Cannot find command 'dotnet ef'?

Question

I am using .NET core 2.0 on Arch VScode and trying to get EF tools to work but I keep getting that error 'cannot find command dotnet ef'. I've just about looked everywhere and none of the suggestions worked. So if you can please help that would be much appreciated.

The result of running 'dotnet ef'

[wasiim@wasiim-PC WebApiServerApp]$ dotnet ef --help
Cannot find command 'dotnet ef', please run the following command to install

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef
[wasiim@wasiim-PC WebApiServerApp]$ dotnet tool list -g
Package Id            Version      Commands        
---------------------------------------------------
dotnet-dev-certs      2.2.0        dotnet-dev-certs
dotnet-ef             2.2.3        dotnet-ef       
[wasiim@wasiim-PC WebApiServerApp]$

this is the dotnet --info result, if it's of help

[wasiim@wasiim-PC WebApiServerApp]$ dotnet --info
.NET Core SDK (reflecting any global.json):
 Version:   2.2.105
 Commit:    7cecb35b92

Runtime Environment:
 OS Name:     arch
 OS Version:  
 OS Platform: Linux
 RID:         arch-x64
 Base Path:   /opt/dotnet/sdk/2.2.105/

Host (useful for support):
  Version: 2.2.3
  Commit:  6b8ad509b6

.NET Core SDKs installed:
  2.2.105 [/opt/dotnet/sdk]

.NET Core runtimes installed:
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.2.3 [/opt/dotnet/shared/Microsoft.NETCore.App]

To install additional .NET Core runtimes or SDKs:
  https://aka.ms/dotnet-download

This is my .csproj file

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web">

  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.2</TargetFramework>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <ItemGroup>
    <Folder Include="wwwroot\" />
  </ItemGroup>

  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Lucene.Net.Analysis.Common" Version="4.8.0-beta00005" />
    <PackageReference Include="Lucene.Net.QueryParser" Version="4.8.0-beta00005" />
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.App" Version="2.2.5" />
   <PackageReference Include="Lucene.Net" Version="4.8.0-beta00005" />
    <PackageGroup Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer" Version="1.1.0" />
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.Razor.Design" Version="2.2.0" PrivateAssets="All" />
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design" Version="2.2.4" />
    <DotNetCliToolReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools.DotNet" Version="2.0.3" />

  </ItemGroup>

</Project>

@OmairMajid thaaanks it worked!!!!! you're the real MVP man. If you post it as an answer, I'll accept. — Wasiim Ouro-sama, Jul 03 '19 at 03:50

score 136 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 29 '19 at 12:50

136

In my case, the tools folder didn't exist inside %USERPROFILE%\.dotnet\ so I had to run the command dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef to install dotnet ef. Then I was able to run dotnet ef...

This was the result of the above install command:

answered Sep 29 '19 at 12:50

Garth

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7

this should be the answer – Alexey Strakh Nov 15 '19 at 03:09
1

When you install a new version of **.NET** this one worked for me: dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 3.0.1 – Amir Ekbatani Nov 25 '19 at 14:22
1

Second that, I don't get how this is not marked as the solution... – Johan Wintgens Dec 23 '19 at 12:46
1

Yes it would make it easier to find. Glad it helped people out. – Garth Dec 27 '19 at 17:02
P.S. The console has to run as Administrator – harveyt Sep 22 '20 at 07:57
Shouldn't be the answer this is already in the question. The answer is to update the `$PATH` after the installation – mtpultz Mar 10 '21 at 23:24

omajid · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-29T15:03:23.920

Note to readers: If you haven't installed dotnet ef, you need to install it first: dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef. The question-asker already did that. You need to do that first before the rest of this answer can help.

How to fix this

For Linux and macOS, add a line to your shell's configuration:

bash/zsh:

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

csh/tcsh:

set path = ($path $HOME/.dotnet/tools/)

When you start a new shell/terminal (or the next time you log in) dotnet ef should work.

For Windows:

See this question on how to add to the PATH environment variable.

You need to add %USERPROFILE%\.dotnet\tools to the PATH.

What's going on?

The .NET Core 3.0 (preview) version of this failure is much more illuminating:

$ dotnet ef
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.

The second and the third one both refer to dotnet trying to find a dotnet-ef command but can't find it. As the third point says, dotnet-ef is not in your path.

Here's what the docs say:

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

OS Path

Linux/macOS $HOME/.dotnet/tools

Windows %USERPROFILE%\.dotnet\tools

So, you should add $HOME/.dotnet/tools/ to your $PATH.

But also note this part from docs:

These locations are added to the user's path when the SDK is first run, so Global Tools installed there can be called directly.

So, it sounds like something went wrong. If you installed using a manual tarball, the SDK screwed up and you should report this bug to Microsoft. If you use a distribution package, they screwed up and you should report this as a bug to them.

None of these recommended fixes fixed my situation. In my situation the reported .NET Core program that does not exist looks like nonsense: dotnet-@C:\Users\myUser\AppData\Local\Temp\tmp75c598ec34944633925ed32feffbe40f.rsp — Jack Fox, Oct 20 '19 at 19:19
This is NOT the correct answer. The correct answer is running 'dotnet tool install -g dotnet-ef' in Command Prompt. Only afterwards should you refer to the answer above to correctly set the PATH variable. — Johan Wintgens, Dec 23 '19 at 12:49
@JohanWintgens I see what you are saying, but I think it's the answer to the question as asked. The question already includes a step running `dotnet tool install...`. If the question didn't include that, then you would be completely correct. — omajid, Dec 23 '19 at 16:05
Well damn, it is indeed in the question. In my defense, I had to actually Ctrl + F to find it in that wall of text. Nice job on the answer! — Johan Wintgens, Dec 30 '19 at 10:50
I already had this all in my PATH ok. Garth's answer worked for me — stuartdotnet, Aug 31 '20 at 06:38

score 14 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 13 '19 at 21:59

For those who encountered the issue after updating their Visual Studio or .NET Core package this is due to updates made in .NET Core 3 by removing dotnet ef from .NET Core and making it a separate package which can be installed via:

dotnet tool install -g dotnet-ef

For reference see this answer and this breaking change

score 8 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 06 '19 at 12:23

8

I have tried all the answeres above and did't work on my mac with latest Catalina update.

if you are using .netcore 3 version for instance, you need to run these commands:

export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.dotnet/tools/"
export DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE=false
export DOTNET_ADD_GLOBAL_TOOLS_TO_PATH=true

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 3.0.0

answered Dec 06 '19 at 12:23

Harry

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for update to last version: dotnet tool update --global dotnet-ef – AminGolmahalle Oct 24 '20 at 20:51

score 5 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 11 '19 at 11:17

dotnet ef database update

If the above command gives you an error please flow below steps.

check path %USERPROFILE%.dotnet\ exists or not
if not then run below command

dotnet tool install -g dotnet-ef

Now again check the path and set the environment variable for below path

%USERPROFILE%.dotnet\tool

Now in cmd set the path where your database context file is present and then run below command

dotnet ef database update

Note: It worked me for .Net Core 3.0

score 4 · Answer 6 · edited Jul 03 '19 at 08:23

4

Sometimes when you install a new version of dotnet sdk, it hits the PATH.

You have to manually add the folder .dotnet/tools from your home directory to PATH.

edited Jul 03 '19 at 08:23

Chandresh Khambhayata

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answered Jul 03 '19 at 03:44

baruchiro

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score 4 · Answer 7 · answered Feb 03 '20 at 23:18

Regarding the path fix:

Be aware this adds the path to the User PATH, not the System PATH environment variable. When firing off a "Developer Command Prompt" or "Developer Powershell" from Visual Studio, it does not use User path variable. You'll need to add it to the System environment variable as well.

Also, you'll need to restart VS before the change takes effect.

score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 06 '20 at 22:43

2

For anyone struggling with this issue on Jetbrains Rider, I tried all the solutions listed on this page and eventually went into VS and ran the dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 3.0.0 command there and then reopened in Rider and it worked.

answered Jan 06 '20 at 22:43

Sam Watson

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This post isn't an actual attempt at answering the question. Please note [StackOverflow doesn't work like a discussion forum](http://stackoverflow.com/tour), it is a Q&A site where every post is either a question or an answer to a question. Posts can also have [comments](http://stackoverflow.com/help/privileges/comment) - small sentences like this one - that can be used to critique or request clarification from an author. This should be either a comment or a [new question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/ask) – ρяσѕρєя K Jan 06 '20 at 23:00
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Actually the answer helps by telling other people with this question exactly which command to use and how I resolved my issue- assuming the other answers on this page don't work- which for me it didn't. So I don't think you read it correctly. – Sam Watson Jan 23 '20 at 02:48

score 0 · Answer 9 · answered Apr 12 '20 at 08:37

0

This is due to updates made in .NET Core 3 by removing dotnet ef from .NET Core and making it a separate package.

1-You need to add %USERPROFILE%.dotnet\tools to the PATH.

2-If not exists then Run this command

dotnet tool install -g dotnet-ef

answered Apr 12 '20 at 08:37

Shahbaz Umer

1

you missed a "\" in the path, it should be %USERPROFILE%\.dotnet\tools – TamerDev May 02 '20 at 04:37

score 0 · Answer 10 · edited Oct 11 '20 at 17:09

0

I had the same issue on Ubuntu 20.04.1 with the .net Core 5.0.0-rc.1 and the solution that worked for me was to install the dotnet ef as a local tool

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/tools/global-tools#install-a-local-tool

dotnet new tool-manifest
dotnet tool install  dotnet-ef --version 5.0.0-rc.1.20451.13

edited Oct 11 '20 at 17:09

Vaibhav

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answered Oct 11 '20 at 05:23

JRamirez1992

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score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Oct 18 '20 at 00:23

TL&DR: dotnet tool install -g dotnet-ef

Rationale: See the announcement for ASP.NET Core 3 Preview 4, which explains that this tool is no longer built-in and requires an explicit install.

Reference: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/announcing-entity-framework-core-3-0-preview-4/

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Apr 13 '21 at 23:09

For me, closing the solution and restarting the windows solved the issue. But before that we need to follow the below steps to check if installation is done properly or not.

Run the below command. If you don't see dotnet-ef then you proceed to step 2 else go to step 3.
```
dotnet tool list --global 
```
Go to path, %USERPROFILE%\.dotnet\tools and check if dotnet-ef is there or not. If not then you might need to run
```
dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef --version 3.1.4
```
I believe you have already done this.
Add this path %USERPROFILE%\.dotnet\tools to your environment variables, to see if you get it in your project or not.
At last, you need to close your project and restart the window. In my case, this step solved the problem.

Cannot find command 'dotnet ef'?

12 Answers12

How to fix this

What's going on?

Linked