Description
I would like to request that SourceGit provide an official Windows installer (.exe, .msi, or equivalent) alongside the existing portable package.
I know this has been discussed previously in #175, #314, and #1115, but I think the importance of an installer is easy to underestimate if it is viewed only as another way of downloading SourceGit.
For a normal Windows desktop application, an installer provides application lifecycle integration that a portable ZIP does not.
Why this matters
SourceGit is a polished desktop Git client, and I think its Windows distribution should match the quality of the application itself.
For many Windows users, the expected experience is:
Download SourceGit-Setup.exe
Run it
SourceGit appears in the Start Menu / Windows Search
Windows knows where the application is installed
SourceGit appears under Installed Apps
Updates can replace the existing installation cleanly
The application can be uninstalled normally
With the portable distribution, the user instead has to decide where the application should live, extract it there, create shortcuts manually if desired, remember where it was placed, and later manage upgrades/replacement themselves.
None of these steps are individually difficult for an experienced developer, but they are unnecessary friction, especially for an application whose goal is to provide a convenient graphical alternative to Git's command-line workflow.
An installer is not only about shortcuts
An official Windows installer would provide several practical benefits:
Proper registration in Settings > Apps > Installed apps
A normal uninstall process
Start Menu / Windows Search registration
Optional desktop shortcut creation
A predictable installation location
Clean upgrades from one version to another
Better support for installing the application for multiple Windows users
Better compatibility with software deployment/management tools
A much more familiar installation experience for users discovering SourceGit for the first time
This is especially relevant for workplace environments where applications may eventually need to be deployed through Winget, Intune, scripts, or other software-management systems.
Portable and installed versions can coexist
I am not suggesting removing the portable build.
The portable version is useful and should remain available for users who specifically want a portable application.
The request is simply to provide both:
SourceGit-Windows-Portable.zip
SourceGit-Windows-Setup.exe / .msi
This is common for Windows desktop software and lets users choose the distribution model appropriate for them.
Regarding automatic updates
One concern raised in the previous installer discussion was that a standalone installer without a self-update mechanism was not recommended.
I don't think implementing an application-level auto-updater needs to be a prerequisite for providing an installer.
An installer and an updater solve two different problems.
The installer manages how SourceGit is integrated with Windows. Updates can initially continue to be delivered through new installer releases and package managers such as Winget. A future built-in updater could still be added independently if desired.
the project would not need to implement a complete automatic-update system just to gain the benefits of a proper Windows installation package.
More importantly, a first-time Windows user should not need to know what Scoop or Winget is in order to install a graphical Git client. Package managers should be an additional installation method, not the only way to achieve a normal installed application experience.
Maintenance cost
Features such as automatic updating, file associations, shell integration, etc. could be considered separately and should not block the basic installer.
Why I think this is worth reconsidering
SourceGit has matured significantly since the original installer requests.
At this point, the lack of a conventional Windows installer stands out more because the application itself feels like a complete native desktop product. Lack of a proper installer goes completely against the grain of normal windows use.
This is primarily an adoption and user-experience issue, more than anything else. When i set up the app it was an immediate negative that stood out. I honestly didn't give the app much though before i started looking for alternatives and proceeded to download 2 other promising options. Ultimately, of the 3 I'm leaning more toward this app, but that won't be the case for all users. It might seem like a small insignificant issue but having a proper installer really does have a tangible and appreciated benefit to a large portion of the windows ecosystem.
A user evaluating SourceGit against other desktop Git clients should be able to download it, run a normal setup program, and have it behave like every other installed Windows application.
Providing an official installer would remove one of the first pieces of unnecessary friction a new Windows user encounters before they have even had a chance to use SourceGit.
Related issues
#175 — Windows installer and package management
#314 — Windows-specific executable setup package
#1115 — Winget installation / portable-package limitations
Thank you for considering reopening this discussion.
Description
I would like to request that SourceGit provide an official Windows installer (.exe, .msi, or equivalent) alongside the existing portable package.
I know this has been discussed previously in #175, #314, and #1115, but I think the importance of an installer is easy to underestimate if it is viewed only as another way of downloading SourceGit.
For a normal Windows desktop application, an installer provides application lifecycle integration that a portable ZIP does not.
Why this matters
SourceGit is a polished desktop Git client, and I think its Windows distribution should match the quality of the application itself.
For many Windows users, the expected experience is:
Download SourceGit-Setup.exe
Run it
SourceGit appears in the Start Menu / Windows Search
Windows knows where the application is installed
SourceGit appears under Installed Apps
Updates can replace the existing installation cleanly
The application can be uninstalled normally
With the portable distribution, the user instead has to decide where the application should live, extract it there, create shortcuts manually if desired, remember where it was placed, and later manage upgrades/replacement themselves.
None of these steps are individually difficult for an experienced developer, but they are unnecessary friction, especially for an application whose goal is to provide a convenient graphical alternative to Git's command-line workflow.
An installer is not only about shortcuts
An official Windows installer would provide several practical benefits:
Proper registration in Settings > Apps > Installed apps
A normal uninstall process
Start Menu / Windows Search registration
Optional desktop shortcut creation
A predictable installation location
Clean upgrades from one version to another
Better support for installing the application for multiple Windows users
Better compatibility with software deployment/management tools
A much more familiar installation experience for users discovering SourceGit for the first time
This is especially relevant for workplace environments where applications may eventually need to be deployed through Winget, Intune, scripts, or other software-management systems.
Portable and installed versions can coexist
I am not suggesting removing the portable build.
The portable version is useful and should remain available for users who specifically want a portable application.
The request is simply to provide both:
SourceGit-Windows-Portable.zip
SourceGit-Windows-Setup.exe / .msi
This is common for Windows desktop software and lets users choose the distribution model appropriate for them.
Regarding automatic updates
One concern raised in the previous installer discussion was that a standalone installer without a self-update mechanism was not recommended.
I don't think implementing an application-level auto-updater needs to be a prerequisite for providing an installer.
An installer and an updater solve two different problems.
The installer manages how SourceGit is integrated with Windows. Updates can initially continue to be delivered through new installer releases and package managers such as Winget. A future built-in updater could still be added independently if desired.
the project would not need to implement a complete automatic-update system just to gain the benefits of a proper Windows installation package.
More importantly, a first-time Windows user should not need to know what Scoop or Winget is in order to install a graphical Git client. Package managers should be an additional installation method, not the only way to achieve a normal installed application experience.
Maintenance cost
Features such as automatic updating, file associations, shell integration, etc. could be considered separately and should not block the basic installer.
Why I think this is worth reconsidering
SourceGit has matured significantly since the original installer requests.
At this point, the lack of a conventional Windows installer stands out more because the application itself feels like a complete native desktop product. Lack of a proper installer goes completely against the grain of normal windows use.
This is primarily an adoption and user-experience issue, more than anything else. When i set up the app it was an immediate negative that stood out. I honestly didn't give the app much though before i started looking for alternatives and proceeded to download 2 other promising options. Ultimately, of the 3 I'm leaning more toward this app, but that won't be the case for all users. It might seem like a small insignificant issue but having a proper installer really does have a tangible and appreciated benefit to a large portion of the windows ecosystem.
A user evaluating SourceGit against other desktop Git clients should be able to download it, run a normal setup program, and have it behave like every other installed Windows application.
Providing an official installer would remove one of the first pieces of unnecessary friction a new Windows user encounters before they have even had a chance to use SourceGit.
Related issues
#175 — Windows installer and package management
#314 — Windows-specific executable setup package
#1115 — Winget installation / portable-package limitations
Thank you for considering reopening this discussion.