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Managing Software Easily on Windows with Chocolatey

Chocolatey is a powerful package manager for Windows that simplifies the process of installing, updating, and managing software. With just a few commands in PowerShell, you can install popular applications, update them, and even clean up your package cache.

Installation​

NOTE

Official Guide: https://chocolatey.org/install

To get started, ensure PowerShell’s ExecutionPolicy is not set to Restricted. Use Bypass or AllSigned for more security.

  1. Check the current policy:

    Get-ExecutionPolicy

    If it returns Restricted, run the following command to allow Chocolatey installation:

    Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process

  2. Run Chocolatey’s install script:

    Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))

After installation, type choco or choco -? to verify Chocolatey is installed and ready for use!

Using Chocolatey to Install and Manage Packages​

Chocolatey makes it simple to find and install packages. Visit community.chocolatey.org to search for your favorite software.

  • Install a Package:

    choco install packagename -y

    Replace packagename with the software’s name. Chocolatey will handle downloading, installing, and setting up the software.

  • Uninstall a Package:

    choco uninstall packagename

    This command completely removes the specified software.

  • Clear Package Cache:

    choco clean

    Running this helps free up space by clearing old package files from Chocolatey’s cache.

  • Update All Packages:

    choco upgrade all

    This command updates every package on your system, ensuring all your software is up-to-date.

Chocolatey streamlines software management, making it easy to keep your Windows system clean, organized, and up-to-date with minimal effort.

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