deps - Dependency Graph

Overview#

The deps command generates visual dependency graphs for your .NET solutions and projects. You can output in multiple formats: Mermaid markdown, interactive HTML, or SVG images. This helps you understand project relationships and identify circular dependencies.

Syntax#

nmbl deps <ProjectOrSolution> [options]

Arguments#

• ProjectOrSolution - Path to a .csproj or .slnx file

Options#

• --output <path> - Output file path (format determined by extension: .md, .html, .svg)
• --include-nuget - Show NuGet packages without versions
• --include-nuget-versions - Show NuGet packages with version numbers

Output Formats#

The output format is automatically determined by the file extension:

• .md - Mermaid markdown (can be rendered in GitHub, Azure DevOps, etc.)
• .html - Interactive HTML with pan/zoom
• .svg - Scalable vector graphics image

Examples#

Generate Mermaid Markdown#

nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --output deps.md

Creates a Mermaid diagram that can be viewed in GitHub README files or documentation.

Generate Interactive HTML#

nmbl deps MyProject.csproj --output deps.html

Creates an HTML file with an interactive, zoomable dependency graph.

Generate SVG Image#

nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --output deps.svg

Creates a high-quality SVG image suitable for documentation or presentations.

Include NuGet Packages#

nmbl deps MyProject.csproj --include-nuget --output deps.md

Shows both project dependencies and NuGet package dependencies.

Include NuGet Package Versions#

nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --include-nuget-versions --output deps.html

Shows NuGet packages with their version numbers for detailed dependency analysis.

Generate Multiple Formats#

# Generate all formats for the same solution
nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --output deps.md
nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --output deps.html
nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --output deps.svg

Creates multiple formats for different use cases.

Use Cases#

Documentation#

nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --output docs/architecture/dependencies.md

Generate dependency diagrams for your architecture documentation.

Code Reviews#

nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --include-nuget --output review.html

Create interactive graphs to help reviewers understand changes.

Identifying Circular Dependencies#

The graph visualization makes it easy to spot circular dependencies (cycles in the graph) that should be refactored.

Architecture Validation#

# Generate before making changes
nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --output before.svg

# Make architectural changes

# Generate after changes
nmbl deps MySolution.slnx --output after.svg

# Compare the two diagrams

Related Commands#

• projectreferences - List project references
• loc - Count lines of code