What is a .TARGETS file?
A .TARGETS file is a type of development file that is used with MSBuild, which is a tool that helps build projects in Microsoft Visual Studio. Think of it like a recipe that tells Visual Studio how to put together a program or application. This file contains important instructions and information such as items, properties, tasks, and targets that are used for different programming tasks. It's like a set of instructions that helps developers by providing a common way to build their projects.
These .TARGETS files can be included in Visual Studio projects. This means that when a developer is working on a project in Visual Studio, they can use these files to help manage and automate parts of the building process. For example, a file named "Microsoft.VisualBasic.Targets" might contain the specific steps needed to build a project using Visual Basic, a programming language. There are many other .TARGETS files like "Microsoft.Common.Targets," "Microsoft.CompactFramework.CSharp.Targets," and "Workflow.Targets," each designed for different scenarios or programming languages.
To open and work with a .TARGETS file, you would typically use Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 or newer versions. Visual Studio is a program that developers use to write and build their software, and it knows how to read the instructions inside a .TARGETS file to help build projects correctly.
In simple terms, a .TARGETS file is a helper file for developers using Visual Studio, providing a set of pre-defined instructions to make the building of projects easier and more consistent.
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