Onboarding: Automate Your Windows Setup

Congrats on day one! You’ve just unboxed your shiny new laptop and the excitement is real. If you’re truly fortunate, your company might have already installed all the software you need. But let’s be honest, how often does that actually happen?

No worries if you’re already set up. Save this article for later, it’ll be a lifesaver next time you unbox a new device or decide to factory reset your current one.

So now you’re staring at a blank slate. In the best scenario, someone has graciously prepared an onboarding doc with all the download links and version numbers. In the worst scenario, you’re on your own (no doc, no links), just you wandering around the office (or Slack) bugging your new colleagues for help. Hey, at least it’s a solid excuse to meet people!

Once you do track down all those installers, it’s time for the big moment: double-click that setup.exe, hit “Next” a bunch of times, then “Finish”, then restart. Repeat as necessary. Welcome to the setup marathon, my friend!

But here’s a shortcut: winget configuration. This handy command automates the entire setup process with just one go. Thanks to Windows Package Manager and PowerShell DSC, you can run everything hands-free, grab a coffee and let your machine do its thing.

It’s also reliable and repeatable because everything is pre-defined in a handy YAML file. You won’t have to worry about rummaging around for the correct versions of tools and software. Once you’ve got that config set up, onboarding to a new project (or helping the next newbie) becomes a breeze.

Curious about how to implement it?

Check out my GitHub repo for an example.

Your new colleagues will be forever grateful you spared them the headache of manual installs.

Until next time, keep learning!