Microsoft has officially launched WinGet 1.28.190, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of its package management tools. This release resolves a long-standing issue of version discrepancies between WinGet and App Installer, as both now share the same version number—a change that, while seemingly minor, has been eagerly anticipated by users and administrators alike.
What happened?
- Initially, version 1.12.460 was introduced as a preview.
- Subsequently, version 1.12.470 was designated as the “Latest” stable release.
- Concurrently, the new 1.28.x series was in pre-release status.
- With the arrival of 1.28.190, the older 1.12 line has been officially replaced.
This update signifies a much-needed cleanup of the versioning structure, addressing the confusion that often arose from the differing version numbers of the App Installer and WinGet. Administrators and power users can now navigate their environments with greater clarity and confidence.
Technical changes in 1.28
- The 1.28 update may not introduce groundbreaking features, but it does refine existing functionalities:
- Portable packages now utilize consistent directory separators.
- The –suppress-initial-details option is now compatible with winget configure test.
- This parameter no longer necessitates an additional –accept-configuration-agreements option.
- Corrections have been made to the experimental “font” property.
- A new experimental feature, sourceEdit, has been introduced.
The sourceEdit feature is particularly noteworthy, allowing users to explicitly or implicitly set a source. This capability is especially beneficial for organizations aiming to prioritize their own repositories or manage default source settings with precision. Users can enable this feature through the following settings:
“experimentalFeatures”: {
“sourceEdit”: true
}
Classification
While the update does not boast an array of new features, it represents a crucial consolidation effort. Over the years, WinGet has transitioned from a simple PowerShell tool to a robust package manager, gaining prominence in enterprise environments. The alignment of version numbers is not merely a cosmetic enhancement; it holds significant implications for documentation, deployment scripts, and support processes. The absence of visible changes in version 1.28.190 compared to its pre-release indicates that this release serves as a technical finalization rather than a functional overhaul.
