Script the install of software
In this blog post I share a small PowerShell project I have been working on to show you how to speed up the installation of software with Windows Package Manager or Chocolatey.
Scripting the install of software either on your laptops or servers is something most IT engineers will have tried at some point or other. No one wants to have to spend time finding the install files then watching progress bars work their magic.
Automating or scripting the installation of software make it's easier to repeat in the future and speeds the whole task up.
This is why in the past I have used Chocolatey to help install software onto new laptops. Although recently I have preferred using the Windows native tool, Windows Package Manager or winget as it's known to do that job.
Regardless of your preference using a package manager to automate the install or removal of software saves a lot of time and hassle.
With all that in mind, I've been experimenting and trying new things. Which is why I have this GitHub repo: https://www.github.com/weeyin83/installsoftware
What's in the GitHub repository?
Inside my GitHub repository is two scripts, one that installs software with winget and one that installs the same software but with Chocolatey.
Each script is a PowerShell script, when you run either script it will ask you 14 questions. Each question asks if you want a certain piece of software installed. If you answer yes to the question then the script will install that software for you.
What software gets installed?
I've picked 14 pieces of software that can be installed. The software is:
- Zoom
- Slack
- Google Drive
- Google Chrome
- Firefox
- Camtasia
- Snagit
- OBS
- VLC
- Git
- Visual Studio Code
- Windows Terminal
- Elgato Streamdeck
I picked these 14 because they are common tools and ones I am constantly using. 😉
Community Contribution
The script is the first iteration and I know it can be refined and made more robust. I would love for feedback and contributions to expand on this, so please make contributions and submit ideas.
Of course you can also take this script and use it as a starter for using yourself. You can modify the software that is installed.
This is fully intended to be showing you the art of the possible and I'd love to see it grow from community involvement.