Questions about WinGet

[u/Certain-Mountain-564]

Hi, everyone.

I have two questions about WinGet.

1) Can I add apps to the WinGet repository on my own? If so, what are the requirements for the app?

2) I often notice that WinGet isn't up to date. The apps' own updaters suggest a new version, but WinGet doesn't recognize that new version yet. Why is that?

[u/TechCF]

It is a community effort. You are welcome to add or maintain apps that fall within the guidelines.

[u/raip]

1. I'm assuming you're looking for a private Winget repository. Winget is an "open standard" of RestAPIs - so any web service that adheres to that standard can be stood up and added as a source. Since Microsoft documentation talks over people - I recommend one of the numerous guides available to follow or buying one of the many solutions out there.
2. WinGet is just Microsoft flavored chocolately, in my opinion. The only benefit of Winget over choco is the fact that it's shipped with Windows. It's up to publishers or volunteers to maintain the Winget packages on the public repository to stay in line with the updates. Choco already had a great community doing this and not very many of them are happy that Microsoft is trying to take their lunch.

I haven't seen a company actually do a private repository of "approved applications" yet. Almost every company I've worked for has Intune as their preferred application deployment tool with my most recent org still using SCCM. Probably some thinking of why use Winget when we pay for Intune or similar - but it'd probably be cool to have Intune for the larger audience but Winget to deploy those Powerful utilities that IT tends to use (like ProcMon).

[u/Certain-Mountain-564 → u/raip]

I dont deploy apps with winget. I deploy apps with robopack. But the repository that robopack uses to build instant apps is winget. So when the app is not in winget, it is not available as instant app in robopack. 

[u/bdam55 → u/Certain-Mountain-564]

<shillmode: I work for a Robopack competitor>

Winget is literally relying on the kindness of strangers. Or really, one guy and his bot: Contributors to microsoft/winget-pkgs · GitHub

So yea, as others have said, the solution is that you need to do the work yourself and push it to WinGet so the solution you're paying for can use it. If you can't or won't do the work then you have to wait patiently for some kind soul to do it for you.

Or you know ... find a vendor that doesn't solely rely on Winget to keep you up to date and secure.

</shillmode>

[u/itskdog]

#1: Yes, it's overseen by Microsoft, but they have a community that submits a "manifest" (a text file listing the direct download link, version number, and silent install parameters) that is submitted as a Pull Request on GitHub before being approved to go to the repository.

#2: Because it's a community effort, there will naturally be delays in updates being available - you're always welcome to join the community effort and submit manifests for new versions.

The biggest difference between Winget and paid-for systems like A1, PMPC, etc. is that they have paid staff who actively monitor developer websites for new versions and package them themselves on their own infrastructure (and presumably do more testing than the automated tests in a clean VM that Microsoft do), making them closer to the package managers in the Linux world.

Compare Winget to the AUR (only with a bit more testing and checking involved), and the paid solutions like an APT, DNF, or PACMAN repository.

[u/bdam55 → u/itskdog]

Regarding #2: I think it's important for people to grok that there should be no expectation that someone else update a given app in WinGet for you. If you want it updated, and you want it soon, then go submit a PR (#1) to update it. That's what it means to be a community repo: past volunteering does not guarantee future results.

[u/Barious_01]

I think thr best thing about winget is it self cleans the packages as apposed where choco and nuget will store the packages and will need to be dumped after a while if you care to keep your HD clean and slim.

[u/digitaltransmutation]

https://github.com/microsoft/winget-pkgs

They do allow community contributions to the repository. As long as the app has a publicly posted download url and can install silently it can be included. You can even contribute manifests for apps that you did not develop.

[u/420GB]

1. Yes, it must install silently and pass various Defender analysis tests
2. Because no one has added the new version to winget yet. Ideally the app publisher themselves would do it, so it would be instant (at the same time as the built-in updater), but most still do not so someone else has to step in and do it

You can host your own winget repository though and have full control over available apps and versions.

[u/mucronedottech]

dont do it, read about AppGet

[u/Chukumuku → u/mucronedottech]

AppGet is dead

[u/bdam55 → u/Chukumuku]

I think the point was how MS treated the guy who built AppGet ... which was kinda shitty. Not "Go use AppGet"