Microsoft releases the Linux-style Windows Package Manager v1.0 (Winget) as a Store alternative

After months of testing and preview builds, Microsoft has finally released Windows Package Manager 1.0.

Also known as Winget, the utility serves as an alternative to the Microsoft Store, giving Windows 10 users a Linux-style package manager for finding, downloading and installing apps from software repositories.

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The final build of Windows Package Manager has been a long-time coming -- it's around a year since Microsoft release the first version. Now officially ready for a v1.0 public release, the command line tool (accessible via Power Shell) provides access to hundreds of apps that can be installed using commands in the form winget install firefox.

In releasing Windows Package Manager v1.0, Microsoft points out that it includes all of the features and bug fixes from the previous milestone release.

The company also shares details of the commands which Winget supports:

install - Installs the given package

show - Shows information about a package

source - Manage sources of packages

search - Find and show basic info of packages

list - Display installed packages

upgrade - Upgrades the given package

uninstall - Uninstalls the given package

hash - Helper to hash installer files

validate - Validates a manifest file

settings - Open settings

features - Shows the status of experimental features

export - Exports a list of the installed packages

import - Installs all the packages in a file

If you want to try out Windows Package Manager v1.0, you can download it from GitHub. The tool is also due to be included as part of Windows 10, and as such Microsoft will also make it available via an update for the operating system.