version: "1.0.0" name: getting-started-with-aspire description: "Use this skill when a developer asks how to begin using Aspire — installing the Aspire CLI, creating a new Aspire app, running it locally, or finding the authoritative docs, integration catalog, or API reference on aspire.dev. Use it for questions like \"how do I install aspire?\", \"how do I create a new aspire app?\", \"how do I run my aspire app?\", or \"where is the documentation for aspire?\". Do not use it for operating an existing Aspire AppHost (use the official aspire skill at github.com/microsoft/aspire/tree/main/.agents/skills/aspire), authoring AppHost code, or adding integrations to an existing app."

Getting started with Aspire

Aspire is a polyglot stack for building, running, debugging, and deploying distributed applications. The AppHost can be authored in C# or TypeScript today, with additional languages (Java, Go, Python, Rust, …) on the roadmap. The Aspire CLI (aspire) is the entry point for everything: scaffolding apps, running them locally, inspecting state, and deploying.

When to use this skill

• The user is new to Aspire and wants to install the CLI.
• The user wants to scaffold a brand-new Aspire app.
• The user wants to know how to run the app they just created.
• The user is looking for the authoritative docs, integration catalog, or API reference.

Don't use this skill for

• Operating an existing Aspire AppHost (resources, logs, traces, dashboard commands). That's the official `aspire` skill.
• Editing AppHost source code (C# or TypeScript) — consult the API reference on aspire.dev.

Install the Aspire CLI

The official cross-platform installers are hosted on aspire.dev:

• Windows (PowerShell): iex (irm https://aspire.dev/install.ps1)
• macOS / Linux (bash): curl -fsSL https://aspire.dev/install.sh | bash

After install, verify with aspire --version. Do not install Aspire from NuGet/npm directly when the user wants the CLI — the install script is the supported path.

Create a new Aspire app

aspire new

aspire new is interactive. It prompts for the template (for example aspire-starter, apphost, apphost-ts), the project name, the output location, and the language. It creates a subfolder for the new project, so run it from the parent directory where you want the project folder to live. Do not pass fabricated template flags; let the CLI prompt the user.

Run the app

cd <project>
aspire start

aspire start launches the AppHost and the Aspire dashboard. Prefer aspire start over dotnet run for AppHosts — aspire start is the agent-friendly path; aspire run blocks the terminal.

Where to learn more

• Documentation hub: <https://aspire.dev/docs/>
• CLI reference: <https://aspire.dev/reference/cli/>
• Integration catalog: <https://aspire.dev/integrations/>
• C# API reference: <https://aspire.dev/reference/api/csharp/>
• TypeScript API reference: <https://aspire.dev/reference/api/typescript/>
• LLM-friendly corpus: <https://aspire.dev/llms.txt>, <https://aspire.dev/llms-full.txt>
• Per-page markdown: every page on aspire.dev is also available as <page>.md (or via Accept: text/markdown content negotiation).
• In-page search tool: when running in a WebMCP-capable browser, the search-aspire-docs tool is registered on every aspire.dev page.
• Source repository: <https://github.com/microsoft/aspire>