# google/omaha

Google Update for Windows

Repository: https://github.com/google/omaha
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/omaha
Language: C++
License: Apache-2.0
License Family: permissive
Archived: true
Last push: 2024-08-01T17:30:14+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 10/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4083, "days_push": 762, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: archived
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2620, forks 745 (observed 2026-08-28T04:07:04.973541+00:00)

## What it is
Omaha is the open-source version of Google Update, a Windows program that installs requested software and keeps it up to date via background and on-demand updates. It powers patching for Google Chrome, Earth, and other Google products on Windows.

## Use cases
- keep my windows application automatically updated
- implement background software patching for my desktop app
- on-demand update checks for installed software
- open-source alternative to google update
- deploy and update software silently on windows

## When to choose
- you ship Windows desktop software and need robust auto-update infrastructure
- you want a battle-tested updater proven at Chrome's scale
- you need both background and on-demand update checks

## When to avoid
- you target macOS or Linux (Omaha is Windows-only)
- you need a lightweight updater for a small app without C++ build infrastructure
- you want a modern cross-platform update framework

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: maintenance
- function: deployment, developer-tools
- domain: windows, developer-tools
- platform: windows, cpp
- tags: software-updater, auto-update, google-update, patching, automation

## Member repositories
- google/omaha (main) score 10

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:04.973541+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T02:20:09.932028+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/google/omaha (fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:04.973541+00:00, sha 0bfadea9446b)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.