I can not stand opening the Microsoft Retailer. It is gradual to load, complicated to browse, and stuffed with adverts for issues I do not care about. Fortunately, due to a brand new function, I haven’t got to open the Microsoft Retailer ever once more.
Final week Microsoft introduced a model new command line interface for the Microsoft Retailer, which you’ll be able to entry proper now by opening PowerShell and typing “retailer.” If the command would not work, be sure you’ve run the entire present Home windows 11 updates.
If it does work, you will notice a elaborate little bit of ASCII artwork together with an inventory of sub-commands. This tells you how one can seek for, set up, and even replace software program with just some keystrokes.
Linux customers are used to putting in software program from the command line, and Mac customers know how one can discover third occasion instruments for the job, like MAS for the Mac App Retailer. I can not recall a mainstream industrial working system together with a technique to browse and set up software program from a industrial app retailer utilizing solely instructions.
Microsoft’s implementation is kind of good. For instance, you need not know the precise identify of the app to be able to set up one thing. Whereas testing this new interface, I typed “retailer set up firefox,” not understanding if that might work. The software searched the shop, discovered the app most definitely to match “firefox,” informed me the corporate that made it (Mozilla, on this case), and requested if that was in truth what I needed to put in.
I can not overstate how simple this makes putting in software program. Comparable providers I’ve examined do not work this manner—you want to know the precise identify utilized by the bundle supervisor or else you may get an error. It is actually nice to see this carried out so properly.
There are downsides. The software can solely set up purposes which can be supplied within the Microsoft Retailer, which is inherently limiting. A number of extraordinarily well-liked apps, together with Google Chrome and Paint.web, aren’t out there this manner. However loads of purposes are, and also you may not know what’s and is not there. You’ll be able to sort “retailer search” adopted by a question to be able to search the shop. You may get extra particulars by typing “retailer present” adopted by the identify of the applying to be able to learn extra about it.
You too can browse the Microsoft Retailer. The command “retailer browse-apps” will let you know about a number of classes you possibly can look into, together with the bestseller lists. Taken collectively, these instructions let you do nearly all the pieces you are able to do within the Microsoft Retailer, however sooner.
