How MSIX Packages Reduce Garbage

MSIX is an application packaging platform that is designed to take up the challenge of dealing with the issues that have plagued Windows when it comes to deploying and customizing apps.

With this platform, Microsoft is able to combine input from various interested parties with the best features from the currently available installers to produce something that is truly impressive. 

Features such as its reliability as well as predictability mean that it comes onto the scene ready to make its presence felt. The challenges that have been faced with Windows apps in the past are being tackled head-on.

Clean uninstalls

One of the huge advantages that the MSIX team is talking about a lot is the clean uninstalls that this platform is capable of carrying out. This is certainly a feature that needs to be highlighted if we are to talk about reducing garbage. MSIX is designed in such a way that when you uninstall an application, it performs a clean uninstall of everything, meaning that you do not have any residual files remaining.

This is all because of the containerized model that enables all application files, especially those that are typically left behind on the machine, to be completely wiped out on uninstallation. This is something even the best and most advanced applications out there are unable to achieve.

Single instance storage of files

Another superb feature of MSIX is the single instance storage of files across both apps and users. If the clean uninstalls are great for reducing garbage then this feature takes great to an even higher level. What you get here is files needing to be downloaded only once and what this allows is for optimization of disk space and cuts out unnecessary duplication of files.

So MSIX does not download or install apps multiple times, instead using a single source to serve an application to users who wish to use it. This will go a long way in reducing wasted disk space as well as the bandwidth required to update these apps.

Eliminating app duplication

Having your applications duplicated can not only cost you valuable disk space but it can be very frustrating as well. As you go about transitioning your apps to the new MSIX format, your OS may fail to make recognize what has happened thus not realize that that the same app under a different format has been installed and this is something that will leave you with two versions of the same app. To avoid this scenario and to ensure that the migration process is rendered easier, there are some extensions available that will be supported helping to make the process a seamless one.

Enhanced application function

Another great benefit of MSIX that also potentially aids in de-cluttering your desktop as well as the hard drive is the enhancement of native UWP apps from where you can then start Win 32 processes due to the availability of desktop extensions. The advantage of this feature is being able to use existing investments as well as pursuing scenarios that UWP does not as yet support.

Increasing productivity

Increasing productive time is one of the first issues you would want to deal with when looking at the challenges that currently exist. A lot of time has been lost packaging and repackaging apps in a nightmarish cycle of packaging paralysis. MSIX begins to address these issues starting with the containers themselves. Within these containers, you will have the base app as well as any necessary modification package.

With the separate packages in the container, this system allows for the updating of apps and modifications independently of each other. The ensuing benefits of this are immediately apparent as it saves significant amounts of time that would otherwise have been spent repackaging to cater for any customizations or updates that will need to be carried out. 

Simpler updates

Time spent performing updates is another area that has been of huge concern to all parties. The need to repackage an app over and over again saw significant amounts of time being consumed on this task. With MSIX, however, the aim has been to make this a thing of the past. Updates are not only made easier for the IT pros only but for end-users as well for whom the process can be easily performed via silent updates.

Bandwidth optimization is another benefit that is derived from the update system which only downloads the difference between upgrade and the existing package. Downloading only the difference also adds to disk optimization as well with less and less space being required and by extension cutting down on garbage.

MSIX does the heavy lifting    

Not only does MSIX come with a ton of great benefits, but it also offers you a great service in that the MSIX team maintains responsibility for a lot of the operations. So in as much as you are able to significantly increase your productive time and reduce hard drive garbage on your own, all of that will be handled for you.

The OS will be entirely responsible for installing, updating, and uninstalling applications. In this way, you can rest assured that with Microsoft taking over and running all these various functions, worrying about apps becomes a thing of the past.  

 Final thoughts

Microsoft has certainly stepped up to the plate as far as resolving app deployment and customization challenges. MSIX has already resolved years’ worth of problems in the short time that it has been launched and as it constantly evolves it promises to improve even more. Having significant amounts of space occupied by needless garbage has become a thing of the past with the effective way that MSIX operates. And with increased productive time being one of the key benefits on offer, making the migration to this platform is something you should definitely be looking into.