Chocolatey
Package manager for Windows - the apt-get of Windows
What is Chocolatey?
Chocolatey brings the convenience of Linux package management to Windows. Install, upgrade, and manage software from the command line with simple commands like `choco install git` instead of hunting for installers and clicking through wizards. With over 9,500 packages in the community repository, Chocolatey covers almost any software a developer needs: Git, Node.js, Python, VS Code, and thousands more. Scripts can be version-controlled for reproducible Windows setups across machines. For developers on Windows, Chocolatey is transformative. Combined with PowerShell scripts, you can fully automate Windows development environment setup. The open-source version is free; Chocolatey for Business adds features for enterprise deployment.
Pros
- Huge package repository
- Simple command-line interface
- Scriptable and automatable
- Active community
- Enterprise version available
- Works with existing installers
Cons
- Windows only
- Some packages outdated
- Occasional package quality issues