Add .csproj patching for publish output (fixes #1)

.claude/settings.local.json

@@ -49,7 +49,18 @@
       "Bash(\"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\MvcFrontendKit\\src\\MvcFrontendKit\\runtimes\\win-x64\\native\\sass.bat\" \"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\TestKit\\wwwroot\\css\\components\\notification.scss\" \"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\TestKit\\wwwroot\\css\\components\\notification.css\" --no-source-map --no-charset)",
       "Bash(\"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\MvcFrontendKit\\src\\MvcFrontendKit\\runtimes\\win-x64\\native\\sass.bat\" --help)",
       "Bash(\"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\MvcFrontendKit\\src\\MvcFrontendKit\\runtimes\\win-x64\\native\\sass.bat\" \"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\TestKit\\wwwroot\\css\\site.scss:C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\TestKit\\wwwroot\\css\\site.css\" \"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\TestKit\\wwwroot\\css\\components\\notification.scss:C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\TestKit\\wwwroot\\css\\components\\notification.css\" --no-source-map --no-charset)",
-      "Bash(\"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\MvcFrontendKit\\src\\MvcFrontendKit\\runtimes\\win-x64\\native\\sass.bat\" \"wwwroot/css/site.scss:wwwroot/css/test1.css\" \"wwwroot/css/Home/Index.scss:wwwroot/css/Home/test2.css\" --no-source-map --no-charset)"
+      "Bash(\"C:\\Users\\stef\\source\\repos\\MvcFrontendKit\\src\\MvcFrontendKit\\runtimes\\win-x64\\native\\sass.bat\" \"wwwroot/css/site.scss:wwwroot/css/test1.css\" \"wwwroot/css/Home/Index.scss:wwwroot/css/Home/test2.css\" --no-source-map --no-charset)",
+      "WebFetch(domain:raw.githubusercontent.com)",
+      "Bash(dotnet publish:*)",
+      "Bash(curl:*)",
+      "Bash(git restore:*)",
+      "Bash(dotnet tool:*)",
+      "Bash(dotnet-frontend build:*)",
+      "Bash(unzip:*)",
+      "Bash(dotnet frontend dev:*)",
+      "Bash(timeout 5 dotnet frontend:*)",
+      "Bash(timeout 8 dotnet frontend dev:*)",
+      "Bash(timeout 5 dotnet run:*)"
     ],
     "deny": [],
     "ask": []

README.md

@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ dotnet tool install MvcFrontendKit.Cli
 dotnet frontend init
 ```
 
+This also patches your `.csproj` to include `frontend.config.yaml` in `dotnet publish` output. If the `.csproj` cannot be found or patched automatically, the command prints instructions for adding the entry manually.
+
 If you don't have the CLI installed, you can copy the template from the [SPEC.md](SPEC.md#32-core-schema-overview) or let the MSBuild target auto-generate a default config on first build.
 
 ### 4. Register services in Program.cs

SPEC.md

@@ -770,9 +770,14 @@ This helper is optional and intended for development troubleshooting. It can saf
 
 - Creates `frontend.config.yaml` if missing, using a template identical in structure and comments to Section 3.2.
 - Does not overwrite existing config unless `--force` is specified.
+- After writing the YAML file, automatically patches the `.csproj` to include `frontend.config.yaml` as a `<Content>` item with `CopyToPublishDirectory="PreserveNewest"`, ensuring it is included in `dotnet publish` output.
+- Finds the `.csproj` by scanning the current directory; skips patching if zero or more than one `.csproj` is found.
+- Checks for an existing Content item (case-insensitive) before adding; running `init --force` twice does not duplicate the item.
+- If `.csproj` patching fails for any reason, prints a warning with manual XML snippet instructions (does not fail the init command).
 
 ### 10.2 `dotnet frontend check [--verbose]`
 
+- Validates `.csproj` includes `frontend.config.yaml` as a Content item for publish output. Reports a warning (not an error) if missing, with fix instructions.
 - Loads YAML config and validates:
   - `global.js` / `global.css` paths.
   - `views.overrides[*].js` / `css` paths.

src/MvcFrontendKit.Cli/Commands/CheckCommand.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
+using System.Xml.Linq;
+using MvcFrontendKit.Cli.Helpers;
 using MvcFrontendKit.Configuration;
 using YamlDotNet.Serialization;
 using YamlDotNet.Serialization.NamingConventions;
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ public static int Execute(bool verbose, string? viewKey = null, bool checkAll =
             }
 
             // Standard check
+            warnings += CheckProjectFile(verbose);
             errors += CheckGlobalAssets(config, verbose, validateImports);
             errors += CheckViewOverrides(config, verbose, validateImports);
             errors += CheckComponents(config, verbose, validateImports);
@@ -101,6 +104,54 @@ public static int Execute(bool verbose, string? viewKey = null, bool checkAll =
         }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Checks whether the .csproj includes frontend.config.yaml as a Content item for publish output.
+    /// Returns 1 if warning issued, 0 otherwise.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static int CheckProjectFile(bool verbose)
+    {
+        var csprojPath = CsprojHelper.FindCsprojFile(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory());
+
+        if (csprojPath == null)
+        {
+            if (verbose)
+            {
+                Console.WriteLine("Project File:");
+                Console.WriteLine("  ⚠ No .csproj found (skipped)");
+                Console.WriteLine();
+            }
+            return 0;
+        }
+
+        Console.WriteLine("Project File:");
+
+        try
+        {
+            var doc = XDocument.Load(csprojPath);
+
+            if (CsprojHelper.HasConfigContentItem(doc))
+            {
+                Console.WriteLine($"  ✓ {Path.GetFileName(csprojPath)} includes frontend.config.yaml for publish");
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                Console.WriteLine($"  ⚠ {Path.GetFileName(csprojPath)} does not include frontend.config.yaml for publish");
+                Console.WriteLine("    Config file will not be included in 'dotnet publish' output.");
+                Console.WriteLine("    Fix: Run 'dotnet frontend init --force' or add manually:");
+                Console.WriteLine(CsprojHelper.GetManualXmlSnippet());
+                Console.WriteLine();
+                return 1;
+            }
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Console.WriteLine($"  ⚠ Could not read {Path.GetFileName(csprojPath)}: {ex.Message}");
+        }
+
+        Console.WriteLine();
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Checks a specific view by key and shows detailed diagnostic information.
     /// </summary>

src/MvcFrontendKit.Cli/Commands/InitCommand.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 using System.Reflection;
+using System.Xml.Linq;
+using MvcFrontendKit.Cli.Helpers;
 
 namespace MvcFrontendKit.Cli.Commands;
 
@@ -28,6 +30,9 @@ public static int Execute(bool force)
             File.WriteAllText(configPath, template);
 
             Console.WriteLine($"✓ Created frontend.config.yaml at: {configPath}");
+
+            PatchCsproj(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory());
+
             Console.WriteLine();
             Console.WriteLine("Next steps:");
             Console.WriteLine("  1. Edit frontend.config.yaml to match your project structure");
@@ -44,6 +49,40 @@ public static int Execute(bool force)
         }
     }
 
+    private static void PatchCsproj(string directory)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            var csprojPath = CsprojHelper.FindCsprojFile(directory);
+            if (csprojPath == null)
+            {
+                Console.WriteLine();
+                Console.WriteLine("⚠ Could not find a .csproj file to patch.");
+                Console.WriteLine("  Add the following to your .csproj manually to include the config in publish output:");
+                Console.WriteLine(CsprojHelper.GetManualXmlSnippet());
+                return;
+            }
+
+            var doc = XDocument.Load(csprojPath);
+
+            if (!CsprojHelper.AddConfigContentItem(doc))
+            {
+                Console.WriteLine($"✓ {Path.GetFileName(csprojPath)} already includes frontend.config.yaml");
+                return;
+            }
+
+            doc.Save(csprojPath);
+            Console.WriteLine($"✓ Added frontend.config.yaml to {Path.GetFileName(csprojPath)}");
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Console.WriteLine();
+            Console.WriteLine($"⚠ Could not patch .csproj: {ex.Message}");
+            Console.WriteLine("  Add the following to your .csproj manually:");
+            Console.WriteLine(CsprojHelper.GetManualXmlSnippet());
+        }
+    }
+
     private static string? GetEmbeddedTemplate()
     {
         var assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();

src/MvcFrontendKit.Cli/Helpers/CsprojHelper.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+using System.Xml.Linq;
+
+namespace MvcFrontendKit.Cli.Helpers;
+
+public static class CsprojHelper
+{
+    private const string ConfigFileName = "frontend.config.yaml";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Finds a single .csproj file in the given directory.
+    /// Returns null if zero or more than one .csproj is found.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static string? FindCsprojFile(string directory)
+    {
+        var csprojFiles = Directory.GetFiles(directory, "*.csproj");
+
+        if (csprojFiles.Length == 0)
+        {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        if (csprojFiles.Length > 1)
+        {
+            Console.WriteLine($"  Multiple .csproj files found in {directory}. Skipping .csproj patching.");
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        return csprojFiles[0];
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Checks whether the XDocument already contains a Content item for frontend.config.yaml.
+    /// Case-insensitive comparison on the Include attribute.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static bool HasConfigContentItem(XDocument doc)
+    {
+        var ns = doc.Root?.Name.Namespace ?? XNamespace.None;
+
+        return doc.Descendants(ns + "Content")
+            .Any(el => string.Equals(
+                el.Attribute("Include")?.Value,
+                ConfigFileName,
+                StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Adds a Content item for frontend.config.yaml with CopyToPublishDirectory="PreserveNewest".
+    /// Returns true if the item was added, false if it already exists.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static bool AddConfigContentItem(XDocument doc)
+    {
+        if (HasConfigContentItem(doc))
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        var ns = doc.Root?.Name.Namespace ?? XNamespace.None;
+
+        var itemGroup = new XElement(ns + "ItemGroup",
+            new XElement(ns + "Content",
+                new XAttribute("Include", ConfigFileName),
+                new XAttribute("CopyToPublishDirectory", "PreserveNewest")));
+
+        doc.Root!.Add(itemGroup);
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Returns the XML snippet for manual .csproj patching instructions.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static string GetManualXmlSnippet()
+    {
+        return """
+            <ItemGroup>
+              <Content Include="frontend.config.yaml" CopyToPublishDirectory="PreserveNewest" />
+            </ItemGroup>
+            """;
+    }
+}

src/MvcFrontendKit.Cli/MvcFrontendKit.Cli.csproj

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
     <PackAsTool>true</PackAsTool>
     <ToolCommandName>dotnet-frontend</ToolCommandName>
-    <Version>1.0.0</Version>
+    <Version>1.1.0</Version>
     <Authors>stef-k</Authors>
     <Description>CLI tool for MvcFrontendKit - compile TypeScript/SCSS during development, validate config and check assets. Uses esbuild and Dart Sass.</Description>
     <PackageTags>aspnetcore;mvc;razor;bundling;esbuild;sass;scss;typescript;frontend;cli</PackageTags>

src/MvcFrontendKit/MvcFrontendKit.csproj

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
     <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
     <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
-    <Version>1.0.0</Version>
+    <Version>1.1.0</Version>
     <Authors>stef-k</Authors>
     <Description>Node-free frontend bundling toolkit for ASP.NET Core MVC / Razor applications. Uses esbuild for JS/TS bundling and Dart Sass for SCSS compilation.</Description>
     <PackageTags>aspnetcore;mvc;razor;bundling;esbuild;sass;scss;typescript;frontend</PackageTags>

src/MvcFrontendKit/Services/FrontendConfigProvider.cs

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ private FrontendConfig LoadConfig()
 
         if (!File.Exists(configPath))
         {
-            _logger.LogWarning(
+            _logger.LogDebug(
                 "Frontend config file not found at {ConfigPath}. Using default configuration. " +
                 "Run 'dotnet frontend init' to generate a config file.",
                 configPath);