Winapp CLI commands replace key steps in the software development life cycle, with the intent of simply leaving you to write code. The first step, init, sets up the necessary scaffolding for building a Windows application. If you’re using Node.js, the next step, node create-addon, puts the templates in place to link your JavaScript code to native Windows functions.
Once you’ve written your code, it’s time to go back to winapp to set up the tools for testing and packaging. This includes the ability to generate signing certificates and build the required identity for debugging without packaging your code as MSIX bundles. Finally, it simplifies the process of packaging your code for distribution, either using your own platform or via the Microsoft Store. There’s no need to worry about whether you’re building x64 or Arm code; winapp will work for both.
As the documentation notes, this process takes out between 10 and 12 steps (depending on your choice of platform), turning them into four simple CLI commands. Your code also gains the benefits of integration with the Windows platform, using the Windows App SDK APIs.
