mtp-hot-reload
Suggests using Microsoft Testing Platform (MTP) hot reload to iterate fixes on failing tests without rebuilding. Use when user says "hot reload tests", "iterate on test fix", "run tests without rebuilding", "speed up test loop", "fix test faster", or needs to set up MTP hot reload to rapidly iterate on test failures. Covers setup (NuGet package, environment variable, launchSettings.json) and the iterative workflow for fixing tests. DO NOT USE FOR: writing test code, diagnosing test failures, running tests normally with dotnet test (use run-tests), applying test filters, producing TRX reports,
npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill mtp-hot-reload --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# MTP Hot Reload for Iterative Test Fixing Set up and use Microsoft Testing Platform hot reload to rapidly iterate fixes on failing tests without rebuilding between each change. ## When to Use - User has one or more failing tests and wants to iterate fixes quickly - User wants to avoid rebuild overhead while fixing test code or production code - User asks about hot reload for tests or speeding up the test-fix loop - User needs to set up MTP hot reload in their project ## When Not to Use - User needs to write new tests from scratch (use general coding assistance) - User needs to diagnose why a test is failing (use diagnostic skills) - User wants Visual Studio Test Explorer hot reload (different feature, built into VS) - Project uses VSTest -- hot reload requires Microsoft Testing Platform (MTP) - User needs CI/CD pipeline configuration ## Inputs | Input | Required | Description | |-------|----------|-------------| | Test project path | No | Path to the test project (.csproj). Defaults to current directory. | | Failing test name or filter | No | Specific test(s) to iterate on | ## Workflow ### Step 1: Verify the project uses Microsoft Testing Platform Hot reload requires MTP. It does
- When to Use
- When Not to Use
- Inputs
- Workflow
- Step 1: Verify the project uses Microsoft Testing Platform
- Step 2: Add the hot reload NuGet package
- Step 3: Enable hot reload
- Step 4: Run the tests with hot reload
- Step 5: Iterate on the fix
- Step 6: Finalize
- Validation
- Common Pitfalls
dotnet add <project-path> package Microsoft.Testing.Extensions.HotReload PowerShell bash/zsh export TESTINGPLATFORM_HOTRELOAD_ENABLED=1 dotnet run --project <project-path>
What does the mtp-hot-reload skill do?
Suggests using Microsoft Testing Platform (MTP) hot reload to iterate fixes on failing tests without rebuilding. Use when user says "hot reload tests", "iterate on test fix", "run tests without rebuilding", "speed up test loop", "fix test faster", or needs to set up MTP hot reload to rapidly iterate on test failures. Covers setup (NuGet package, environment variable, launchSettings.json) and the iterative workflow for fixing tests. DO NOT USE FOR: writing test code, diagnosing test failures, running tests normally with dotnet test (use run-tests), applying test filters, producing TRX reports,
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add dotnet/skills --skill mtp-hot-reload --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From dotnet/skills, a repository with 4,927 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.