What are the best Windows package managers?

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score 56 · Accepted Answer

Scoop

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Top Pro

Free and Open Source

Github repo can be found here. See More

Top Con

Has a smaller selection of packages than Chocolatey

While Chocolatey seems to have a huge selection of packages including some windows updates, Scoop has a much smaller selection mainly focused on command-line tools. However, it can be argued that Scoop is focusing on a different type of setup than Chocolatey so package count may not be a good comparison. See More

Asad. Gharighi's Experience

Works as expected like a charm. See More

Top Pro

Apps are installed without requiring admin permission

Installing for all users requires admin permissions in order to be secure, so scoop installs without that requiring an elevated command prompt. See More

Top Pro

App installs are independent and self-contained; therefore, they have fewer conflicts and are easier to uninstall

Top Pro

App packages install locally (so users can preserve their own environment) or globally

Top Pro

Absolutely zero costs

Unlike some competitors, there is no free nor paid version, simply the FLOSS software as it is built. See More

Top Pro

Users can easily create their own apps and collections of apps

Top Pro

Good CLI UX

Packages have well-defined, simple names, without any unnecessary duplication, and are actively maintained. If you are used to Homebrew in OSX, you will (almost) feel at home. See More

Top Pro

Great help available on GitHub Wiki

Top Pro

Easy to upgrade installed packages

Easy to upgrade installed packages, unlike in Chocolately which makes you pay for upgrade feature. See More

Top Pro

Installed packages verified by checksums

Top Pro

Simple versioning model for dependencies

In Chocolatey, if a package declares dependencies on a bad version of a package, installation or upgrade might break. Scoop dependencies are the latest version of a package, which reduces the chance of things breaking. See More

Top Pro

Sets reasonable default configuration options for apps

E.g. installing npm configures the global package prefix to your local app folder, and curl includes the Mozilla CA list. See More

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The Best 2 of 8 OptionsWhy?

My Recommendation for Scoop

My Recommendation for Scoop

Free and Open Source

Has a smaller selection of packages than Chocolatey

Apps are installed without requiring admin permission

App installs are independent and self-contained; therefore, they have fewer conflicts and are easier to uninstall

App packages install locally (so users can preserve their own environment) or globally

Absolutely zero costs

Users can easily create their own apps and collections of apps

Good CLI UX

Great help available on GitHub Wiki

Easy to upgrade installed packages

Installed packages verified by checksums

Simple versioning model for dependencies

Sets reasonable default configuration options for apps

My Recommendation for Chocolatey

My Recommendation for Chocolatey

Large number of applications/utilities available

Sometimes hard to know which package to install from community package repository

No crapware

Some package installs aren't good or polished or don't install well

Scriptable

Unable to easily change your install directory in the free version

Upgrade all software with one command

Incomplete and conflicting package options

Straightforward install process

Easy to use

Downloaded files are verified by checksums

Free and open source

Manages the entire software lifecycle

Builds on technologies you know

Decentralized package sources

Can be extended with PowerShell

Integrates with almost every configuration management / infrastructure automation / RMM tool

GUI available

More Selection

Support and features available for organizations

6 Other Options Considered

My Recommendation for Ninite

My Recommendation for Ninite

Curated list of commonly used quality software

Limited selection of apps

Handles updates for you

Installs apps only in their default location

Install in bulk, without the restarts

No command-line interface in free version

Saves you from manually filling in all the details of installation

Well adapted to the Windows environment

No toolbars or extra junk

Verifies file checksums

My Recommendation for OneGet

My Recommendation for OneGet

Native Package Manager, included in Windows10

No user-oriented packages

My Recommendation for RuckZuck

My Recommendation for RuckZuck

My Recommendation for just-install

My Recommendation for just-install

Open source, free and libre

Limited package selection

Works within Windows guidelines

Requires admin command shell, doesn't have built-in UAC.

Can install bundles, without needing command line parameters

My Recommendation for Windows Remix

My Recommendation for Windows Remix

ClickOnce

My Recommendation for Npackd

My Recommendation for Npackd

Free and open-source

Smaller selection of packages

Offers both GUI and command-line interface

Contains no adware or additional unrelated software

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My Recommendation for Windows IIS FTP

My Recommendation for Windows IIS FTP

My Recommendation for RemixOS

My Recommendation for RemixOS

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