Minimal VS Build Tools installation for container images

.vsconfig

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "components": [
    "Microsoft.Component.MSBuild",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.CoreBuildTools",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.MSBuildTools",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Redist.14.Latest",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows11SDK.22000",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.14.42.17.12.x86.x64",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.14.42.17.12.x86.x64.Spectre",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.14.42.17.12.ATL",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.14.42.17.12.ATL.Spectre",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.14.42.17.12.CLI.Support"
  ],
  "extensions": []
}

README.md

The script is intended to be used for Windows container images for GitHub Actions builds. It installs Build Tools with the components specified in .vsconfig file, and removes everything that is not required at runtime, except files needed for vswhere to work (need for ilammy/msvc-dev-cmd GitHub action)

Usage

1. Edit .vsconfig accordingly. You can also export it from existing Visual Tools installation, or use this list https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/workload-component-id-vs-build-tools . MSBuild, CoreBuildTools, and RoslynCompiler will be installed anyway.
2. Run the script:

Install-BuildTools.ps1 -InstallPath C:\BuildTools `
  -VsConfigPath C:\TEMP\.vsconfig `
  -LogsPath C:\vslogs.zip `
  -BuildToolsUri https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vs_BuildTools.exe

Dockerfile

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:ltsc2022

# Install Visual Studio Build Tools
# Inspired by https://github.com/microsoft/vs-dockerfiles/tree/main/native-desktop and
# https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/advanced-build-tools-container?view=vs-2022

# Pin Build Tools version to avoid surprises after image re-builds.
# Links to specific versions of Build Tools are available here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-history
ENV BUILDTOOLS_URI="https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/286c67ca-51f4-409d-ade8-3036a5184667/a8a9a3b82f278f504156a940dcfd5619e9f214eb7e9071c5f5571a0f8baa94f3/vs_BuildTools.exe"

# .vsconfig can be exported from your Windows laptop's Build Tools installation
# (there's an option in the GUI).
COPY .vsconfig C:\TEMP\.vsconfig

# If image build fails on BuildTools installation, do:
# docker cp <intermediate_container_id>:C:\vslogs.zip .\vslogs.zip
# to study the logs
COPY Install-BuildTools.ps1 C:\TEMP\Install-BuildTools.ps1
RUN pwsh -Command "Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $true"; `
    C:\TEMP\Install-BuildTools.ps1 -InstallPath C:\BuildTools `
    -VsConfigPath C:\TEMP\.vsconfig `
    -LogsPath C:\vslogs.zip `
    -BuildToolsUri $Env:BUILDTOOLS_URI

Install-BuildTools.ps1

param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
    [string]$VsConfigPath = "C:\TEMP\.vsconfig",
    
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$false)]
    [string]$LogsPath = "C:\vslogs.zip",
    
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
    [string]$InstallPath = "C:\BuildTools",
    
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
    [string]$BuildToolsURI
)

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

Write-Host "Installing Visual Studio Build Tools..." -ForegroundColor Green

$InstallerPath = "C:\TEMP\vs_buildtools.exe"
$vsCachePath = "C:\vs_cache"

# We _have to_ remove the cache (it takes too much space in the image),
# so the commands below are supposed to fail on errors like "file is being used by another process".
# BUT we have to leave SOME directories, otherwise `vswhere` won't be able
# to find the BuildTools installation, see https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/t/bug-remove-download-cache-after-installed/362186
# So it's technically not just a cache, but Microsoft be Microsoft...
function Clean-Cache {
    Write-Host "Cleaning up Visual Studio cache at $vsCachePath..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
    try {
        # Remove everything except the '_Instances' directory
        Get-ChildItem -Path $vsCachePath | Where-Object { $_.Name -ne '_Instances' } | ForEach-Object {
            Remove-Item $_.FullName -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction Stop
        }
        Write-Host "Cache cleaned up successfully." -ForegroundColor Green
    } catch {
        Write-Warning "Failed to clean up cache: $_"
    }
}

function Install-VsWhere {
    $vsWhereUrl = "https://github.com/microsoft/vswhere/releases/download/3.1.7/vswhere.exe"
    $vsWherePath = "$InstallPath\vswhere.exe"

    Write-Host "Downloading vswhere from $vsWhereUrl..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $vsWhereUrl -OutFile $vsWherePath -UseBasicParsing
    Write-Host "vswhere downloaded to $vsWherePath" -ForegroundColor Green

    [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', "$installPath;" + `
        [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', 'Machine'), 'Machine')
}

try {
    # Download Build Tools installer
    Write-Host "Downloading Visual Studio Build Tools from $BuildToolsURI..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $BuildToolsURI -OutFile $InstallerPath -UseBasicParsing
    Write-Host "Download completed." -ForegroundColor Green

    # Run Visual Studio Build Tools installer
    Write-Host "Running Visual Studio Build Tools installer..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
    # Don't use `--nocache` - installation takes too long
    $process = Start-Process -FilePath $InstallerPath -ArgumentList @(
        "--quiet",
        "--wait", 
        "--norestart",
        "--path", "cache=$vsCachePath",
        "--installPath", $InstallPath,
        "--config", $VsConfigPath
    ) -Wait -PassThru -NoNewWindow
    
    $exitCode = $process.ExitCode
    
    # 3010 means "restart required" - treat as success
    if ($exitCode -eq 3010 -or $exitCode -eq 0) {
        Write-Host "Build Tools installed successfully" -ForegroundColor Green

        # vswhere.exe is usually installed in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer",
        # but we don't want to keep the whole installed in the image, so install it separately
        Install-VsWhere
        
        # Cleanup
        Remove-Item $InstallerPath -Force -ErrorAction Stop
        Remove-Item "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction Stop
        Clean-Cache

        exit 0
    } else {
        # Installation failed, and we don't care about the image size - it should not be used
        Write-Warning "Build Tools installation failed with exit code: $exitCode"
        
        # Try to collect diagnostic logs
        Write-Host "Downloading collect.exe for diagnostic logs..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
        try {
            Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://aka.ms/vscollect.exe" -OutFile "C:\TEMP\collect.exe" -UseBasicParsing
            Write-Host "Running collect.exe..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
            Start-Process -FilePath "C:\TEMP\collect.exe" -ArgumentList @("-zip:$LogsPath") -Wait
            Write-Host "Installation logs saved to $LogsPath" -ForegroundColor Yellow
        } catch {
            Write-Warning "Failed to download or run collect.exe: $_"
        }

        throw "Installation failed with exit code: $exitCode"
    }
} catch {
    Write-Error "Failed to run Build Tools installer: $_"
   
    exit 1
}