What you need to know
- Windows Package Manager streamlines installation of developer tools.
- Can use automated scripts to install multiple tools at once.
- Launching in preview.
Microsoft is today announcing a brand new Windows Package Manager for Windows 10 that will make it easier for developers to set up their work environments on new and existing OS installs. In the past, Windows developers were required to manually download and install all the programs and tools they need to build apps, but with Windows Package Manager, this process is streamlined.
The Windows Package Manager Preview is launching today and gives developers an opportunity to set up their developer environments using command-line, pulling packages from an open-source repository and installing them via scripts. Developers will be able to search, view, and install commonly used developer tools using the Windows Package Manager, quickly and easily.
The idea is a developer can create a script that automatically downloads all the tools they need from the repository, and have it install without needing to click through install dialog boxes. It speeds up the set up process for new OS environments for developers who are building apps for Windows.
The Windows Package Manager's main goal is to streamline the installation of developer tools, and also provide a safe way to do it. The open-source repository will be monitored by Microsoft, but anyone can contribute tools and code to the repository for installation using the Windows Package Manager. Microsoft also launched Windows Terminal 1.0 today, which will be able to take advantage of the Windows Package Manager.
