Project Element (MSBuild)
Required root element of an MSBuild project file.
<Project InitialTargets="TargetA;TargetB"
DefaultTargets="TargetC;TargetD"
xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<Choose>... </Choose>
<PropertyGroup>... </PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>... </ItemGroup>
<Target>... </Target>
<UsingTask.../>
<ProjectExtensions>... </ProjectExtensions>
<Import... />
</Project>
Attributes and Elements
The following sections describe attributes, child elements, and parent elements.
Attributes
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
DefaultTargets |
Optional attribute. The default target or targets to be the entry point of the build if no target has been specified. Multiple targets are semi-colon (;) delimited. If no default target is specified in either the DefaultTargets attribute or the MSBuild command line, the engine will execute the first target in the project file after the Import elements have been evaluated. |
InitialTargets |
Optional attribute. The initial target or targets to be run before the targets specified in the DefaultTargets attribute or on the command line. Multiple targets are semi-colon (;) delimited. |
xmlns |
Required attribute. The xmlns attribute must have the value of "https://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003". |
Child Elements
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
Optional element. Evaluates child elements to select one set of ItemGroup elements and/or PropertyGroup elements to evaluate. |
|
Optional element. Allows a project file to import another project file. There may be zero or more Import elements in a project. |
|
Optional element. A grouping element for individual items. Items are specified using the Item element. There may be zero or more ItemGroup elements in a project. |
|
Optional element. Provides a way to persist non-MSBuild information within an MSBuild project file. There may be zero or one ProjectExtensions elements in a project. |
|
Optional element. A grouping element for individual properties. Properties are specified using the Property element. There may be zero or more PropertyGroup elements in a project. |
|
Optional element. Contains a set of tasks for MSBuild to sequentially execute. Tasks are specified using the Task element. There may be zero or more Target elements in a project. |
|
Optional element. Provides a way to register tasks within MSBuild. There may be zero or more UsingTask elements in a project. |
Parent Elements
None.
See Also
Tasks
How To: Specify Which Target to Build First
Reference
MSBuild Command Line Reference