Refresh README and project-structure docs for the cross-platform state
The README still described ILSpy as a WPF app. Reflect the current reality:
the desktop UI is cross-platform Avalonia (Windows/Linux/macOS), the solution
filters are ILSpy.Desktop.slnf / ILSpy.XPlat.slnf (no ILSpy.Wpf.slnf), Unix/Mac
can build and run the UI, and the build requires the .NET 11 SDK. In CLAUDE.md,
the net472 add-ins / installer / Windows-bound tests are Windows-only frontends
and extra tests, not a legacy porting backlog.
Assisted-by: Claude:claude-opus-4-8:Claude Code
# ILSpy [](https://nuget.org/packages/ICSharpCode.Decompiler)  [](https://hachyderm.io/@ilspy) [](https://bsky.app/profile/ilspy.bsky.social) [](https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/8ef1d688-f80c-4380-8004-2ec7f814e7de)
ILSpy is the open-source .NET assembly browser and decompiler.
ILSpy is the open-source, cross-platform .NET assembly browser and decompiler. The desktop UI runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS (built on [Avalonia](https://avaloniaui.net/)).
Download: [latest release](https://github.com/icsharpcode/ILSpy/releases) | [latest CI build (master)](https://github.com/icsharpcode/ILSpy/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Build+ILSpy%22+branch%3Amaster+is%3Asuccess+event%3Apush) | [Microsoft Store (RTM versions only)](https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/ilspy-fresh/XP8C26VDWLP4T4)
Decompiler Frontends
-------
Aside from the WPF UI ILSpy (downloadable via Releases, see also [plugins](https://github.com/icsharpcode/ILSpy/wiki/Plugins)), the following other frontends are available:
Aside from the cross-platform desktop UI ILSpy (downloadable via Releases, see also [plugins](https://github.com/icsharpcode/ILSpy/wiki/Plugins)), the following other frontends are available:
* Visual Studio 2022/2026 ship with decompilation support for F12 enabled by default (using our engines v8.2 and v9.1 respectively).
* Our Visual Studio 2022 extension [marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=SharpDevelopTeam.ILSpy2022) (works with VS 2026 as well)
@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ How to build
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ How to build
- Clone the ILSpy repository using git.
- Execute `git submodule update --init --recursive` to download the ILSpy-Tests submodule (used by some test cases).
- Install Visual Studio (documented version: 18.0/2026). You need the following workload components:
- Workload ".NET Desktop Development". This workload includes the .NET Framework 4.8 SDK and the .NET Framework 4.7.2 targeting pack, as well as the [.NET 10.0 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0) (ILSpy.csproj targets .NET 10.0, but we have net472 projects too).
- Workload ".NET Desktop Development". This workload includes the .NET Framework 4.8 SDK and the .NET Framework 4.7.2 targeting pack, as well as the [.NET 11.0 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/11.0) (ILSpy.csproj targets .NET 11.0, but we have net472 projects too).
- Workload "Visual Studio extension development" (Note: ILSpy.VSExtensions.sln is separate from ILSpy.sln and thus this workload is optional)
- Individual Component "MSVC v143 - VS 2022 C++ x64/x86 build tools" (or similar)
- _The VC++ toolset is optional_; if present it is used for `editbin.exe` to modify the stack size used by ILSpy.exe from 1MB to 16MB, because the decompiler makes heavy use of recursion, where small stack sizes lead to problems in very complex methods.
@ -57,21 +57,22 @@ How to build
@@ -57,21 +57,22 @@ How to build
- Run project "ILSpy" for the ILSpy UI
- Use the Visual Studio "Test Explorer" to see/run the tests
- If you are only interested in a specific subset of ILSpy, you can also use
- ILSpy.Wpf.slnf: for the ILSpy WPF frontend
- ILSpy.XPlat.slnf: for the cross-platform CLI or PowerShell cmdlets
- ILSpy.AddIn.slnf: for the Visual Studio plugin
- ILSpy.Desktop.slnf: for the cross-platform Avalonia UI and its tests
- ILSpy.XPlat.slnf: for the cross-platform CLI (ilspycmd) or PowerShell cmdlets
- ILSpy.VSExtensions.sln: for the Visual Studio extensions
**Note:** Visual Studio includes a version of the .NET SDK that is managed by the Visual Studio installer - once you update, it may get upgraded too.
Please note that ILSpy is only compatible with the .NET 10.0 SDK and Visual Studio will refuse to load some projects in the solution (and unit tests will fail).
If this problem occurs, please manually install the .NET 10.0 SDK from [here](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0).
Please note that ILSpy is only compatible with the .NET 11.0 SDK and Visual Studio will refuse to load some projects in the solution (and unit tests will fail).
If this problem occurs, please manually install the .NET 11.0 SDK from [here](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/11.0).
#### Unix / Mac:
- Make sure [.NET 10.0 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0) is installed.
- Make sure [.NET 11.0 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/11.0) is installed.
- Make sure [PowerShell](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell) is installed (formerly known as PowerShell Core)
- Clone the repository using git.
- Execute `git submodule update --init --recursive` to download the ILSpy-Tests submodule (used by some test cases).
- Use `dotnet build ILSpy.XPlat.slnf` to build the non-Windows flavors of ILSpy (.NET Core Global Tool and PowerShell Core).
- Use `dotnet build ILSpy.Desktop.slnf` to build the cross-platform Avalonia desktop UI; run it with `dotnet run --project ILSpy`.
- Use `dotnet build ILSpy.XPlat.slnf` to build only the CLI tool (ilspycmd) and PowerShell cmdlets.
Siegfried Pammer
4 weeks ago