tomevault-io When to use
Use this skill when:
- Adding Windows platform support to an existing project (Electron, .NET, C++, Rust, Flutter, Tauri, etc.)
- Cloning a repo that already uses winapp and need to restore SDK packages
- Updating SDK versions to get the latest Windows SDK or Windows App SDK
Prerequisites
Install the winapp CLI before running any commands:
# Via winget (recommended for non-Node projects)
winget install Microsoft.WinAppCli --source winget
# Via npm (recommended for Electron/Node projects — includes Node.js SDK)
npm install --save-dev @microsoft/winappcli
You need an existing app project — winapp init does not create new projects, it adds Windows platform files to your existing codebase.
Already have a
Package.appxmanifest? .NET projects that already have a packaging manifest (e.g., WinUI 3 apps or projects with an existing MSIX packaging setup) likely don't needwinapp init. Ensure your.csprojreferences theMicrosoft.WindowsAppSDKNuGet package and has the right properties for packaged builds (e.g.,<WindowsPackageType>MSIX</WindowsPackageType>). WinUI 3 apps created from Visual Studio templates are typically already fully configured — you can go straight to building and usingwinapp runorwinapp package.
Key concepts
appxmanifest.xml is the most important file winapp creates — it declares your app's identity, capabilities, and visual assets. Most winapp commands require it (package, run, cert generate --manifest).
winapp.yaml is only needed for SDK version management via restore/update. Projects that already reference Windows SDK packages (e.g., via NuGet in a .csproj) can use winapp commands without it.
.winapp/ is the local folder where SDK packages and generated projections (e.g., CppWinRT headers) are stored. This folder is .gitignored — team members recreate it via winapp restore.
Usage
Initialize a new winapp project
# Interactive — prompts for app name, publisher, SDK channel, etc.
winapp init .
# Non-interactive — accepts all defaults (stable SDKs, current folder name as app name)
winapp init --use-defaults
# Skip SDK installation (just manifest + config)
winapp init --use-defaults --setup-sdks none
# Install preview SDKs instead of stable
winapp init --use-defaults --setup-sdks preview
After init, your project will contain:
appxmanifest.xml— package identity and capabilitiesAssets/— default app icons (Square44x44Logo, Square150x150Logo, etc.)winapp.yaml— SDK version pinning forrestore/update.winapp/— downloaded SDK packages and generated projections.gitignoreupdate — excludes.winapp/anddevcert.pfx
Restore after cloning
# Reinstall SDK packages from existing winapp.yaml (does not change versions)
winapp restore
# Restore into a specific directory
winapp restore ./my-project
Use restore when you clone a repo that already has winapp.yaml but no .winapp/ folder.
Update SDK versions
# Check for and install latest stable SDK versions
winapp update
# Switch to preview channel
winapp update --setup-sdks preview
This updates winapp.yaml with the latest versions and reinstalls packages.
Run and debug with identity
# Register debug identity and launch app from build output
winapp run ./bin/Debug
# Launch with custom manifest and pass arguments to the app
winapp run ./dist --manifest ./out/AppxManifest.xml --args "--my-flag value"
# Register identity without launching (useful for attaching a debugger manually)
winapp run ./bin/Debug --no-launch
# Launch and capture OutputDebugString messages and crash diagnostics
# Note: prevents other debuggers (VS, VS Code) from attaching — use --no-launch if you need those instead
winapp run ./bin/Debug --debug-output
Use winapp run during iterative development — it creates a loose layout package, registers a debug identity, and launches the app in one step. For identity-only registration without loose layout, use winapp create-debug-identity instead.
Choosing between run and create-debug-identity
winapp run |
create-debug-identity |
|
|---|---|---|
| Registers | Full loose layout package (entire folder) | Sparse package (single exe) |
| App launch | Winapp launches via AUMID or alias | You launch the exe yourself |
| Simulates MSIX | Yes — closest to production | No — identity only |
| Files | Copied to AppX layout dir | Exe stays in place |
| Best for | Most frameworks (.NET, C++, Rust, Flutter, Tauri) | Electron, or F5 startup debugging |
Default to winapp run. Use create-debug-identity when you need your IDE to launch and debug the exe directly (startup debugging), or when the exe is separate from your source (Electron).
For console apps, add --with-alias to preserve stdin/stdout in the current terminal.
--debug-outputcaveat: CapturesOutputDebugStringand crash diagnostics (minidump + automatic analysis for both managed and native crashes) but attaches winapp as the debugger — you cannot also attach VS Code or WinDbg. Use--no-launchif you need your own debugger. Add--symbolsto download PDB symbols for richer native crash analysis.
For full debugging scenarios and IDE setup, see the Debugging Guide.
Recommended workflow
- Initialize —
winapp init --use-defaultsin your existing project - Configure — edit
appxmanifest.xmlto add capabilities your app needs (e.g.,runFullTrust,internetClient) - Build — build your app as usual (dotnet build, cmake, npm run build, etc.)
- Run with identity —
winapp run ./bin/Debugto register identity and launch for debugging - Package —
winapp package ./bin/Release --cert ./devcert.pfxto create MSIX
Tips
- Use
--use-defaults(alias:--no-prompt) in CI/CD pipelines and scripts to avoid interactive prompts - If you only need
appxmanifest.xmlwithout SDK setup, usewinapp manifest generateinstead ofinit winapp initis idempotent for the config file — re-running it won't overwrite an existingwinapp.yamlunless you use--config-only- For Electron projects, prefer
npm install --save-dev @microsoft/winappcliand usenpx winapp initinstead of the standalone CLI
Related skills
- After setup, see
winapp-manifestto customize yourappxmanifest.xml - Ready to package? See
winapp-packageto create an MSIX installer - Need a certificate? See
winapp-signingfor certificate generation - Not sure which command to use? See
winapp-troubleshootfor a command selection flowchart
Troubleshooting
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| "winapp.yaml not found" | Running restore/update without config |
Run winapp init first, or ensure you're in the right directory |
| "Directory not found" | Target directory doesn't exist | Create the directory first or check the path |
| SDK download fails | Network issue or firewall | Ensure internet access; check proxy settings |
init prompts unexpectedly in CI |
Missing --use-defaults flag |
Add --use-defaults to skip all prompts |
Command Reference
winapp init
Start here for initializing a Windows app with required setup. Sets up everything needed for Windows app development: creates Package.appxmanifest with default assets, creates winapp.yaml for version management, and downloads Windows SDK and Windows App SDK packages and generates projections. Interactive by default (use --use-defaults to skip prompts). Use 'restore' instead if you cloned a repo that already has winapp.yaml. Use 'manifest generate' if you only need a manifest, or 'cert generate' if you need a development certificate for code signing.
Arguments
| Argument | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
<base-directory> |
No | Base/root directory for the winapp workspace, for consumption or installation. |
Options
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--config-dir |
Directory to read/store configuration (default: current directory) | (none) |
--config-only |
Only handle configuration file operations (create if missing, validate if exists). Skip package installation and other workspace setup steps. | (none) |
--ignore-config |
Don't use configuration file for version management | (none) |
--no-gitignore |
Don't update .gitignore file | (none) |
--setup-sdks |
SDK installation mode: 'stable' (default), 'preview', 'experimental', or 'none' (skip SDK installation) | (none) |
--use-defaults |
Do not prompt, and use default of all prompts | (none) |
winapp restore
Use after cloning a repo or when .winapp/ folder is missing. Reinstalls SDK packages from existing winapp.yaml without changing versions. Requires winapp.yaml (created by 'init'). To check for newer SDK versions, use 'update' instead.
Arguments
| Argument | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
<base-directory> |
No | Base/root directory for the winapp workspace |
Options
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--config-dir |
Directory to read configuration from (default: current directory) | (none) |
winapp update
Check for and install newer SDK versions. Updates winapp.yaml with latest versions and reinstalls packages. Requires existing winapp.yaml (created by 'init'). Use --setup-sdks preview for preview SDKs. To reinstall current versions without updating, use 'restore' instead.
Options
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--setup-sdks |
SDK installation mode: 'stable' (default), 'preview', 'experimental', or 'none' (skip SDK installation) | (none) |
winapp run
Creates packaged layout, registers the Application, and launches the packaged application.
Arguments
| Argument | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
<input-folder> |
Yes | Input folder containing the app to run |
Options
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--args |
Command-line arguments to pass to the application | (none) |
--clean |
Remove the existing package's application data (LocalState, settings, etc.) before re-deploying. By default, application data is preserved across re-deployments. | (none) |
--debug-output |
Capture OutputDebugString messages and first-chance exceptions from the launched application. Only one debugger can attach to a process at a time, so other debuggers (Visual Studio, VS Code) cannot be used simultaneously. Use --no-launch instead if you need to attach a different debugger. Cannot be combined with --no-launch or --json. | (none) |
--detach |
Launch the application and return immediately without waiting for it to exit. Useful for CI/automation where you need to interact with the app after launch. Prints the PID to stdout (or in JSON with --json). | (none) |
--json |
Format output as JSON | (none) |
--manifest |
Path to the Package.appxmanifest (default: auto-detect from input folder or current directory) | (none) |
--no-launch |
Only create the debug identity and register the package without launching the application | (none) |
--output-appx-directory |
Output directory for the loose layout package. If not specified, a directory named AppX inside the input-folder directory will be used. | (none) |
--symbols |
Download symbols from Microsoft Symbol Server for richer native crash analysis. Only used with --debug-output. First run downloads symbols and caches them locally; subsequent runs use the cache. | (none) |
--unregister-on-exit |
Unregister the development package after the application exits. Only removes packages registered in development mode. | (none) |
--with-alias |
Launch the app using its execution alias instead of AUMID activation. The app runs in the current terminal with inherited stdin/stdout/stderr. Requires a uap5:ExecutionAlias in the manifest. Use "winapp manifest add-alias" to add an execution alias to the manifest. | (none) |
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