Installing Kentico integration packages

Kentico provides integration NuGet packages that are required for the development of MVC websites. New MVC projects created by the Installer automatically contain the required integration packages.

Every MVC web project must have the following package installed (including all dependencies):

See the following sections to learn about the other types of available packages:

Installing Kentico integration packages manually

  1. Open your MVC project in Visual Studio.
  2. Select Tools -> NuGet Package Manager -> Manage NuGet Packages for Solutionā€¦
  3. Search for Kentico.
  4. Install the necessary packages.

Kentico.AspNet.Mvc

The Kentico.AspNet.Mvc package contains all files and resources necessary to make your MVC application work with the connected Kentico application. Includes various content items, web.config transformations, and code assemblies (indirectly via dependencies on other packages).

The package has a dependency on the following integration packages:

  • Kentico.AspNet.Mvc.Libraries (starting from version 12.0.9)
  • Kentico.Libraries
  • Kentico.LanguagePack.English

Overview of the Kentico integration packages for MVC web projects

Important: Always ensure that the version of the installed Kentico.AspNet.Mvc package matches the version of your Kentico application. For example, if you are using Kentico 12.0.10, you need to use the 12.0.10 version of theĀ Kentico.AspNet.Mvc package. Learn more about applying hotfixes to your Kentico installation.

Kentico.AspNet.Mvc.Libraries

The Kentico.AspNet.Mvc.Libraries package contains Kentico assemblies intended for the development of ASP.NET MVC 5 applications. Available starting from version 12.0.9 of the Kentico.AspNet.Mvc package. In previous version, the assemblies were included directly in the Kentico.AspNet.Mvc package.

This package allows developers to separately install the Kentico MVC assemblies into custom Class Library projects, without needing to add the entire Kentico.AspNet.Mvc package and its content items (which are only intended for MVC web application projects).

The provided assemblies have the Kentico. prefix, and allow you to integrate and use various features, such as:

Kentico.Libraries

The Kentico.Libraries package contains all assemblies that you need to work with the general Kentico API in an external application. General Kentico API assemblies have the CMS. prefix.

Installation automatically includes other NuGet packages with third-party libraries that are required by the Kentico API.

Other integration packages

Kentico.LanguagePack.English

NuGet package containing files required for the English localization of Kentico. Individual Kentico features depend on the localization files.

This package is a dependency of the Kentico.AspNet.Mvc integration package, so it is installed automatically for Kentico MVC projects.

Kentico.Libraries.Tests

NuGet package that provides a framework for creating automated tests for the Kentico API. Contains base classes for tests and additional supporting API.

Kentico.Glimpse

NuGet package that provides Kentico SQL debug information via the Glimpse web diagnostic platform.

See: Debugging SQL queries with Glimpse on MVC sites