Essential Choco Commands: Beginner Cheat Sheet

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Welcome to this quick reference guide for Chocolatey, the package manager for Windows! If you’re looking to streamline your software management using the command line, you’ve come to the right place. This essential Chocolatey commands cheat sheet is designed to help beginners quickly find, install, list, update, and uninstall software on your Windows machine using simple choco commands.

Running Chocolatey Commands: Important Note

Most Chocolatey commands are executed from a command line interface (CLI) like Command Prompt or PowerShell. For many actions, specifically installing, upgrading, and uninstalling software packages, you must run your terminal session As Administrator. Commands like searching for packages or listing locally installed ones typically do not require elevated privileges.

If you haven’t installed Chocolatey yet, you’ll need to do that first. Install Chocolatey Guide

Essential Chocolatey Commands

Here are the core choco commands you’ll use most often for basic software management.

choco search (Finding Packages)

Use this command to search the Chocolatey community package repository for available software.

Syntax:

choco search [package name]

Explanation: Finds packages matching your search term in the online repository.

Example: Searching for the VLC media player.

choco search vlc

This helps you find the correct packageID before installing.

choco install (Installing Packages)

This is how you install software packages found in the repository onto your machine.

Syntax:

choco install [packageID]

Explanation: Installs a specific package identified by its unique ID. Requires Administrator privileges.

Example: Installing Notepad++.

choco install notepadplusplus

You can install multiple packages at once by listing their IDs:

choco install package1 package2

Use the -y flag to automatically confirm prompts:

choco install packageID -y

For more details on finding and installing, see our guide: [Link to Finding and Installing Guide]

choco list –localonly (Listing Installed Packages)

See which packages you’ve installed using Chocolatey on your local system.

Syntax:

choco list --localonly

Explanation: Displays a list of all packages currently managed by Chocolatey on your machine. Typically does not require Administrator privileges.

Example: Listing all installed packages.

choco list --localonly

You can filter the list by adding a term:

choco list vlc --localonly

Note that choco list [term] without --localonly searches the online repository, similar to choco search.

choco outdated (Checking for Updates)

Quickly see which of your installed packages have newer versions available in the repository.

Syntax:

choco outdated

Explanation: Checks your locally installed packages against the online repository to identify those that are outdated. Typically does not require Administrator privileges.

Example: Checking for any available updates.

choco outdated

choco upgrade (Upgrading Packages)

Update your installed software packages to their latest versions.

Syntax:

choco upgrade [packageID]

OR

choco upgrade all

Explanation: Upgrades a specific package by ID, or upgrades all installed packages that are outdated. Requires Administrator privileges.

Example: Upgrading Firefox.

choco upgrade firefox

Upgrading all outdated packages:

choco upgrade all

Use the -y flag for automatic confirmation:

choco upgrade all -y

Learn more about updating software: Chocolatey updating Guide

choco uninstall (Uninstalling Packages)

Remove software packages that you installed using Chocolatey.

Syntax:

choco uninstall [packageID]

Explanation: Uninstalls a specific package by its ID from your system. Requires Administrator privileges.

Example: Uninstalling 7-Zip.

choco uninstall 7zip

You can uninstall multiple packages:

choco uninstall package1 package2

Use the -y flag for automatic confirmation:

choco uninstall packageID -y

For a detailed guide on removing software: Chocolatey Uninstalling Guide

Where to Go Next

Now that you have this basic cheat sheet, try running a few commands! Start with choco list --localonly or choco search. Experiment with installing a simple package. For comprehensive information on all commands and parameters, consult the official Chocolatey documentation. You can also refer back to our more detailed guides linked above for specific tasks like installation or updating.

Conclusion

These fundamental choco commands provide the foundation for managing software on Windows via the command line. By mastering this essential Chocolatey commands cheat sheet, you can significantly simplify your installation, update, and removal processes. Embrace the power of this package manager for more efficient software management!