Windows with .NET CLI

Use this workflow if you prefer command-line project creation or want to inspect the template output directly. The same dotnet commands work from a terminal, from the integrated terminal of an editor, or from any editor that opens the generated project folder.

If you work in VS Code, the Qt Extension for VS Code creates projects, selects the Qt installation, and provides QML editing, preview, and debugging. See VS Code on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Requirements

  • Windows x64 or arm64
  • .NET SDK 8+
  • CMake and Ninja available on PATH
  • A C++ toolchain

CMake, Ninja, and the C++ toolchain are used by the bridge build behind the scenes; you do not need to write CMake files or C++ code for a template project. On Windows, the C++ toolchain usually comes from Visual Studio or the Visual Studio Build Tools C++ workload.

Create a project from templates

Install the templates:

dotnet new install QtGroup.Qt.Bridge.CSharp.Templates

Create, build, and run a project:

dotnet new qt -n MyQtApp
cd MyQtApp
dotnet build
dotnet run

For template options such as --Framework and --SampleCode, generated project structure, and QML item templates, see Project Templates.

The win-x64 and win-arm64 packages bundle Qt. To use a different Qt installation, set QtDir to its Qt 6 prefix before building.

Add Qt Bridge for C# to an existing project

For an existing Windows project, add the package matching your architecture:

# Windows x64
dotnet add package QtGroup.Qt.Bridge.CSharp.win-x64 --version 0.5.*

# Windows arm64
dotnet add package QtGroup.Qt.Bridge.CSharp.win-arm64 --version 0.5.*

The package is platform-specific because the bridge includes native runtime pieces for the target platform. The 0.5.* version range stays on the 0.5 release train.

Then build and run from the command line or your editor:

dotnet build
dotnet run

The win-arm64 package bundles Qt. To use a different Qt 6 installation, set QtDir explicitly:

dotnet build -p:QtDir=D:\Qt\6.11.0\msvc2022_arm64
dotnet run -p:QtDir=D:\Qt\6.11.0\msvc2022_arm64

For the full migration workflow, including QML files, startup calls, and exposing your existing C# objects to QML, see Adding QML to Existing C# Projects.

Check your setup

After the first build, check that:

  • The project builds without missing toolchain errors
  • The application launches
  • QML files are present in the project folder
  • The project contains the expected C# entry point and Main.qml

Common first issues

If the project does not build or run, check these areas first:

  • The .NET SDK is missing or older than .NET 8
  • The C++ toolchain is not installed or not available to the build
  • The selected package or runtime does not match your Windows architecture (x64 or arm64)
  • The terminal is not running from the project directory