.NET Rocks! Package Management in 2026 with Gary Ewan Park
Dec 11, 2025
Gary Ewan Park, a seasoned software engineer and key contributor to Chocolatey, shares insights on the evolving landscape of package management for Windows. He discusses the rise of various package managers, emphasizing the choices available today. Gary highlights the importance of security in the context of supply chain attacks and suggests using vetted internal repositories. He also covers the automation of installations for cloud VMs and CI processes, and offers intriguing tips for handling GUI-only installers. Get ready to learn how to navigate the future of package management!
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Windows Has A Rich Package Ecosystem
- The Windows package ecosystem now offers many choices like Chocolatey, Winget, and Scoop, each serving different needs.
- Gary Ewan Park argues choice lets teams pick tools that fit their workflows and installer complexities.
Automate VM And CI Tooling Installs
- Use Chocolatey to automate repeatable installs for physical machines, VMs, cloud images, and CICD agents.
- Integrate Chocolatey in Packer, ARM templates, or GitHub Actions to build consistent golden images and pipelines.
Workaround GUI-Only Installers
- When installers lack silent switches, create automation with AutoHotkey/AutoIt to drive GUIs for unattended installs.
- Run automated verification (Package Verifier) to detect breakage when installers or scripts change.