Document `#:include` support in file-based apps by Copilot · Pull Request #53350 · dotnet/docs

Copilot · 2026-04-22T21:11:14Z

The file-based apps article was missing the new #:include directive introduced with .NET 11 Preview 3 and now available in .NET SDK 10.0.300. This update adds directive coverage and clarifies how included files participate in compilation.

Supported directives
- Added #:include to the top-level list of supported file-based app directives.
New #:include directive section
- Added dedicated documentation for #:include.
- Added version availability note immediately under the #:include heading: .NET 11 Preview 3 and .NET SDK 10.0.300+.
- Added syntax examples for:
  - Including files from the app root and subfolders.
  - Glob patterns (for example, shared/**/*.cs).
  - MSBuild-property-based paths (for example, $(MSBuildProjectName).*.cs).
Included item behavior clarification
- Documented file type support and item mappings in .NET SDK 10.0.300:
  - *.cs -> Compile
  - *.resx -> EmbeddedResource
  - *.json -> None
  - *.razor -> Content
- Clarified that included .cs files are compiled as part of the same app and can add declarations, but can't add top-level statements.
- Documented that using glob patterns currently disables file-based app build caching.
- Added a reference to MSBuild reserved and well-known properties.

#:include helpers.cs
#:include models/customer.cs
#:include shared/**/*.cs
#:include $(MSBuildProjectName).*.cs

Internal previews

📄 File	🔗 Preview link
docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md	docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps

Internal previews

📄 File	🔗 Preview link
docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md	File-based apps

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/27329bc4-87c0-469b-b146-55d906707455 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

gewarren · 2026-04-22T21:57:14Z

@copilot Please respond to feedback.

Reordered the list of supported directives for clarity and moved the `#:project` section to a new position.

Removed duplicate section for the `#:include` directive in the documentation.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Updates the file-based apps documentation to cover the newly supported #:include directive so developers can split a file-based app across multiple source files.

Changes:

Adds #:include to the supported directives list.
Adds a new #:include subsection with examples and an availability note.

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/a2dfc33b-80ca-4bce-a649-cb0f6ef97058 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-04-22T22:09:33Z

@copilot Please respond to feedback.

Done—feedback has been applied in 95713a7.

gewarren · 2026-05-14T17:46:40Z

Feature PR is closed, so abandoning this PR.

DamianEdwards · 2026-05-17T16:49:13Z

This feature landed in 10.0.300 last week so reopening.

gewarren · 2026-05-18T15:58:41Z

@copilot Please respond to all feedback.

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-05-18T16:03:40Z

@copilot Please respond to all feedback.

Done—I've applied and responded to the actionable feedback in 043d1cc and follow-up wording refinements through 261ed22.

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Initial plan

d8ea0eb

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and gewarren Apr 22, 2026

Copilot AI linked an issue Apr 22, 2026 that may be closed by this pull request

File-based apps can include other code files #53204

Closed

Copilot started work on behalf of gewarren April 22, 2026 21:11 View session

Document #:include support for file-based apps

da16212

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/27329bc4-87c0-469b-b146-55d906707455 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

dotnet-policy-service Bot added the dotnet-fundamentals/svc label Apr 22, 2026

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Update article on file-based apps with include syntax~~ Document #:include support in file-based apps Apr 22, 2026

Copilot finished work on behalf of gewarren April 22, 2026 21:14

Copilot AI requested a review from gewarren April 22, 2026 21:14

gewarren reviewed Apr 22, 2026

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Comment thread docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md Outdated

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Comment thread docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md Outdated

gewarren added 2 commits April 22, 2026 14:59

Reorganize supported directives in file-based apps docs

dce1256

Reordered the list of supported directives for clarity and moved the `#:project` section to a new position.

Remove duplicate #:include directive section

c26788a

Removed duplicate section for the `#:include` directive in the documentation.

gewarren reviewed Apr 22, 2026

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Comment thread docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md Outdated

Update docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md

45e2f60

gewarren approved these changes Apr 22, 2026

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gewarren marked this pull request as ready for review April 22, 2026 22:03

gewarren requested a review from a team as a code owner April 22, 2026 22:03

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 22, 2026 22:03

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of gewarren April 22, 2026 22:03 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 22, 2026

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Comment thread docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md Outdated

Copilot started work on behalf of gewarren April 22, 2026 22:06 View session

Copilot AI and others added 4 commits April 22, 2026 22:07

Clarify #:include compilation behavior in file-based apps docs

94d3ead

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/a2dfc33b-80ca-4bce-a649-cb0f6ef97058 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Refine #:include clarification wording for list clarity

b5f492a

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/a2dfc33b-80ca-4bce-a649-cb0f6ef97058 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Adjust include clarification phrasing

70062cf

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/a2dfc33b-80ca-4bce-a649-cb0f6ef97058 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Split include clarification into two sentences

95713a7

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/a2dfc33b-80ca-4bce-a649-cb0f6ef97058 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot finished work on behalf of gewarren April 22, 2026 22:10

Copilot AI requested a review from gewarren April 22, 2026 22:10

gewarren requested a review from adegeo April 28, 2026 17:57

adegeo added the DO NOT MERGE label Apr 29, 2026

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gewarren closed this May 14, 2026

DamianEdwards reopened this May 17, 2026

DamianEdwards reviewed May 17, 2026

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Comment thread docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md

Copilot AI and others added 5 commits May 18, 2026 16:00

Expand #:include directive docs for file types and path patterns

043d1cc

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Refine #:include wording for declarations and path options

a520d1e

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Use active voice for included C# file compilation note

29e6e27

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Clarify included C# file compilation sentence

9bf0daf

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Tighten #:include path guidance wording

261ed22

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI and others added 2 commits May 18, 2026 16:03

Clarify top-level statements are not supported in included files

0335113

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Use direct wording for top-level statement restriction

500b48d

Agent-Logs-Url: https://github.com/dotnet/docs/sessions/9e2da8dc-710b-4505-890e-2e264be1aa13 Co-authored-by: gewarren <24882762+gewarren@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot started work on behalf of gewarren May 18, 2026 16:07 View session

Copilot finished work on behalf of gewarren May 18, 2026 16:28

gewarren reviewed May 20, 2026

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Comment thread docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md Outdated

Update docs/core/sdk/file-based-apps.md

031cec5

gewarren requested a review from adegeo May 20, 2026 17:01

gewarren enabled auto-merge (squash) May 20, 2026 17:01

DamianEdwards approved these changes May 20, 2026

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gewarren merged commit ff87490 into main May 20, 2026
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gewarren deleted the copilot/update-file-based-apps-article branch May 20, 2026 17:45

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Document `#:include` support in file-based apps#53350

Document `#:include` support in file-based apps#53350
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