Feature request: Consistent way to run dotnet tools regardless if installed as global or as local tool

[augustoproiete]

As of this writing, given a developer published a dotnet tool that uses, for example, a command name "hello" (i.e. <ToolCommandName>hello</ToolCommandName>), the way to execute the tool is different depending on how the user installed the tool

• If the user installed as a global tool, they can only run it using hello
• If the user installed as a local tool, they can only run it using either dotnet hello or dotnet tool run hello

This makes it difficult for build scripts/systems to execute dotnet tools where they cannot control how the user installed it.

i.e. If a build script runs dotnet hello or dotnet tool run hello it should Just Work™ without the build script having any knowledge if the tool was installed globally or locally.

Request

When running dotnet <toolname> or dotnet tool run <toolname> try to run a local tool first, and fallback to a global tool with the same name.

If multiple tools with the same name are resolved, pick the one that is closer.

---

Repro steps

Install a dotnet tool that does not have the dotnet- prefix as a local tool:

mkdir repro-local
cd repro-local
dotnet new tool-manifest --force
dotnet tool install exceldna-unpack --version 2.0.0

✅ Both ways of executing the tool work

dotnet exceldna-unpack
# (success)

dotnet tool run exceldna-unpack
# (success)

❌ Executing the tool directly does not work

exceldna-unpack
# (error)

Install a dotnet tool that does not have the dotnet- prefix as a global tool:

dotnet tool install --global exceldna-unpack --version 2.0.0

❌ Both commands fail and the tool is not found

dotnet exceldna-unpack
# (error)

dotnet tool run exceldna-unpack
# (error)

✅ Executing the tool directly works

exceldna-unpack
# (success)