"

Then execute this:

source ~/.bashrc

score 1 · Answer 13 · answered Oct 18 '21 at 19:29

1

If you ask yourself what versions are available:

Versions tab on this page: https://www.nuget.org/packages/dotnet-ef/

Besides that as others already mentioned it's:

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 5.0.11

answered Oct 18 '21 at 19:29

CodingYourLife

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score 0 · Answer 14 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:09

0

I had the same problem. I resolved it by uninstalling all the versions on my PC and then reinstalling dotnet.

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:09

Peter Mortensen

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answered Feb 25 '20 at 15:25

Angel Ucan

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Better suited as a comment. Should explain how to resolve and why with resources – Josh Adams Feb 25 '20 at 15:56

score 0 · Answer 15 · edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:22

0

I followed these steps, and it worked fine for me:

Add a source:

dotnet nuget add source --name nuget.org https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json

Run the installation command line:

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 5.0.6

edited Jun 10 '21 at 14:22

Peter Mortensen

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answered May 14 '21 at 10:46

Salim Nadji

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Command dotnet ef not found

15 Answers15

The dotnet ef tool is no longer part of the .NET Core SDK

Linked

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