One of the (many) challenges to overcome with evergreen application management is where to source application files. The Evergreen AI feature of our Access Capture product enables evergreen application management, i.e., the automated identification, download, packaging, and testing of applications ready for publishing and deployment. This is usually applications that are commonly used and frequently updated.
The starting point requires further exploration and is the subject of this blog, i.e., where can you obtain the application source material? Evergreen application management falls at the first hurdle if there isn’t a reliable, accessible, and secure repository to access updated application files.
Two types of repositories are straightforward:
- Internal repositories on file share setups that you own and control. This is typically for custom in-house software.
- Vendor websites where updated applications are available for download.
You can trust both, but what about applications that are not easily accessible or available from either of these two locations?
This is where WinGet and Chocolatey come into the evergreen application management equation. Both are public application repositories, and both are supported by Access Capture’s Evergreen AI feature. It’s important to understand the difference to make an informed choice on what is best for your organisation.
What is WinGet?
WinGet (the Windows Package Manager) is a command-line tool from Microsoft that enables the discovery, installation, upgrade, and management of software on Windows. It works by pulling applications from trusted repositories and letting users (or automated tools like Access Capture Evergreen AI) perform tasks like downloading the application’s installer. There are two primary application repositories on WinGet:
- Microsoft Store – applications that are managed directly by Microsoft and sourced from the Microsoft Store.
- WinGet Community Repository – applications maintained by vendors and the WinGet community.
What is Chocolatey?
Chocolatey is a third-party Windows package manager that also enables the discovery, installation, upgrade, and management of software on Windows. It provides access to a large community repository of applications that is larger than the repository in WinGet. It offers a wide range of tools and utilities with both free and paid-for tiers, with the paid-for tiers offering enterprise-focused management capabilities.
Chocolatey is widely used by both developers and IT administrators to streamline software deployment and application maintenance.
WinGet Vs Chocolatey
Both the WinGet and Chocolatey application repositories are trusted, and both have improved over the years. Security, for example, has improved on both services, with automated malware scanning and community maintenance, although the Microsoft moderation and Microsoft Store integration of WinGet can give it the edge in some situations.
Both have also become more flexible. WinGet, for example, now allows vendors to upload both MSI and EXE applications. Chocolatey, on the other hand, offers greater flexibility if you want to manage your own, tightly controlled internal repository of applications.
Another example of the differences is compatibility. WinGet is great if your IT estate comprises primarily Windows 10 or Windows 11 endpoints while also utilising modern application management solutions such as Intune. There are no additional applications to install as WinGet works in Windows, and there is now full integration with the Microsoft Store. If your evergreen application management strategy is restricted to applications that Microsoft provides, WinGet can be a sensible choice.
Chocolatey, however, also works on older versions of Windows, so it covers a wider range of endpoints. Less common applications are also more likely to be on Chocolatey than on WinGet.
Which Should You Choose – WinGet or Chocolatey?
Whether you should choose WinGet or Chocolatey is a question that doesn’t have a simple answer, as it depends on the makeup of your IT infrastructure, your security and governance policies, and your automation priorities.
Here’s the most important point – Access Capture Evergreen AI supports both.
In fact, Access Capture Evergreen AI can even support both at the same time… and more!
You can configure Access Capture Evergreen AI to download some applications from WinGet, some from Chocolatey, some from vendor websites, and some from a file share repository that you control. This flexibility makes evergreen application management even more accessible and useful.
Do you want to see how it works? Get in touch to arrange a no-obligation demo of Access Capture Evergreen AI.
