Windows SupportCopy Anchor Link

DevEx is actively developing Windows support to bring the same unified development environment experience to Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Current StatusCopy Anchor Link

Development PhaseCopy Anchor Link

• Status: 🚧 In Development
• Target Release: Version 2.0
• Current Focus: Architecture design and core installer implementation

Supported Features (Planned)Copy Anchor Link

• ✅ Windows Package Manager (WinGet) integration
• ✅ Chocolatey package manager support
• ✅ Scoop package manager support
• ✅ PowerShell integration
• ✅ Windows Terminal configuration
• ✅ WSL2 integration
• 🔄 Microsoft Store integration (under consideration)

Target System RequirementsCopy Anchor Link

Windows VersionsCopy Anchor Link

Prerequisites (Planned)Copy Anchor Link

• PowerShell: 5.1+ or PowerShell Core 7+
• Windows Package Manager: Auto-installed if needed
• Git for Windows: Auto-installed if needed
• Windows Terminal: Recommended for best experience

Hardware RequirementsCopy Anchor Link

• Memory: 1GB RAM minimum, 4GB recommended
• Storage: 500MB free space
• Network: Internet connection for package downloads
• Architecture: x64, ARM64 (Windows 11)

Package Manager SupportCopy Anchor Link

Windows Package Manager (WinGet)Copy Anchor Link

Planned FeaturesCopy Anchor Link

# DevEx will automatically use WinGet for installations
devex install git                    # Uses winget install Git.Git
devex install vscode                 # Uses winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
devex install nodejs                 # Uses winget install OpenJS.NodeJS

Configuration ExampleCopy Anchor Link

# Planned Windows configuration format
applications:
  development:
    - name: visual-studio-code
      description: 'Code editor by Microsoft'
      windows:
        install_method: 'winget'
        install_command: 'Microsoft.VisualStudioCode'
        uninstall_command: 'Microsoft.VisualStudioCode'
        official_support: true

WinGet FeaturesCopy Anchor Link

• Official Microsoft support
• Automatic updates via Microsoft Store
• Secure package verification
• Integration with Windows Update

ChocolateyCopy Anchor Link

Planned IntegrationCopy Anchor Link

# Alternative package manager with more packages
devex install --method=chocolatey firefox
devex install --method=chocolatey discord
devex install --method=chocolatey obs-studio

Chocolatey BenefitsCopy Anchor Link

• Largest Windows package repository
• Community-maintained packages
• PowerShell-based installation
• Enterprise features available

ScoopCopy Anchor Link

Planned FeaturesCopy Anchor Link

# Developer tools and CLI utilities
devex install --method=scoop git
devex install --method=scoop python
devex install --method=scoop nodejs

Scoop AdvantagesCopy Anchor Link

• Portable installations (no admin required)
• Developer-focused packages
• JSON manifest system
• Easy uninstallation

Installer Priority System (Planned)Copy Anchor Link

DevEx will automatically select the best installer based on availability and package type:

1. winget      (Microsoft's official package manager)
2. chocolatey  (Community package manager)
3. scoop       (Developer-focused installer)
4. mise        (Programming language manager)
5. download    (Direct downloads and manual installation)

Package Manager Selection LogicCopy Anchor Link

# Planned selection algorithm
selection_criteria:
  - official_support: prefer winget
  - package_availability: check all managers
  - installation_method: prefer non-admin when possible
  - update_mechanism: prefer automatic updates

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) IntegrationCopy Anchor Link

Planned WSL2 FeaturesCopy Anchor Link

• Automatic WSL2 setup if not present
• Linux distribution management (Ubuntu, Debian, etc.)
• Cross-platform configuration sharing
• Docker Desktop integration via WSL2 backend

Configuration ExampleCopy Anchor Link

# Planned WSL2 integration
wsl:
  enabled: true
  default_distribution: 'ubuntu-22.04'
  memory_limit: '8GB'
  processor_count: 4
  distributions:
    - name: 'ubuntu-22.04'
      default: true
    - name: 'debian'
      default: false

Windows Terminal IntegrationCopy Anchor Link

Planned FeaturesCopy Anchor Link

• Automatic profile creation for installed shells
• Theme synchronization across PowerShell, WSL, etc.
• Keyboard shortcut management
• Tab and pane configuration

Configuration ExampleCopy Anchor Link

// Planned Windows Terminal integration
{
  "profiles": {
    "defaults": {
      "fontFace": "CascadiaCode Nerd Font",
      "fontSize": 12,
      "colorScheme": "DevEx Dark"
    },
    "list": [
      {
        "name": "PowerShell",
        "source": "Windows.Terminal.PowershellCore"
      },
      {
        "name": "Ubuntu WSL",
        "source": "Windows.Terminal.Wsl"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Development Environment FeaturesCopy Anchor Link

Programming Language SupportCopy Anchor Link

# Planned language installations via mise
devex install nodejs@18          # Node.js version 18
devex install python@3.11        # Python 3.11
devex install go@1.21            # Go 1.21
devex install rust               # Latest Rust

Development ToolsCopy Anchor Link

# Essential development tools
devex install git               # Git for Windows
devex install docker           # Docker Desktop
devex install vscode           # Visual Studio Code
devex install postman          # API testing tool

Windows-Specific ToolsCopy Anchor Link

# Windows development tools
devex install visual-studio     # Visual Studio IDE
devex install windows-sdk       # Windows SDK
devex install sysinternals      # System utilities
devex install powertoys         # Microsoft PowerToys

PowerShell IntegrationCopy Anchor Link

Planned PowerShell FeaturesCopy Anchor Link

• Profile management across PowerShell versions
• Module installation and configuration
• Execution policy management
• Environment variable management

Configuration ExampleCopy Anchor Link

# Planned PowerShell profile integration
# Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

# DevEx-managed imports
Import-Module PSReadLine
Import-Module Terminal-Icons
Import-Module posh-git

# DevEx environment variables
$env:DEVEX_HOME = "$env:USERPROFILE\.devex"
$env:PATH += ";$env:DEVEX_HOME\bin"

File System IntegrationCopy Anchor Link

Planned Directory StructureCopy Anchor Link

%USERPROFILE%\
├── .devex\
│   ├── config\
│   │   ├── applications.yaml
│   │   ├── environment.yaml
│   │   └── windows.yaml
│   ├── bin\
│   └── cache\
├── AppData\
│   └── Local\
│       └── devex\
└── Documents\
    └── PowerShell\
        └── Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

Windows Registry IntegrationCopy Anchor Link

• Application associations management
• File type registrations
• System environment variables
• Windows features enable/disable

Security ConsiderationsCopy Anchor Link

Planned Security FeaturesCopy Anchor Link

• Code signing verification for downloaded packages
• Windows Defender integration for safe installations
• User Account Control (UAC) handling
• PowerShell execution policy management

Best PracticesCopy Anchor Link

# Planned security configurations
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
# Enable Windows Defender real-time protection
# Verify package signatures before installation

Development RoadmapCopy Anchor Link

Phase 1: Core Infrastructure (Q1 2025)Copy Anchor Link

• Windows platform detection
• WinGet installer implementation
• Basic PowerShell integration
• Configuration file management

Phase 2: Package Manager Support (Q2 2025)Copy Anchor Link

• Chocolatey installer implementation
• Scoop installer implementation
• Package manager priority system
• Automatic dependency resolution

Phase 3: System Integration (Q3 2025)Copy Anchor Link

• Windows Terminal configuration
• WSL2 integration
• Environment variable management
• Registry integration

Phase 4: Advanced Features (Q4 2025)Copy Anchor Link

• Microsoft Store integration
• Visual Studio integration
• Windows feature management
• Enterprise features

Beta Testing ProgramCopy Anchor Link

Getting InvolvedCopy Anchor Link

1. Sign up for beta testing notifications
2. Follow development on GitHub
3. Provide feedback on planned features
4. Test early releases when available

Contact InformationCopy Anchor Link

• GitHub Issues: Report bugs and feature requests
• Discord: Join our development discussion
• Email: Subscribe to beta testing updates

Current AlternativesCopy Anchor Link

While waiting for native Windows support, consider these alternatives:

WSL2 + Linux DevExCopy Anchor Link

# Install WSL2 with Ubuntu
wsl --install -d Ubuntu-22.04

# Run DevEx inside WSL2 (review security guide first)
curl -fsSL https://devex.sh/install | bash

Manual InstallationCopy Anchor Link

• WinGet: Use Microsoft's package manager directly
• Chocolatey: Community package manager
• Scoop: Developer-focused installations

Docker Development EnvironmentCopy Anchor Link

# Use DevEx in a container
FROM ubuntu:22.04
# Install DevEx with security considerations
RUN curl -fsSL https://devex.sh/install | bash

Contributing to Windows SupportCopy Anchor Link

How to HelpCopy Anchor Link

1. Test existing installers on Windows (via WSL2)
2. Contribute Windows-specific code to the repository
3. Document Windows development workflows
4. Provide feedback on planned features

Development SetupCopy Anchor Link

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jameswlane/devex.git
cd devex

# Focus on Windows development
cd apps/cli
# Windows-specific development coming soon

Architecture ContributionsCopy Anchor Link

We're actively designing the Windows architecture and welcome contributions:

• Package manager abstractions
• Windows-specific file handling
• Registry management utilities
• PowerShell integration modules

Frequently Asked QuestionsCopy Anchor Link

When will Windows support be available?Copy Anchor Link

Target: Version 2.0, estimated Q4 2025. Follow our GitHub releases for updates.

Will it work on Windows 10?Copy Anchor Link

Yes: Windows 10 version 1809+ will be supported with the same features as Windows 11.

What about Windows Server?Copy Anchor Link

Under Review: Server support is being evaluated based on community interest.

Can I use DevEx with WSL2 now?Copy Anchor Link

Yes: You can install DevEx inside WSL2 distributions and use full Linux functionality.

Will there be a GUI installer?Copy Anchor Link

Future: A graphical installer is planned for later releases, focusing on CLI implementation first.

See our roadmap for the latest development status and timeline updates.