microsoft/winappcli
Windows app development, packaging, and distribution. Helps with creating Windows installers (MSIX), code signing, certificates, Windows SDK and Windows App SDK setup, package identity for Windows APIs (push notifications, background tasks, share target), appxmanifest authoring, and Microsoft Store distribution. Supports Electron, .NET, C++, Rust, Flutter, and Tauri apps.
Search WinUI 3 controls and samples for a working code example. Use when building a WinUI 3 UI and you need to discover which control fits an intent (e.g. 'tabbed layout', 'a card with an image and title', 'swipeable list rows') and get a real code example from the WinUI Gallery or the Windows Community Toolkit (Gallery/Toolkit return XAML and/or C#). The microsoft-ui-reactor ReactorGallery is an opt-in source (C#-only declarative WinUI) searched only via --source reactor. WinUI-only — not WPF/WinForms. Distinct from 'winapp ui', which automates a running app's UI.
Framework-specific Windows development guidance for Electron, .NET (WPF, WinForms), C++, Rust, Flutter, and Tauri. Use when packaging or adding Windows features to an Electron app, .NET desktop app, Flutter app, Tauri app, Rust app, or C++ app.
Enable Windows package identity for desktop apps to access Windows APIs like push notifications, background tasks, share target, and startup tasks. Use when adding Windows notifications, background tasks, or other identity-requiring Windows features to a desktop app.
Create and edit Windows app manifest files (Package.appxmanifest or appxmanifest.xml) that define app identity, capabilities, and visual assets, or generate new assets from existing images. Use when creating a Windows app manifest for any app type (GUI, console, CLI tool, service), adding Windows capabilities, generating new app icons and assets, or adding execution aliases, file associations, protocol handlers, or other app extensions.
Package and sign .NET MAUI Windows apps with winapp, resolving the resizetizer manifest dependency. Use when packaging or signing a .NET MAUI Windows app, building a MAUI MSIX or signed unpackaged build in CI, or fixing 'manifest contains unresolved placeholders ($placeholder$)' errors from winapp package.
Package a Windows app as an MSIX installer for distribution or testing. Use when creating a Windows installer, packaging an Electron/Flutter/.NET/Rust/C++/Tauri app for Windows, building an MSIX, distributing a desktop app, packaging a console app or CLI tool, or adding MSIX packaging to a build script or CI/CD pipeline.
Set up a Windows app project for MSIX packaging, Windows SDK access, or Windows API usage, or scaffold a brand-new WinUI 3 app. Use when creating or scaffolding a new WinUI app from scratch, adding Windows support to an Electron, .NET, C++, Rust, Flutter, or Tauri project, or restoring SDK packages after cloning.
Create and manage code signing certificates for Windows apps and MSIX packages. Use when generating a certificate, signing a Windows app or installer, or fixing certificate trust issues.
Diagnose and fix common Windows app packaging, signing, identity, and SDK errors. Use when encountering errors with MSIX packaging, certificate signing, Windows SDK setup, or app installation.
Inspect and interact with running Windows app UIs from the command line using UI Automation (UIA). Use when an AI agent or developer needs to inspect a UI element tree, find controls, take screenshots, click buttons, read or set text, or verify UI state in a running Windows app. Works with any framework WinUI 3, WPF, WinForms, Win32, Electron.