What is Chocolatey and Why Use It: Beginner’s Guide

Posted on by

Are you tired of the endless clicking, downloading, and navigating through setup wizards just to install software on Windows? Do you dread setting up a new computer or updating multiple applications? You’re not alone. The traditional way of managing software on Windows can be a time-consuming and frustrating process.

Imagine a world where you can install, upgrade, and uninstall software with simple text commands, much like developers and system administrators do on Linux or macOS. This is where Chocolatey comes in. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll explore what is Chocolatey, why it’s a game-changer for managing software on Windows, and how you can get started using it today.

Whether you’re a developer, an IT professional, or just a power user looking for a more efficient way to handle your applications, understanding the Chocolatey package manager is a valuable step.

What Exactly is Chocolatey?

At its core, Chocolatey is a package manager for Windows. If you’re familiar with concepts like app stores on your phone, or package managers on other operating systems like apt on Debian/Ubuntu or Homebrew on macOS, Chocolatey is the Windows equivalent.

Think of it like a centralized system that knows where to find software, how to download it, how to install it correctly, and how to manage updates. Instead of visiting various websites, downloading installers, and clicking through setup screens, you interact with Chocolatey via your command line (like PowerShell or Command Prompt).

Chocolatey is built on the NuGet infrastructure, which is a package manager primarily used for software libraries and frameworks within Microsoft development environments. However, Chocolatey extends this concept to handle installation and management of actual applications and tools for end-users and system administrators.

The fundamental idea is simple: software is packaged up (a “package”), and Chocolatey provides the tool (`choco`) to fetch and manage these packages using simple commands.

How Does Chocolatey Work?

Chocolatey operates through a simple, yet powerful ecosystem. The two main components are:

1. The Community Repository: This is a vast online library where thousands of software packages are hosted. These packages contain scripts (often PowerShell) that tell Chocolatey how to download and install the actual software from its official source (like the vendor’s website or a trusted download location). It’s a curated list, and packages go through a moderation process to ensure safety and reliability.

2. The Chocolatey Client (`choco`): This is the command-line tool you install on your Windows machine. When you type a command like choco install vlc, the client connects to the Community Repository, finds the package for VLC media player, downloads the necessary script, and then executes that script to install VLC on your system.

The process typically involves the `choco` client:

  • Receiving your command (e.g., install, upgrade, search).
  • Connecting to the configured package source (usually the Community Repository).
  • Finding the requested package.
  • Downloading the package definition (the script).
  • Executing the script, which often downloads the software installer from the original vendor’s site and runs it silently or semi-silently.
  • Handling prerequisites or dependencies if the software requires them.
  • Registering the software with Chocolatey so it can be tracked for updates and uninstalls.

Why Use Chocolatey? The Benefits Explained

Using Chocolatey offers significant advantages over traditional manual software installation Windows methods, especially for managing multiple applications or setting up new systems.

Simplified Installation & Management

This is arguably the biggest win for beginners. Instead of searching for software online, finding the download page, clicking the right version, waiting for the download, finding the downloaded file, double-clicking it, agreeing to EULAs, choosing installation paths, and clicking ‘Next’ repeatedly, you use one simple command.

For example, to install Notepad++, a popular text editor, the manual process involves many steps. With Chocolatey, it’s just one command:

choco install notepadplusplus

This dramatically saves time and reduces the potential for errors or installing unwanted bundled software often included in manual installers.

Automation & Scripting

For developers, IT professionals, and system administrators, Chocolatey is invaluable for automation. You can create scripts (using PowerShell, Batch, etc.) that list all the software you need for a development environment or a new workstation and run that script to install everything automatically.

This is perfect for setting up new machines, ensuring consistency across multiple systems, or integrating into automated workflows like Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

Keeping Software Updated

Keeping all your installed software up-to-date manually is a chore. You have to remember which applications need updating, open each one, find the update function, and go through their individual update processes. Chocolatey simplifies this immensely.

A single command can check for and install updates for all software installed via Chocolatey:

choco upgrade all

This command significantly streamlines software updates Windows, improving security and ensuring you have the latest features without the manual hassle.

Dependency Management

Some software requires other components to be installed first (these are called dependencies or prerequisites). Manually tracking and installing these can be confusing. Chocolatey packages can specify their dependencies, and the client will attempt to install them automatically before installing the requested software.

This helps ensure software is installed correctly with all the necessary components in place.

Version Control

While typically you’ll install the latest version, Chocolatey allows you to install specific versions of software if needed for compatibility or testing purposes. This gives you more control over your software environment than many manual installation methods.

Getting Started with Chocolatey

Ready to try it out? Installing Chocolatey is the first step. You’ll need an elevated PowerShell or Command Prompt session (Run as Administrator).

Installing Chocolatey

Before you install, make sure you have PowerShell v3+ and .NET Framework 4.5+ installed (most modern Windows versions have these). Then, open PowerShell as Administrator and run the following command. It’s a single line, but make sure you copy it exactly:

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'))

This command temporarily bypasses PowerShell’s execution policy for the current process to allow the download and execution of the installation script from the official Chocolatey website. After running it, close and reopen your PowerShell or Command Prompt session (as a regular user is usually fine for most commands, but admin is needed for installation) to ensure the `choco` command is available.

You can verify the installation by typing:

choco

If it shows the version information, you’re ready to go!

Basic Chocolatey Commands

Here are some of the most common commands you’ll use:

Searching for software:

choco search [package_name]

Example: 

choco search vlc

(This will search the repository for packages related to VLC.)

Installing software:

choco install [package_name]

Example: 

choco install vlc

(Installs the VLC media player.)
Example: 

choco install googlechrome --y

(Installs Google Chrome and automatically answers ‘yes’ to prompts.)

Upgrading software:

choco upgrade [package_name]

Example: 

choco upgrade notepadplusplus

(Upgrades Notepad++ if a newer version is available.)
Example: 

choco upgrade all

(Upgrades all installed software.)

Uninstalling software:

choco uninstall [package_name]

Example: 

choco uninstall vlc

(Uninstalls VLC media player.)

Listing installed software:

choco list --localonly

This command shows you all the software packages you have installed via Chocolatey.

These basic commands cover the majority of your daily software management needs and demonstrate the simplicity of using the choco command.

Who Should Use Chocolatey?

While anyone comfortable with the command line can benefit, Chocolatey is particularly useful for:

  • Developers: Quickly set up development environments with necessary tools, compilers, and runtime environments. Automate the installation of dependencies for projects.
  • System Administrators & IT Professionals: Deploy software across multiple machines easily, manage updates centrally, and script software installations for new users or servers.
  • Power Users: Those who install and manage a lot of software and want a faster, more standardized way to do it without repetitive manual steps. If you find yourself frequently downloading and running installers, Chocolatey is for you.

Chocolatey provides a consistent interface for software management Windows, regardless of the software vendor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Chocolatey free?

Yes, the core Chocolatey client and the use of the Community Repository are free and open source. There are commercial versions (Chocolatey Pro and Business) with additional features for advanced users and organizations, but the basic functionality is free.

Is it safe to use Chocolatey?

The Chocolatey Community Repository has a moderation process. Packages are reviewed, and antivirus checks are performed. However, like any software source, it’s important to be mindful. Stick to popular, well-known software packages from the community feed. The installation scripts typically download software directly from the vendor’s official site, adding another layer of trust.

What software can I install with Chocolatey?

Thousands of applications and tools are available in the Community Repository, ranging from popular web browsers (Chrome, Firefox) and media players (VLC) to developer tools (Node.js, Python, Git) and utilities (Notepad++, 7-Zip). You can search the official Chocolatey website to see the available packages.

What if the software I need isn’t in the repository?

You can create your own Chocolatey packages if you have software that isn’t available. This is a more advanced topic but allows you to manage internal tools or less common applications.

How is Chocolatey different from Winget?

Winget is Microsoft’s own official Windows Package Manager, which is a newer alternative. Both serve a similar purpose (command-line software installation). Chocolatey has been around longer, has a larger community repository, and is generally considered more mature with features like dependency management and more robust scripting capabilities. Winget is newer, integrated directly into Windows, and is rapidly developing. You can potentially use both side-by-side.

Conclusion

Managing software on Windows doesn’t have to be a tedious process of manual downloads and clicks. By understanding what is Chocolatey and leveraging its power, you can significantly streamline how you install, update, and manage applications on your system.

Chocolatey brings the convenience and efficiency of package managers found on other operating systems to Windows, offering benefits like simplified installation, powerful automation, easy updates, and dependency handling. It’s a valuable tool for anyone looking to save time and gain more control over their software environment.

If you’re a beginner looking for a better way to handle software on Windows, we highly recommend giving Chocolatey a try. Install it today and experience the difference a modern Windows package manager can make!