How do I build a solution programmatically in C#?

See .NET 4.0 MSBuild API introduction for an example using the .NET 4.0 MSBuild API:

List<ILogger> loggers = new List<ILogger>();
loggers.Add(new ConsoleLogger());
var projectCollection = new ProjectCollection();
projectCollection.RegisterLoggers(loggers);
var project = projectCollection.LoadProject(buildFileUri); // Needs a reference to System.Xml
try
{
    project.Build();
}
finally
{
    projectCollection.UnregisterAllLoggers();
}

A simpler example:

var project = new Project(buildFileUri, null, "4.0");
var ok = project.Build(); // Or project.Build(targets, loggers)
return ok;

Remember to use the .NET 4 Profile (not the Client profile).

Add the following references: System.XML, Microsoft.Build, Microsoft.Build.Framework, and optionally Microsoft.Build.Utilities.v4.0.

Also look at Stack Overflow question Running MSBuild programmatically.

To build a solution, do the following:

var props = new Dictionary<string, string>();
props["Configuration"] = "Release";
var request = new BuildRequestData(buildFileUri, props, null, new string[] { "Build" }, null);
var parms = new BuildParameters();
// parms.Loggers = ...;

var result = BuildManager.DefaultBuildManager.Build(parms, request);
return result.OverallResult == BuildResultCode.Success;

Most of the answers are providing ways to do it by calling external commands, but there is an API, Microsoft.Build.Framework, to build via C#.

---

Code from blog post:

using Microsoft.Build.BuildEngine;
using Microsoft.Build.Framework;
using Microsoft.Build.Utilities;

public class SolutionBuilder
{
    BasicFileLogger b;
    public SolutionBuilder() { }

    [STAThread]
    public string Compile(string solution_name,string logfile)
    {
        b = new BasicFileLogger();
        b.Parameters = logfile;
        b.register();
        Microsoft.Build.BuildEngine.Engine.GlobalEngine.BuildEnabled = true;
        Project p = new Project (Microsoft.Build.BuildEngine.Engine.GlobalEngine);
        p.BuildEnabled = true;
        p.Load(solution_name);
        p.Build();
        string output = b.getLogoutput();
        output += “nt” + b.Warningcount + ” Warnings. “;
        output += “nt” + b.Errorcount + ” Errors. “;
        b.Shutdown();
        return output;
    }
}
// The above class is used and compilation is initiated by the following code,
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    SolutionBuilder builder = new SolutionBuilder();
    string output = builder.Compile(@”G:CodesTestingTesting2web1.sln”, @”G:CodesTestingTesting2build_log.txt”);
    Console.WriteLine(output);
    Console.ReadKey();
}

Note the code in that blog post works, but it is a little dated. The

Microsoft.Build.BuildEngine

has been broken up into some pieces.

Microsoft.Build.Construction

Microsoft.Build.Evaluation

Microsoft.Build.Execution