# Squirrel/Squirrel.Windows

An installation and update framework for Windows desktop apps

Repository: https://github.com/Squirrel/Squirrel.Windows
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/squirrelwindows
Language: C++
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Topics: windows, squirrel, c-sharp, installer
Last push: 2024-07-24T10:06:45+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 23/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4419, "days_push": 770, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 7981, forks 1049 (observed 2026-08-28T04:10:10.531904+00:00)

## What it is
Squirrel.Windows is an installation and auto-update framework for Windows desktop applications, usable from C# and other languages including native C++. It uses NuGet packages to build installers and supports background, delta updates without UAC prompts or reboots.

## Use cases
- create an installer for my Windows desktop app
- add automatic background updates to a C# application
- distribute Windows app updates over simple HTTP with channels
- avoid UAC dialogs and reboots during installation
- generate delta update packages for a desktop app
- replace ClickOnce with a better installer framework

## When to choose
- you ship a Windows desktop app and want Chrome-style silent install and updates
- you want NuGet-based packaging with delta updates and release channels
- you need a developer-friendly client API for in-app update management

## When to avoid
- you target macOS or Linux instead of Windows
- you need MSI/enterprise Group Policy deployment
- you require heavy long-term maintenance support, as the project seeks new maintainers

## Facets
- artifact type: framework
- maturity: maintenance
- function: deployment, developer-tools
- domain: windows, developer-tools, desktop-applications
- platform: windows, dotnet
- tags: installer, auto-update, clickonce-alternative, nuget-packaging, desktop-apps

## Member repositories
- Squirrel/Squirrel.Windows (main) score 23

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:10.531904+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 2026-08-29T17:32:34.767437+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/Squirrel/Squirrel.Windows (fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:10.531904+00:00, sha 218236be9bda)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.