appsettings.json file not in .net core console project - asp.net-core

Question

I understand that .net core has replaced the app.config file with appsetting.json. However this file seems to be added for ASP.net projects only. In fact it is not even available in the add items list.
I found this post that list packages needed to be added:
Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration
Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.FileExtensions
Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Json
I added all these and it does give me the option of adding a json configuration file but still not the App Settings File which is only available under ASP.Net Core.
I am trying to understand why, doesn't a non web project need configuration and what is the recommended way to configure a .net core console application.
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Non-web project may or may not need configuration. But, as you noticed, Visual Studio doesn't scaffold console projects with appsettings.json. Obviously, you can add it to the project as json file. Once you have it, the challenge is to make use of it. I frequently use Configuration object and dependency injection in Entity Framework utilities.
For example,
public static class Program
{
private static IConfigurationRoot Configuration { get; set; }
public static void Main()
{
IConfigurationBuilder builder = new ConfigurationBuilder()
.AddJsonFile("appsettings.json")
.AddEnvironmentVariables();
Configuration = builder.Build();
IServiceCollection services = new ServiceCollection();
services.AddDbContext<MyDbContext>(options =>
options.UseSqlServer(Configuration.GetConnectionString("DefaultConnection")));
services.AddScoped<IMyService, MyService>();
IServiceProvider provider = services.BuildServiceProvider();
IMyService myService = provider.GetService<IMyService>();
myService.SomeMethod();
}
public class TemporaryDbContextFactory : IDesignTimeDbContextFactory<MyDbContext>
{
public MyDbContext CreateDbContext(string[] args)
{
IConfigurationBuilder configBuilder = new ConfigurationBuilder()
.AddJsonFile("appsettings.json")
.AddEnvironmentVariables();
IConfigurationRoot configuration = configBuilder.Build();
DbContextOptionsBuilder<MyDbContext> builder = new DbContextOptionsBuilder<MyDbContext>();
builder.UseSqlServer(configuration.GetConnectionString("DefaultConnection"));
return new MyDbContext(builder.Options);
}
}
}
This allows me to both run migrations and console-based utilities against DbContext. You don't specify what kind of configuration you are going to need - so this is just one example. But hopefully, you can adjust it to your needs.