microsoft/winappcli

Look up real Windows, WinRT, and Windows App SDK APIs (types, members, enums) from a project's references or the installed SDKs with winapp find-api instead of guessing. Use before coding against an unverified API, or to fix unknown-member, CS0117, CS1061, or WMC0011 errors. Not for registry code.

Find the right WinUI 3 control and a real, compiling sample from the WinUI Gallery or Community Toolkit with winapp find-ui. Use when building WinUI UI and unsure which control fits (cards, tabs, swipe lists, inline messages) or when asked for a sample. Not for WPF, WinForms, or a running app.

Framework-specific Windows steps for Electron, WPF, WinForms, C++, Rust, Flutter, and Tauri: build output, npm scripts, Cargo, CMake, and how winapp fits each. Use when adding Windows features such as toast notifications to one of these apps, or for setup, packaging, or identity work on one.

Give a desktop app (WPF, WinForms, Electron, C++, Rust) package identity so identity-only Windows APIs work: push notifications, background tasks, share target, startup tasks. Use when adding such a feature, running or debugging with identity, or running parallel worktrees side by side.

Create or edit Package.appxmanifest or appxmanifest.xml for any app type (GUI, console, service): execution aliases, file associations, protocols, capabilities, identity, app icons/tiles from one image. Use when changing what the manifest declares or replacing icons. Not for packaging or signing.

Package and sign .NET MAUI Windows apps with winapp: publish the Windows head first, then point packaging at the resolved resizetizer manifest. Use for a MAUI MSIX or signed unpackaged build, MAUI packaging in CI, or 'manifest contains unresolved placeholders' errors from winapp package.

Build an MSIX installer for a desktop, console, or CLI app (Electron, .NET, C++, Rust, Flutter, Tauri) from build output or a project file with winapp package, optionally signed. Use for an installer testers can sideload, app distribution, or MSIX in scripts or CI. Not for signing an existing MSIX.

Investigate slow WinUI 3 layout, scrolling and virtualization using native ETW captures, timed operation trees and managed GC suspension context. Use bounded queries for runtime performance questions, not crash analysis or UI correctness.

Run, debug, and UI-automate a Windows app in a persistent Windows Sandbox rather than the user's desktop. Use for disposable app testing, guest diagnostics, file transfer, and app or whole-desktop evidence. Builds remain on the host; connection and reconnect can briefly take focus.

Add Windows SDK and Windows App SDK support to an existing project (winapp init), restore pinned SDKs after cloning (winapp restore), update SDKs, or create a new WinUI app (winapp new). Use for Electron, .NET, C++, Rust, Flutter, or Tauri projects that need Windows setup.

Sign an existing .msix or .exe and manage code-signing certificates: winapp sign, cert generate/install/info, Azure Trusted Signing. Use when signing with a .pfx, creating or trusting a dev certificate, verifying a signature, or fixing a publisher mismatch. Not for building the MSIX.

Diagnose Windows app packaging, signing, install, identity, and SDK errors: untrusted or mismatched certificates, Add-AppxPackage and 0x80073CFx install failures, no package identity, C++/WinRT headers not generated. Use when an MSIX won't install or build, or an error code appears.

Inspect, drive, and verify a running Windows app UI via winapp ui (UI Automation): find elements, click, type, read text/values, wait for state, take screenshots in WinUI, WPF, WinForms, Win32, or Electron apps. Use to check, test, or act on a live app; for WinUI XAML internals, use winui-devtools.

Inspect a running WinUI 3 app's XAML with winapp devtools: resolved property values (margin, size, style), what a binding yields or why it's empty, the XAML line behind an element, live edits, and UI review comments left in the app. To click, type, read text or screenshot, use winapp-ui-automation.