Browsing NuGet Packages

Search and discover packages from nuget.org and private feeds.

Opening the Browse Tab

1. Open the NuGet Package Manager
2. Click the Browse tab at the top
3. The browse interface will display popular and recently updated packages

Searching for Packages

Basic Search

1. Enter a package name or keyword in the search box
2. Press Enter or click the search icon
3. Results will appear below the search box

Search Tips

• Exact names: Search for Newtonsoft.Json to find a specific package
• Keywords: Search for logging to find all logging-related packages
• Partial names: Type part of a name like entity to find Entity Framework packages

Viewing Package Details

Click on any package in the search results to view:

• Description: What the package does
• Version: Available versions
• Downloads: Total download count
• Authors: Package creators
• License: License information
• Project URL: Link to project website
• Dependencies: Required packages

Package Versions

Viewing Available Versions

1. Select a package from the search results
2. Click the version dropdown
3. All available versions are listed (newest first)

Version Types

• Stable versions: Production-ready releases (e.g., 1.0.0)
• Pre-release versions: Beta/alpha releases (e.g., 1.0.0-beta)
• Legacy versions: Older releases

Include Pre-release

Toggle “Include prerelease” to show or hide pre-release versions.

Package Information

Understanding Package Metadata

Download Count: Indicates popularity and community trust

Last Updated: Shows how actively maintained the package is

Compatible Frameworks: Lists which .NET versions are supported

Dependencies: Shows required packages that will be installed

Package Sources

Configuring Sources

The browser searches configured package sources:

1. nuget.org (default)
2. Custom private feeds
3. Local package folders

To manage sources, see NuGet Configuration.

Troubleshooting

No Search Results

If you get no results:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Verify package source is accessible
3. Try searching with different keywords
4. Check if the source URL is correct

Package Not Found

If a specific package doesn’t appear:

1. Verify the package exists on nuget.org
2. Check if you’re using the correct source
3. Ensure pre-release is enabled if needed
4. Verify the package supports your target framework