How to use a secure NuGet sources in Visual Studio¶

Overview¶

This article provides an overview of the for using basic authentication to restore PSS®X NuGet packages in your CI (Continuous Integration) workflow.

Storing a NuGet Key¶

To protect the NuGet Key, store it as a secret environment variable when using project-level package registry of the gitlab.

1. In the root of your project, create a file named nuget.config.

2. Add this content:

   Setting names are case-insensitive, and values can use environment variables.

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <configuration>
     <packageSources>
       <add key="nuget.org" value="https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json" />
       <add key="PSSX Gitlab NuGet Source" value="https://gitlab.com/api/v4/groups/89584519/-/packages/nuget/index.json" />
       <add key="local" value="./deps" />
     </packageSources>
     <packageSourceCredentials>
       <PSSX_x0020_Gitlab_x0020_NuGet_x0020_Source>
         <add key="Username" value="%GITLAB_NUGET_USERNAME%" />
         <add key="ClearTextPassword" value="%GITLAB_NUGET_PASSWORD%" />
       </PSSX_x0020_Gitlab_x0020_NuGet_x0020_Source>
     </packageSourceCredentials>
     <config>
       <add key="repositoryPath" value="./deps" />
     </config>
   </configuration>
   

3. In the directory where you created the nuget.config file, make sure to create a folder called deps to manage local packages.

4. You can set environment variables on your development machine

   WindowsLinux / macOS

   Set GITLAB_NUGET_USERNAME environment variable to gitlab+deploy-token-pkg-readonly value.
   

   setx GITLAB_NUGET_USERNAME "gitlab+deploy-token-pkg-readonly"
   

   Repeat same action for GITLAB_NUGET_PASSWORD envrionement variable.
   

   setx GITLAB_NUGET_PASSWORD "<use-pssx-gitlab+deploy-token-pkg-value>"
   

   Set GITLAB_NUGET_USERNAME environment variable to gitlab+deploy-token-pkg-readonly value.
   

   export GITLAB_NUGET_USERNAME="gitlab+deploy-token-pkg-readonly"
   

   Repeat same action for GITLAB_NUGET_PASSWORD envrionement variable.
   

   export GITLAB_NUGET_PASSWORD="<use-pssx-gitlab+deploy-token-pkg-value>"
   

Using Only CLI Commands¶

You can use the CLI add source (or update source) command to set the credentials of a package source. This CLI approach is applicable if your CI system doesn't support default environment variable secrets or if you do not use a custom nuget.config.

dotnet nuget add source 'PSSX Gitlab NuGet Source' --source 'https://gitlab.com/api/v4/groups/89584519/-/packages/nuget/index.json' --username '${GITLAB_NUGET_USERNAME}' --password '${GITLAB_NUGET_PASSWORD}' --configfile './nuget.config' --store-password-in-clear-text