Microsoft's new Dev Home app gets its first-ever update

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Dev Home is a new app from Microsoft designed to help developers.

Microsoft announced Dev Home, an app for monitoring system resources via widgets, during Microsoft Build 2023.
(Image credit: Microsoft)

What you need to know

  • Dev Home is a new app from Microsoft that aims to streamline developer workflows.
  • It can connect with GitHub, be used to configure or execute WinGet configurations, and download developer tools automatically.
  • Microsoft just released version 0.2 of Dev Home in preview.

Microsoft announced Dev Home earlier this year at Build 2023. Dev Home is an application that is aimed to streamline the workflow of developers. It can install apps and packages in a centralized location, connect to GitHub, and has a library of widgets to show information at a glance. This week, Microsoft shipped the second release of Dev Home.

The bump to version 0.2 is the first-ever update for the new app. It's only in preview at the moment and is in its infancy of public-facing development.

Since Dev Home is so new, here's a quick rundown of what it can do, as explained by Microsoft:

  • Use the centralized dashboard with customizable widgets to monitor workflows, track your dev projects, coding tasks, GitHub issues, pull requests, available SSH connections, and system CPU, GPU, Memory, and Network performance.
  • Use the Machine configuration tool to set up your development environment on a new device or onboard a new dev project.
  • Use Dev Home extensions to set up widgets that display developer-specific information. Create and share your own custom-built extensions.
  • Create a Dev Drive to store your project files and Git repositories.

Here's what's new in Dev Home version 0.2:

Miscellaneous improvements

  • A WinGet YAML configuration file for NodeJS has been added to the repository.
  • The dashboard now displays a loading progress ring while loading widgets (Thanks @aksoftware98!).
  • System widget graphs now use antialiasing for a smoother appearance.
  • Core widgets now work on Arm64 devices (Thanks @snickler).
  • The repository cloning tool now shows you repositories you’ve previously cloned.

Bug fixes

  • Switching the theme doesn’t get into a broken state anymore (we’re pretty sure).
  • Installing apps through the end-to-end setup tool shouldn’t crash anymore.
  • Background contrast should be much better now (Thanks @BreeceW!).
  • The add widget dialogs now dynamically size with the window, ensuring all buttons are clickable.
Dev Home (preview) | Free

Dev Home (preview) | Free

Dev Home is a new app from Microsoft that can be used to streamline the workflow of developers. It can configure or execute WinGet configurations and download developer tools automatically.

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Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.