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Chocolatey VS Windows Package Manager CLI

Compare Chocolatey VS Windows Package Manager CLI and see what are their differences

Chocolatey logo Chocolatey

The sane way to manage software on Windows.

Windows Package Manager CLI logo Windows Package Manager CLI

Windows Package Manager CLI (aka winget). Contribute to microsoft/winget-cli development by creating an account on GitHub.
  • Chocolatey Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-22
  • Windows Package Manager CLI Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-25

Chocolatey features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Chocolatey simplifies software installation with easy-to-use commands. You can quickly install, update, and uninstall software packages using simple commands in the command line.
  • Wide Range of Packages
    Chocolatey has a large repository of software packages, making it easier to find and install a wide range of applications without having to navigate through individual installer websites.
  • Automation and Scripting
    Chocolatey allows for the automation of software management tasks through scripting, which can save a lot of time, especially in enterprise environments where multiple machines need to be managed.
  • Integration with Configuration Management Tools
    Chocolatey integrates smoothly with popular configuration management tools like Ansible, Puppet, and Chef, making it a good choice for infrastructure as code (IaC) approaches.
  • Version Control
    Chocolatey provides version control options, allowing users to specify which version of a software package they wish to install.

Possible disadvantages of Chocolatey

  • Potential Security Risks
    Since Chocolatey packages can be created by anyone, there is a potential security risk if you're not careful about which packages you install. It is recommended to only use trusted sources.
  • Limited GUI
    Chocolatey is primarily a command-line based tool, which might not be user-friendly for those who prefer graphical user interfaces.
  • Commercial Licensing Costs
    While Chocolatey is free for personal use, advanced features and commercial use require a paid license, which might be a constraint for some organizations.
  • Dependency Issues
    Sometimes, packages may have dependency issues that need to be manually resolved, which can complicate what is otherwise a straightforward process.
  • Learning Curve
    For users unfamiliar with command-line tools or package managers, there may be a steep learning curve initially in understanding how to use Chocolatey effectively.

Windows Package Manager CLI features and specs

  • Centralized Management
    Windows Package Manager CLI provides a centralized platform for managing software installations, allowing users to install, update, and remove applications through a single interface, streamlining software management tasks.
  • Automation
    The CLI enables automation of software deployments through scripting, which is highly beneficial for developers and IT administrators who need to deploy multiple applications across several machines.
  • Community-driven
    Winget is supported and enhanced by a community repository, enabling users to access a wide variety of applications and benefit from community contributions.
  • Integration with Windows
    As an official Microsoft tool, Winget is well-integrated with Windows, ensuring compatibility and reliable operation across supported Windows versions.
  • Free and Open Source
    Being open source and freely available, Winget allows users to contribute to its development and benefit from community-driven improvements without any cost.

Possible disadvantages of Windows Package Manager CLI

  • Limited GUI
    As a command-line interface tool, Winget does not provide a graphical user interface, which may not be suitable for users who prefer visual tools over command-line operations.
  • Repository Limitations
    Some applications may not be available in the official repository, limiting the ability to manage certain software through Winget.
  • Learning Curve
    For users unfamiliar with command-line tools, there is a learning curve associated with using Winget effectively, which could deter casual users.
  • Dependency Management
    Winget currently provides basic dependency management, which may not be as comprehensive as some other package managers, potentially causing issues with complex software installations.
  • Windows Exclusive
    Winget is designed specifically for Windows, and thus is not available for use on other operating systems, which limits cross-platform consistency for organizations using multiple OS environments.

Analysis of Chocolatey

Overall verdict

  • Chocolatey is generally considered good, especially for users who require efficient software management and deployment on Windows systems. It provides a convenient, automated, and reliable solution for software package management.

Why this product is good

  • Chocolatey is a package manager for Windows that simplifies the process of installing, updating, and managing software packages. It leverages the command line to provide an efficient way to handle software deployments and ensures all software is kept up to date. It is particularly useful for automating software installations and managing large numbers of environments consistently.

Recommended for

  • System administrators managing multiple Windows environments
  • Developers who need to quickly set up development environments
  • Power users who prefer using command line tools
  • Organizations aiming to automate software deployment and updates

Chocolatey videos

Chocolatey - The Package Manager For Windows Review

More videos:

  • Review - Chocolatey: A Windows Package Manager?
  • Review - Chocolatey Review

Windows Package Manager CLI videos

No Windows Package Manager CLI videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Chocolatey and Windows Package Manager CLI)
Windows Tools
94 94%
6% 6
Package Manager
94 94%
6% 6
Front End Package Manager
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Chocolatey and Windows Package Manager CLI

Chocolatey Reviews

Comparing Package Managers
Chocolatey is more established and easier to host a custom repository (plus it runs in the system context). The deployment of applications and especially updating is not as easy as some of the other options, but if cost is an issue, it’s always a safe bet (I tend to include it as standard on an AVD build and then use Azure Runbooks to deploy and update applications by...
5 Best Windows package manager to use via command line
Chocolatey works for both Windows 10 and 7, it released in 2011, thus it has been around for quite some time now. This makes it one of the largest online repository to download and install various open source and closed source software packages for Windows OS. It offers both community and enterprise solutions. The best thing, one can easily visit the official website of...
6 Best Windows Package Manager to Auto-Update Apps (2020)
The name sounds amusing but you better take this app seriously. Chocolatey has the largest app repository and it supports PowerShell, command line, and even GUI. You name it and Chocolatey has that app. To install, you just need to type the following in command prompt and hit enter.
Source: techwiser.com

Windows Package Manager CLI Reviews

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Chocolatey seems to be a lot more popular than Windows Package Manager CLI. While we know about 254 links to Chocolatey, we've tracked only 13 mentions of Windows Package Manager CLI. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Chocolatey mentions (254)

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Windows Package Manager CLI mentions (13)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Chocolatey and Windows Package Manager CLI, you can also consider the following products

Ninite - Ninite is the easiest way to install software.

Scoop - A command-line installer for Windows

Homebrew - The missing package manager for macOS

WingetUI - WingetUI Store: a GUI Store for the most common cli package managers, such as Winget and Scoop - GitHub - martinet101/WingetUI: WingetUI Store: a GUI Store for the most common cli package managers,...

Just Install - just-install - The stupid package installer for Windows.

Microsoft Terminal - Be What's Next.