---
title: dotnet aspnet-codegenerator command
author: rick-anderson
description: The dotnet aspnet-codegenerator command scaffolds ASP.NET Core projects.
monikerRange: '>= aspnetcore-2.1'
ms.author: riande
ms.date: 07/04/2019
uid: fundamentals/tools/dotnet-aspnet-codegenerator
---

# dotnet aspnet-codegenerator

By [Rick Anderson](https://twitter.com/RickAndMSFT)

`dotnet aspnet-codegenerator` - Runs the ASP.NET Core scaffolding engine. `dotnet aspnet-codegenerator` is only required to scaffold from the command line, it's not needed to use scaffolding with Visual Studio.

This article applies to [.NET Core 2.1 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet-core/2.1) and later.

## Installing aspnet-codegenerator

`dotnet-aspnet-codegenerator` is a [global tool](/dotnet/core/tools/global-tools) that must be installed. The following command installs the latest stable version of the `dotnet-aspnet-codegenerator` tool:

```console
dotnet tool install -g dotnet-aspnet-codegenerator
```

The following command updates `dotnet-aspnet-codegenerator` to the latest stable version available from the installed .NET Core SDKs:

```console
dotnet tool update -g dotnet-aspnet-codegenerator
```

## Synopsis

```
dotnet aspnet-codegenerator [arguments] [-p|--project] [-n|--nuget-package-dir] [-c|--configuration] [-tfm|--target-framework] [-b|--build-base-path] [--no-build] 
dotnet aspnet-codegenerator [-h|--help]
```

## Description

The `dotnet aspnet-codegenerator` global command runs the ASP.NET Core code generator and scaffolding engine.

## Arguments

`generator`

The code generator to run. The following generators are available:

| Generator | Operation |
| ----------------- | ------------ | 
| area      | [Scaffolds an Area](/aspnet/core/mvc/controllers/areas) |
  controller| [Scaffolds a controller](/aspnet/core/tutorials/first-mvc-app/adding-model) |
  identity  | [Scaffolds Identity](/aspnet/core/security/authentication/scaffold-identity) |
  razorpage | [Scaffolds Razor Pages](/aspnet/core/tutorials/razor-pages/model) |
  view      | [Scaffolds a view](/aspnet/core/mvc/views/overview) |

## Options

`-n|--nuget-package-dir`

Specifies the NuGet package directory.

`-c|--configuration {Debug|Release}`

Defines the build configuration. The default value is `Debug`.

`-tfm|--target-framework`

Target [Framework](/dotnet/standard/frameworks) to use. For example, `net46`.

`-b|--build-base-path`

The build base path.

`-h|--help`

Prints out a short help for the command.

`--no-build`

Doesn't build the project before running. It also implicitly sets the `--no-restore` flag.

`-p|--project <PATH>`

Specifies the path of the project file to run (folder name or full path). If not specified, it defaults to the current directory.

## Generator options

The following sections detail the options available for the supported generators:

* Area
* Controller
* Identity  
* Razorpage
* View

<a name="area"></a>

### Area options

This tool is intended for ASP.NET Core web projects with controllers and views. It's not intended for Razor Pages apps.

Usage: `dotnet aspnet-codegenerator area AreaNameToGenerate`

The preceding command generates the following folders:

* *Areas*
  * *AreaNameToGenerate*
    * *Controllers*
    * *Data*
    * *Models*
    * *Views*

<a name="ctl"></a>

### Controller options

The following table lists options for  `aspnet-codegenerator` `controller` and `razorpage`:

[!INCLUDE [aspnet-codegenerator-args-md.md](~/includes/aspnet-codegenerator-args-md.md)]

The following table lists options unique to  `aspnet-codegenerator controller`:

| Option               | Description|
| ----------------- | ------------ |
| --controllerName or -name | Name of the controller. |
| --useAsyncActions or -async | Generate async controller actions. |
| --noViews or -nv | Generate **no** views. |
| --restWithNoViews or -api  | Generate a Controller with REST style API. `noViews` is assumed and any view related options are ignored. |
| --readWriteActions or -actions | Generate controller with read/write actions without a model. |

Use the `-h` switch for help on the `aspnet-codegenerator controller` command:

```console
dotnet aspnet-codegenerator controller -h
```

See [Scaffold the movie model](/aspnet/core/tutorials/razor-pages/model) for an example of `dotnet aspnet-codegenerator controller`.

### Razorpage

<a name="rp"></a>

Razor Pages can be individually scaffolded by specifying the name of the new page and the template to use. The supported templates are:

* `Empty`
* `Create`
* `Edit`
* `Delete`
* `Details`
* `List`

For example, the following command uses the Edit template to generate *MyEdit.cshtml* and *MyEdit.cshtml.cs*:

```console
dotnet aspnet-codegenerator razorpage MyEdit Edit -m Movie -dc RazorPagesMovieContext -outDir Pages/Movies
```

Typically, the template and generated file name is not specified, and the following templates are created:

* `Create`
* `Edit`
* `Delete`
* `Details`
* `List`

The following table lists options for  `aspnet-codegenerator` `razorpage` and `controller`:

[!INCLUDE [aspnet-codegenerator-args-md.md](~/includes/aspnet-codegenerator-args-md.md)]

The following table lists options unique to  `aspnet-codegenerator razorpage`:

| Option               | Description|
| ----------------- | ------------ |
|   --namespaceName or -namespace | The name of the namespace to use for the generated PageModel |
| --partialView or -partial | Generate a partial view. Layout options -l and -udl are ignored if this is specified. |
| --noPageModel or -npm | Switch to not generate a PageModel class for Empty template |

Use the `-h` switch for help on the `aspnet-codegenerator razorpage` command:

```console
dotnet aspnet-codegenerator razorpage -h
```

See [Scaffold the movie model](/aspnet/core/tutorials/razor-pages/model) for an example of `dotnet aspnet-codegenerator razorpage`.

### Identity

See [Scaffold Identity](/aspnet/core/security/authentication/scaffold-identity)