binlog-failure-analysis

SKILL.md

Analyzing MSBuild Failures with Binary Logs

This skill diagnoses MSBuild build failures from a .binlog file. The preferred
path uses the binlog MCP server (AITools.BinlogMcp, exposed under the
binlog MCP namespace) which is bundled with this plugin. If the MCP server is
not available, fall back to the binlog replay workflow at the bottom.

Primary workflow — binlog MCP

The MCP server exposes structured tools for inspecting a .binlog without
parsing text logs. Call them directly instead of replaying the binlog to a text
file. Call tools/list for the MCP first if you are unsure which tools are available.

Important constraints:

The .binlog file is a binary format — do NOT try to cat, head, strings, or read it directly. Use only the MCP tools to query it.

The original source/project files might or might NOT be available on disk. Project files (.csproj, .props, .targets, App.config, etc.) - if you cannot locate them on disk, they can only be read from within the binlog via MCP tools (e.g., embedded/source file retrieval).

Synthesize findings as you go. Do not spend all available time investigating — once you have enough evidence, present your conclusions. A partial answer with clear reasoning is better than timing out mid-investigation.