Nant

Nant is a free, open-source build automation tool for the .NET platform, inspired by Apache Ant. It uses XML-based build scripts and a command-line executable, nant, to drive the build process. Nant was designed to bring Ant-like concepts to .NET projects and runs on Windows and, with Mono, on other operating systems.

Build scripts in Nant describe targets, dependencies, and tasks. Nant provides a set of built-in tasks for common actions such as compiling C# code, running tests, copying files, and packaging assemblies, and it supports extending with custom tasks written in C# or via extensions. It emphasizes straightforward, declarative definitions of build steps and supports conditional execution and environment-specific configurations.

History and status: Nant emerged in the early days of .NET as an adaptation of Ant for the platform. Over time, MSBuild became the standard tool for .NET builds, and Nant’s development slowed; many projects migrated away, though Nant remains in use for older solutions or in environments where MSBuild is unavailable.

Etymology and usage: The name Nant is often presented as an acronym-like pun for Not Ant, reflecting its Ant-inspired heritage. The lowercase term nant is also a Welsh word meaning a stream or brook and appears in numerous Welsh place names.

See also: MSBuild, Apache Ant, Cake, FAKE.