Winget Package Manager Skill#

Overview#

This is a prompt-only Windows package management skill built around winget.

It does not provide its own executable wrapper scripts. Instead, it defines a safe workflow, decision rules, and behavior constraints for agents that already have access to a terminal, shell, or command-execution capability in the host environment.

The goal of this skill is to help an agent use winget safely and consistently on Windows without turning package management into arbitrary shell execution.

Host capability requirement#

This skill assumes the host environment already provides a way to run Windows commands.

Examples of suitable host capabilities include:

• A terminal tool
• A shell execution tool
• A controlled local command runner
• An MCP/server/tool that can execute winget

If the host cannot execute commands, this skill can still provide workflow guidance, but it cannot directly perform package operations.

When to use this skill#

Use this skill when the user wants to:

• Search for an application available through WinGet
• Inspect package details before taking action
• Download an installer package without installing it
• Install an application
• Upgrade an application
• Uninstall an application
• List applications that have available upgrades

When NOT to use this skill#

Do not use this skill for:

• Running arbitrary PowerShell or shell commands
• Editing files, registry keys, services, or scheduled tasks
• Downloading files from custom URLs
• Executing local .exe, .bat, .cmd, or .ps1 files outside the host's trusted execution model
• Installing software from sources other than approved WinGet sources
• Performing destructive actions when package identity is ambiguous

Supported operations#

This skill supports exactly 7 operations:

• search
• show
• download
• install
• upgrade
• uninstall
• list-upgrades

Do not expand the scope beyond these operations unless the skill is explicitly redesigned.

Safety rules#

1. Only use the 7 supported operations:

   • search
   • show
   • download
   • install
   • upgrade
   • uninstall
   • list-upgrades

2. Prefer exact package IDs over fuzzy names whenever possible. Examples:

   • Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
   • Google.Chrome
   • Git.Git

3. For install, upgrade, and uninstall:

   • If the package identity is ambiguous, do not execute immediately.
   • Run search or show first.
   • Return all matching candidates and ask the user to choose.

4. Only allow approved sources:

   • winget
   • msstore

5. Do not invent or append unsupported WinGet arguments.

6. Do not transform this skill into a generic PowerShell executor or shell tool.

7. Treat uninstall as high-risk:

   • Always prefer an exact package ID.
   • If identity is unclear, stop and disambiguate before acting.

8. Never automatically retry install, upgrade, or uninstall after failure. Report the failure and let the user decide what to do next. Repeated retries may trigger repeated elevation prompts or vendor installer/uninstaller dialogs.

9. Disambiguation is mandatory: When multiple packages match a request, list all relevant candidates and ask which one should be used. Never silently operate on all matches.

10. For uninstall, do not rely only on a success-looking message from the package manager. If the host environment allows it, perform a post-check to verify whether the package still appears to be installed.

Allowed operations and risk levels#

ActionDescriptionRisk LevelsearchSearch for packagesLowshowView package detailsLowdownloadDownload installer onlyMediuminstallInstall a packageMediumupgradeUpgrade a packageMediumuninstallUninstall a packageHighlist-upgradesList updatable packagesLow

Core workflow#

The agent should follow this workflow:

1. Search or identify the package#

When the user provides a fuzzy name such as:

• "install chrome"
• "upgrade vscode"
• "remove git"

the agent should first identify the correct package through winget search or equivalent host capability.

2. Inspect details when needed#

If identity is uncertain, or the action is medium/high risk, inspect the package before acting.

Use show when helpful to confirm:

• package ID
• package name
• source
• version or metadata

3. Require precision for risky actions#

For these actions:

• install
• upgrade
• download
• uninstall

the agent should prefer a precise package ID and avoid acting on vague names.

4. Execute the package operation#

Only after the package is sufficiently identified should the agent execute the requested operation through the host's command capability.

5. Summarize the result clearly#

Return a concise, structured result that includes:

• action
• package identity
• source
• whether the command appears successful
• any important stdout/stderr details
• whether follow-up verification is recommended

6. Verify uninstall results when possible#

If the action is uninstall, and the host allows further checks, verify the result afterward. A vendor uninstaller may show its own dialog and may not always report cancellation in a reliable way.

Recommended command patterns#

The exact execution mechanism depends on the host environment. However, the agent should generally use patterns like the following.

Search#

powershell

winget search "Visual Studio Code"

Show package details#

powershell

winget show --id Microsoft.VisualStudioCode --exact

Download installer only#

powershell

winget download --id Google.Chrome --source winget --download-directory "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads" --exact

Install#

powershell

winget install --id Microsoft.VisualStudioCode --source winget --exact --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements

Upgrade#

powershell

winget upgrade --id Git.Git --source winget --exact --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements

Uninstall#

powershell

winget uninstall --id 7zip.7zip --source winget --exact

List upgradeable packages#

powershell

winget upgrade

Output guidance#

Because this is a prompt-only skill, the exact output format depends on the host tool.

When the host environment supports structured output, prefer a consistent JSON-like structure such as:

json

{
  "success": true,
  "action": "search",
  "query": "Visual Studio Code",
  "source": "winget",
  "candidates": [
    {
      "name": "Microsoft Visual Studio Code",
      "id": "Microsoft.VisualStudioCode",
      "version": "1.96.0"
    }
  ],
  "stdout": "...",
  "stderr": "",
  "exit_code": 0,
  "summary": "Search completed for 'Visual Studio Code'."
}

If the host does not support structured tool output, the agent should still present results using a stable and consistent schema in its response.

Behavioral requirements for ambiguous matches#

If the user asks something like:

• "install DevToys"
• "uninstall DevToy"
• "upgrade Python"

and multiple packages match, the agent must:

1. List the candidates
2. Explain that the request is ambiguous
3. Ask which package should be used
4. Avoid executing install, upgrade, or uninstall until the user clarifies

Example ambiguity handling:

• DevToys.DevToys
• DevToys.DevToys.Preview

Do not operate on both unless the user explicitly asks for both.

Error handling guidance#

The agent should handle and clearly report situations such as:

• winget is not installed
• winget is not available in PATH
• package not found
• source not allowed
• network failures
• permission or elevation issues
• ambiguous package matches
• download path issues
• uninstall command finishes, but the app may still be installed

When a failure occurs, report it clearly and do not automatically retry high-risk operations.

Security constraints#

• No arbitrary command execution
• No unapproved package sources
• No free-form parameter passthrough
• No silent expansion into a generic shell skill
• No destructive action without package disambiguation
• No blind trust in uninstall success messages

Requirements#

• Windows 10 1809+ or Windows 11

• winget 1.6+ recommended

  • winget 1.6+ is especially useful for download
  • older versions may still support some other operations

Notes for maintainers#

This skill is intentionally designed as a prompt-only / policy-only skill so it can be distributed in environments where script files may not be accepted.

A richer local version may additionally provide:

• PowerShell wrappers
• JSON normalization
• post-check verification
• source validation
• logging and audit trails

Those implementation assets are useful, but they are outside the scope of this prompt-only distribution.