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Windows is one of the most user-friendly operating systems out there.
Chocolatey: An Overview
Chocolatey is an open-source Windows package manager.
It is similar to Linuxs DNF or APT package managers.
Lets explore more about Chocolately.
But before that, lets learn about package managers.
What is a Package Manager?
A package manager in an operating system enables you to keep track of packages on your machine.
In short, a package manager deals with packages (software).
In computer terms, a package is a set of installed, updated, or removed files.
Package managers ensure no conflicts or removal of packages needed by the system.
It is common for packages to depend on other packages.
A package manager ensures that nothing breaks.
Lets take two packages to understand packages A and B with package A depending on B.
This means for A to work, B must be installed and operational.
For example, for GIMP, an image processing software, the system needs access to the GIMP-data package.
Therere many popular package managers out there.
For instance, Linux has two popular package managers, DNF and APT.
Check outWinget, the Windows Package Manager, for more information.
And then we have the Chocolatey package manager, a free-to-use, open-source package manager.
Lets learn more about it below.
What is Chocolatey Package Manager?
Chocolatey is a command-line Windows package manager.
It is free to use as it is open-source (Apache 2.0 licensing).
you might use Chocolatey to do modern software automation with paid options if youre a business.
It builds on top of NuGet, a developer-centric package manager.
Like other package managers, Chocolatey enables developers and IT staff to manage software on machines effectively.
Also, it archives all this with the help of automation, ensuring faster execution.
Chocolatey is beneficial as it takes manual steps to drop in the software.
This can include the users need to research, download, and drop in the package.
This is especially useful for teams that rely on complex Windows environments.
It also speeds up software development by handling manual tasks.
Choco also offers excellent integration options, including support for infrastructure automation tools.
How to Install Chocolatey on Windows
Installing Chocolatey is easy.
check that you run it as an administrator.
Next, youll need to check that that Get-ExecutionPolicy is unrestricted.
If not, itll hinder Choco installation.
Run any of the following commands to set Get-ExecutionPolicy according to your requirement.
To confirm, execute the following command.
Chocolatey is successfully installed.
you’re free to also install it with the CMD shell.
Youll need to copy-paste the following command into a CMD administrative shell.
The output of the above command will be:
Using Chocolatey
Chocolatey is easy to use.
As it is a command-line solution, youll need to use commands.
Similarly, it’s possible for you to install other software/packages, such as GitHub.
If youre not sure about the package availability, you might use the search option to look for it.
Furthermore, you’re able to also install multiple apps with a single command.
If you want to uninstall an tool, run with uninstall option.
The packages.config file contains all the packages listed to be installed.
it’s possible for you to also update all existing packages using the following command.
Other useful Choco commands include:
Next, explore how to uninstall Chocolatey.
execute the following command if youre unsure about the Chocolatey installation folder.
you could also opt for Winget or OneGet (a PowerShell 5.0 package manager interface).
So, which one should you use?
Lets compare Chocolatey and Winget below.
#1.Features
When it comes to features, Chocolatey has more to offer.
Chocolatey also offers Enterprise for Business, which enables enterprises to improve DevOps workflow and automate Windows software lifecycle.
Winget, on the other hand, offers a simplistic package management solution.
It utilizes the YAML manifest to create, upload, and remove packages.
#2.Cost
Both offer a free, open-source version for consumers to use.
However, only Chocolatey offers paid options for those who need it.
#3.Ease of Use
Ease of use is subjective, considering that both are command-line tools.
However, installing Winget is easier as it is available via the Microsoft Store.
Chocolatey, however, requires you to run commands to install.
On top of that, youll also need to deal with execution policies.
#4.Repository
Choco manages its repository of 9500 managed packages.
you’re able to get almost everything that youll need from there.
On the other hand, Winget relies on other sources for downloading and distributing packages.
#5.Community
In terms of community, Chocolatey shines, thanks to its age.
It is over a decade old, hence a strong community backing it up.
Winget, on the other hand, doesnt have any such community.
Final Words
Chocolatey is a handy package manager software.
It is popular, well-documented, and feature-rich.
Furthermore, it is open source, so anyone can use it without the need to pay anything.
Next, check out how to install Node Version Manager (NVM) on Windows and MacOS.
