Install and upgrade software on Windows using Chocolatey

Background

There are multiple ways of installing software packages. These can include common utilities such as 7-zip or Winzip, browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Brave etc. We also install editors like Notepad Plus Plus, Visual Studio Code, terminals such as Fluent Terminal, cmder etc. The list can just go on and on. Things get complicated when you move from one operating system to another like MacOS or Linux. Lets add one more twist by adding the processor architecture or type 32 bit or 64 bit, Intel or AMD processors.

The way we install software could vary based on many of the factors listed above. Even for technical people, it can become a challenge sometimes to identify the right version of the software to download and install. This is where a package manager can be quite handy.

Chocolatey

In this post, we will focus the attention to a package manage specific to the Windows operating system. A package manager helps to search for packages, install the package along with its dependencies, identify outdated packages, uninstall the package, pin the version of the software and many other features. 

I have been using Chocolatey to install and upgrade the versions of more than 75+ software. I also managed to automate the setting up of a new Windows machine using chocolatey. The source code for this can be found in my Github repository.

Demo

In the YouTube video below see Chocolatey in action where we use it to search for packages, list all the installed packages, find information about the packages and upgrade packages as well as extensions for Visual Studio Code.

Conclusion

Using package manager to install software can make out life much easier. We do not need to visit the websites to look for the appropriate package, the dependencies get resolved automatically and we can identify the outdated packages easily. I hope you found this tip useful.

Until next time, Code with Passion and Strive for Excellence

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