Build a deterministic build

[iBrotNano]

Requirements

Open Questions?

1. @who: What must be discussed?

Blockers

1. NuGet Package Explorer shows the build not as deterministic and i can't figure out why.

Description

A deterministic build is a build which binaries are the same regardless on which machine they are build.

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/producing-packages-with-source-link/#deterministic-builds

Conditions

Side effects

Locally build binaries should not be build deterministic because it prevents debugging.

Acceptance tests

• I will check in the NuGet compiled by the build server if the build is deterministic

Design

How can the task be done? describes how to configure the build. I will create a parameter in Directory.Build.props which can be set on the buildserver build and can be omit locally.

Dissection

Integration test	1
Action	Check in the NuGet if the build was deterministic.
Expected result	The must be a hook checked when it is opend with the NuGet Explorer.

Development

TODOs

• Create a feature branch if needed (Maybe configuration changes or new project files)
• Update the dependencies
• Modify Directory.Build.props to enable deterministic build configuration
• Check the build in IlSpy
• Check with a minimal example
• Check with a .NET 6.0 build
• Is there any other tool to check if a NuGet is deterministic?
• Proof with different version of MSBuild
• Try if .NET SDK 7.0.201 can be used
• The log shows that Deterministic is set to false
• Analyze the log
• Why is the file Shouldly.props part of the NuGet?
• Try <ExcludeAssets>build</ExcludeAssets>
• Why is the project build as reference assembly?
• NPE does not show the deterministic builds correctly. Why?
• Build the app with the flag for deterministic builds
• Write meaningful comments
• Are there any compiler warnings?
• Do all unit tests pass?
• Is the version number correctly configured?
• Phrase a meaningful commit comment
• Check-in the changes and push them to the server
• Save the build configuration files (Directory.Build.props, Directory.Package.props, build.yml, templates, README.md, CHANGELOG.md) as a snippet in GitLab.

Notes

I could proof that the MSBuild version has no impact on the result.

I compile the assembly as a reference assembly. No metadata of private membes is published or can be used. This way only the public API of the assembly can be used. This is a more stable way to publish assemblies and should be used as default.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/assembly/reference-assemblies

Debug

ID	Result	Pass
1	The hook to indicate a deterministic build is set.	🟢

Documentation

• Do I need a new PIA or update an existing one?
• Update the README.md
• Update the CHANGELOG.md
• Describe the setup of the story if needed for end users
• Does something in the wiki needed to be updated?
• Publish the solution as a blog post

Decisions

PIAs

Links

• https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/producing-packages-with-source-link/#deterministic-builds
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/nuget/consume-packages/package-references-in-project-files
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/assembly/reference-assemblies

Demo

• Setup a fresh demo environment

The NuGet is deterministic.

Deployment

• Merge feature into master with a squash and remove the feature branch
• Check if the compiled artifact is valid
• Cleanup the Git history locally on the dev system