dotnet / dotnet/dotnet-api-docs

TPL Dataflow install instructions may be confusing

Open
#8,994 2 comments 1 reaction 0 assignees View on GitHub
area-System.Threading.Tasks Pri3 untriaged
Dominant language
C#
Stars
949
Forks
1.7k
Avg merge
3d 27m
Merged PRs (30d)
49

Description

Every article about the TPL Dataflow library includes the [following note](https://github.com/dotnet/dotnet-api-docs/blob/588e604ef7299bcdc2d299cf15a33f9e790351df/includes/tpl-install-instructions.md?plain=1#L1C1-L2):

> **Note**
> The TPL Dataflow Library (the System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow namespace) is not distributed with .NET. To install the System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow namespace in Visual Studio, open your project, choose **Manage NuGet Packages** from the **Project** menu, and search online for the `System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow` package. Alternatively, to install it using [the .NET Core CLI](/dotnet/core/tools/), run `dotnet add package System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow`.

However, TDF only needs to be explicitly installed when used with .NET Framework. TDF has always been available in .NET Core without installing additional packages.

A simple fix is to replace "distributed with .NET" with "distributed with .NET Framework." But I think the note still may be too prominent and verbose, especially given that it only applies to .NET Framework projects.

Is there a way to simplify this? Most package-only APIs do not have a note plastered on every relevant page with instructions on how to use NuGet. At the very least, could it be simplified to something like:

> **Note**
> To use the TPL Dataflow Library (the System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow namespace) with .NET Framework, the [System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow](https://www.nuget.org/packages/System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow/) package must be installed from NuGet.

and perhaps the note could be removed from all but a couple of pages?

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Assessment

This issue has not been assessed yet.

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.