Scaffolding Revit Projects

Scaffolding Revit Projects

The Nice3point.Revit.Templates package provides dotnet new templates for Revit add-ins, solutions, benchmarks, and tests, already wired to Nice3point.Revit.Sdk. Choose the project topology before generating files. Choosing the wrong project shape causes either a monolithic add-in or a modular add-in without a deployable host. Open only the reference for the template being considered.

Two rules apply to every generated project:

1. Template options define the project shape. Generate a fresh project with the needed options instead of adding generated infrastructure by hand.
2. A Debug.RNN or Release.RNN configuration targets one Revit year. Replace NN with the final two digits of that year; for example, Debug.R27 targets Revit 2027.

When to use

• Starting a new Revit add-in, benchmark, or test project or solution.

Choose the project shape

Match the required outcome to one reference and open only that reference.

• [references/revit-addin.md](references/revit-addin.md) — Load when: a small self-contained add-in needs one project that owns its manifest, entry point, UI, deployment, and debugging.
• [references/revit-addin-application.md](references/revit-addin-application.md) — Load when: creating the manifest-owning host for a modular add-in; use it with revit-addin-module.
• [references/revit-addin-module.md](references/revit-addin-module.md) — Load when: adding one modular feature, service, or WPF MVVM area to an application host.
• [references/revit-addin-solution.md](references/revit-addin-solution.md) — Load when: a repository needs a standard layout, ModularPipelines build, MSI installer, App Store bundle, tests, or CI.
• [references/revit-benchmark.md](references/revit-benchmark.md) — Load when: measuring Revit API code with BenchmarkDotNet inside Revit.
• [references/revit-tunit.md](references/revit-tunit.md) — Load when: creating a TUnit test project that runs inside Revit.

Workflow

Step 1: Install the templates

dotnet new install Nice3point.Revit.Templates

Step 2: Select the template and its options

Use revit-addin for a small self-contained add-in. Use revit-addin-application and one or more revit-addin-module projects together for a modular add-in. The application owns the .addin manifest, Revit entry point, ribbon registration, deployment, and debugging. Modules own feature or UI code and are referenced by the application. Create revit-addin-sln first when the repository also needs solution-level build or distribution infrastructure.

Step 3: Generate the project or solution

dotnet new revit-addin --name MyAddin

Pass only the options that change the default shape. For example, create a solution with an App Store bundle and tests:

dotnet new revit-addin-sln --name MyAddin --bundle --includeTests

For a modular solution, create the host and a module under source, then add the module reference to the host:

dotnet new revit-addin-application --name MyAddin
dotnet new revit-addin-module --name MyFeature
dotnet add MyAddin/MyAddin.csproj reference MyFeature/MyFeature.csproj

Step 4: Initialize the solution repository

For a solution, create add-in projects under source and make an initial Git commit before running its build. GitVersion needs repository history.

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

Step 5: Verify

Restore and build a declared Debug.RNN configuration. For a solution, run its ModularPipelines build from build.

dotnet build  --configuration Debug.RNN
cd build
dotnet run

Validation

• [ ] The templates are installed via dotnet new install Nice3point.Revit.Templates.
• [ ] The chosen template and options match the intended topology and output.
• [ ] A modular add-in has an application host, modules referenced from that host, and entry points in the host.
• [ ] A solution has an initial Git commit before its build runs.
• [ ] The generated project builds for one declared Debug.RNN or Release.RNN configuration.

Common Pitfalls

| Pitfall | Correct approach | |---|---| | Treating an application template as a complete modular add-in | Create it with one or more modules, then add project references from the application to modules. | | Putting commands or ribbon registration in a module | Keep Revit entry points in the application project. | | Guessing a template option | Open the reference for that template and use its documented CLI option. | | Building a scaffolded solution before committing | Commit first; GitVersion needs history. |

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: Nice3point
• Source: Nice3point/revit-skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.