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MSBuild Project File Schema Reference

Note

This article applies to Visual Studio 2015. If you're looking for the latest Visual Studio documentation, see Visual Studio documentation. We recommend upgrading to the latest version of Visual Studio. Download it here

Provides a table of all the MSBuild XML Schema elements with their available attributes and child elements.

MSBuild uses project files to instruct the build engine what to build and how to build it. MSBuild project files are XML files that adhere to the MSBuild XML schema. This section documents the XML schema definition (.xsd) file for MSBuild.

MSBuild XML Schema Elements

The following table lists all of the MSBuild XML schema elements along with their child elements and attributes.

Element Child Elements Attributes
Choose Element (MSBuild) Otherwise

When
--
Import Element (MSBuild) -- Condition

Project
ImportGroup Element Import Condition
Item Element (MSBuild) ItemMetaData Condition

Exclude

Include

Remove
ItemDefinitionGroup Element (MSBuild) Item Condition
ItemGroup Element (MSBuild) Item Condition
ItemMetadata Element (MSBuild) Item Condition
OnError Element (MSBuild) -- Condition

ExecuteTargets
Otherwise Element (MSBuild) Choose

ItemGroup

PropertyGroup
--
Output Element (MSBuild) -- Condition

ItemName

PropertyName

TaskParameter
Parameter Element -- Output

ParameterType

Required
ParameterGroup Element Parameter --
Project Element (MSBuild) Choose

Import

ItemGroup

ProjectExtensions

PropertyGroup

Target

UsingTask
DefaultTargets

InitialTargets

ToolsVersion

TreatAsLocalProperty

xmlns
ProjectExtensions Element (MSBuild) -- --
Property Element (MSBuild) -- Condition
PropertyGroup Element (MSBuild) Property Condition
Target Element (MSBuild) OnError

Task
AfterTargets

BeforeTargets

Condition

DependsOnTargets

Inputs

KeepDuplicateOutputs

Name

Outputs

Returns
Task Element (MSBuild) Output Condition

ContinueOnError

Parameter
TaskBody Element (MSBuild) Data Evaluate
UsingTask Element (MSBuild) ParameterGroup

TaskBody
AssemblyFile

AssemblyName

Condition

TaskFactory

TaskName
When Element (MSBuild) Choose

ItemGroup

PropertyGroup
Condition

See Also

Task Reference
Conditions
MSBuild Reference
MSBuild