Installation

FluentMigrator can be installed in several ways depending on your project type and preferences.

Package Installation

Core Packages

All projects need these base packages:

• FluentMigrator
• FluentMigrator.Runner

Database Provider Packages

Choose the package for your database provider:

• SQL Server
• PostgreSQL
• MySQL / MariaDB
• SQLite
• Oracle
• Firebird
• IBM DB2
• SAP HANA
• Snowflake
• Amazon Redshift

Installation Methods

.NET CLI

dotnet add package FluentMigrator
dotnet add package FluentMigrator.Runner
# And then the provider package you need ...

Package Manager Console (Visual Studio)

Install-Package FluentMigrator
Install-Package FluentMigrator.Runner
# And then the provider package you need ...

Package Manager UI

1. Right-click on your project in Solution Explorer
2. Select "Manage NuGet Packages"
3. Search for "FluentMigrator" and install the required packages

Command Line Tools

.NET Tool

Install the FluentMigrator .NET tool for command-line usage:

dotnet tool install -g FluentMigrator.DotNet.Cli

Usage:

dotnet fm migrate -p sqlserver -c "Server=.;Database=MyApp;Trusted_Connection=true;" -a "MyApp.dll"

MSBuild Integration

For MSBuild integration, add the MSBuild package.

dotnet add package FluentMigrator.MSBuild

Install-Package FluentMigrator.MSBuild

Project Templates

Console Application Template

Create a new console application for running migrations:

dotnet new console -n MyApp.Migrations
cd MyApp.Migrations
dotnet add package FluentMigrator
dotnet add package FluentMigrator.Runner
dotnet add package FluentMigrator.Runner.SqlServer

Web Application Integration

For ASP.NET Core applications, add migration support to your existing web project:

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="FluentMigrator" Version="7.2.0" /> <!-- Use the latest stable version -->
    <PackageReference Include="FluentMigrator.Runner" Version="7.2.0" />
    <PackageReference Include="FluentMigrator.Runner.SqlServer" Version="7.2.0" />
  </ItemGroup>
</Project>

Framework Support

FluentMigrator supports multiple .NET frameworks:

• .NET 8.0+ ✅ (Recommended)
• .NET Framework 4.8 ✅

Version Compatibility

FluentMigrator Version	.NET Version	Status
7+	.NET 8+	Current
5+	.NET 5+	Legacy
3.x	.NET Core 2+	Unsupported

Verification

After installation, verify that FluentMigrator is properly installed by creating a simple migration:

using FluentMigrator;

[Migration(1)]
public class TestMigration : Migration
{
    public override void Up()
    {
        // Migration code here
    }

    public override void Down()
    {
        // Rollback code here
    }
}

If the code compiles without errors, FluentMigrator is correctly installed.

Common Installation Issues

Package Conflicts

If you encounter package conflicts, ensure all FluentMigrator packages are the same version:

<PackageReference Include="FluentMigrator" Version="7.2.0" /> <!-- Use the latest stable version -->
<PackageReference Include="FluentMigrator.Runner" Version="7.2.0" />
<PackageReference Include="FluentMigrator.Runner.SqlServer" Version="7.2.0" />

Missing Database Provider

Error: "No database provider registered"

Solution: Install the appropriate database provider package for your database.

Assembly Loading Issues

If you get assembly loading errors, ensure your target framework is compatible and all dependencies are properly installed.

Se e the FAQ for more help.

Next Steps

Once FluentMigrator is installed, proceed to:

• Configuration - Comprehensive configuration guide for all scenarios
• Quick Start Guide - Create your first migration
• Creating Tables - Learn the table creation API
• Database Providers - Provider-specific configuration