On January 23, 2026, Microsoft formally rolled out the public preview of its open-source command-line tool, 'winapp'. This tool is specifically crafted to simplify and expedite the Windows app development journey.

In the past, creating native Windows apps involved grappling with intricate SDK management, intricate manifest editing tasks, and convoluted packaging processes. 'Winapp' eliminates these setup hurdles with a single, straightforward command. Developers can kickstart the entire development procedure by executing 'winapp init' in the project's root directory. This command automatically handles the downloading of the SDK, creation of manifest files, project generation, and certificate creation.

For collaborative team projects, 'winapp restore' ensures that the development environment is precisely restored, maintaining consistency across team members. Moreover, 'winapp' offers robust support for debugging package identification, thereby significantly curtailing development cycles and enhancing overall efficiency.