Microsoft just released details about new installation technology for Nano Server called WSA based on AppX. So today we finally get to announce the FireGiant AppX Extension for the WiX Toolset. With this extension the same .wxs source code can create AppX packages for WSA on Nano Server and MSI packages everywhere else.
AND, NOT OR
Or for us developers: OR, NOT XOR
The Windows Installer is not available on Nano Server. Instead, Microsoft extended the AppX installation technology introduced in Windows 8 to support server applications to create the Windows Server Applications (WSA). Thus to install an application on Windows today and support Nano Server, you need two installation packages.
We saw this as an opportunity to extend the WiX Toolset so developers could use the installation code they use to create MSI packages to seamlessly create AppX packages for Nano Server. To that end, we developed the FireGiant AppX Extension for the WiX Toolset where the extension plus a bit of code is all that is necessary to get you installing on Nano Server.
<msix:Appx Id="Example" Publisher="CN=Example" />
You are now well on your way to porting your application to Nano Server.
Sound Interesting?
Great! Head over to our AppX support for the WiX Toolset page for more information.