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Microsoft•August 1, 2026
winapp CLI
Open Source
windows-development
cli
msix
windows-sdk
### TL;DR
The Windows App Development CLI (winapp CLI) is a unified command-line interface designed to streamline the development of Windows applications. It simplifies complex tasks such as managing Windows SDKs, handling MSIX packaging, generating app identity, and configuring manifests and certificates for various app frameworks.
Key Insights & Metrics
Pricing
Free
Cost structure
Version
0.5.0
Current release version
Hardware
Windows 11 with Node 18.x+, Visual Studio 2022 (with "Desktop development with C++"), and a Copilot+ PC on a Windows Insider Preview build for the AI features
Compute requirements
Category
Open Source
Licensing model
Region
United States
Primary region
Key Features
- Unified command-line interface for SDK management and app packaging
- Simplified package identity workflow for debugging without full MSIX packaging
- Automated generation of manifests, assets, and development certificates
- Native support for cross-platform frameworks including Electron, Rust, and .NET
- Integration with CI/CD pipelines via GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps
- Access to modern Windows APIs including on-device AI and native notifications
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