At its core, the .NET Portability Analyzer is a diagnostic tool that scans assemblies (compiled code) rather than source code. It examines the Application Binary Interfaces (ABIs) utilized by an application and compares them against the APIs available on the target platform—be it .NET Standard, .NET Core, or specific versions like .NET 6 or 8. The primary output is a detailed report, often exported as an Excel spreadsheet or viewed within Visual Studio, which categorizes APIs into two distinct columns: "Available" and "Not Available."
Always create a dedicated migration branch in your Git repository before running any analysis or upgrade tool. portability analyzer new
However, the Portability Analyzer is not a silver bullet, and understanding its limitations is crucial for a successful migration. The tool analyzes presence , not behavior . It can tell a developer that a specific method exists on the target platform, but it cannot guarantee that the method behaves identically. In some cases, APIs were ported to .NET Core but implemented differently due to cross-platform constraints (e.g., differences in file system case sensitivity or registry access). At its core, the
Migration planning often suffers from inaccurate timelines. The tool provides a detailed breakdown of incompatible code sections, allowing project managers to allocate engineering hours based on empirical data rather than guesswork. 3. Accelerated Development Cycles However, the Portability Analyzer is not a silver
Right-click your project and select Analyze Assembly Portability .