I have two questions about WinGet. First, can individuals add applications to the public WinGet repository, and what requirements does an app need to meet? Second, why does WinGet sometimes fail to show a newer version even after the application's own updater has detected it?
3 Answers
WinGet is mainly a catalog and installer source, not a service that automatically tracks every vendor release in real time. Paid application-management products generally have staff who monitor vendors, package releases, and perform additional testing, so their updates may arrive sooner. WinGet is closer to a community-maintained package repository, with some validation but no guarantee of immediate updates.
Yes. WinGet accepts community contributions through package manifests. A manifest describes details such as the application name, version, installer download URL, installer type, and silent-install options. The installer needs to be publicly downloadable and support unattended installation, and the submission is reviewed and tested before it is accepted. You can contribute manifests even if you are not the software's developer.
There is also a separate option for organizations: WinGet supports custom REST-based sources, so a company can host its own repository if it follows the required source API. That is different from contributing an application to the public catalog and can be useful for approved internal software.
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