Microsoft has announced a new Windows application for developers called “Dev Home” during its Build conference in Seattle this year. The application offers interesting features such as a configurable dashboard and the ability to specify Git repositories for cloning and applications to install using the Windows Package Manager. Dev Home’s core application includes an extension for accessing GitHub repositories, and its size and position currently cannot be freely selected.
The dashboard also contains widgets that display system information, including CPU, GPU, memory, and network details. Though direct actions are not possible, developers can end processes in the CPU widget. Each GitHub widget refers to a single GitHub repository, and users can set the underlying URL for each widget.
One of the application’s most notable features is its use of a WinGet Configuration file in YAML format for automating the configuration of the development system. The tool allows developers to install not only packages, but also make system settings. For example, activation of developer mode in Windows, setting environment variables and installing Windows features, among others. Dev Home also offers a dark theme and a Dev Drive that uses the Resilient File System (ReFS) designed to provide a 30% increase in performance when compiling applications compared to an NTFS file system.
Dev Home is based on .NET 6.0, WinUI3. The source code of the application can be found on GitHub. The WinGet configuration files also work under Windows 10.
