Metalama.Open.Costura

Embeds dependencies as resources so that you can have a standalone executable.

This source transformer only works under .NET Framework. In .NET Core, we recommend upgrading to .NET Core 3 or later and using the single file executable feature instead.

This is a Metalama aspect. It modifies your code during compilation by using source weaving.

Example

Assume that MyProject has dependencies on the Newtonsoft.Json and Soothsilver.Random packages. Normally, MyProject.exe would require the files Newtonsoft.Json.dll and Soothsilver.Random.dll to work.

If you use this aspect, instead those two DLLs will be embedded into MyProject.exe as resources and loaded from there. The only file you need is MyProject.exe.

Installation

1. Install the NuGet package: dotnet add package Metalama.Open.Costura.

2. Add the following code somewhere in your code:

   using Metalama.Framework.Fabrics;
   using Metalama.Open.Costura;
   
   internal class Fabric : ProjectFabric
   {
       public override void AmendProject(IProjectAmender amender)
       {
           amender.UseCostura();
       }
   }

You can then distribute just the main output assembly file. It will be enough.

There are documented configuration options in the Costura attribute. Set them in your source code to change them from their defaults.