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[FEATURE REQUEST] Add Github as a "package manager" #4523
Description
Please confirm these before moving forward.
- I have searched for my feature proposal and have not found a work-in-progress/duplicate/resolved/discarded issue.
- This proposal is a completely new feature. If you want to suggest an improvement or an enhancement, please use this template.
Describe the new feature
It would be life-changing to have such functionality. There is an app, Obtainium, that does this on Android, and it would be great to have something like this on Windows.
Describe how this new feature could help users
I know it’s not exactly like a package manager, but the idea is:
To have organized programs from GitHub
To keep track of updates
Obtainium does this well, and since it's open source, I guess some of its code or ideas could be used.
Obviously, there is a lot of stuff on GitHub, but I would suggest adding functionality to track new releases for any repository, along with installation options for Windows executables.
For portable .exe files, "installing" could simply mean downloading the file and creating shortcuts on the desktop and Start menu.
For installers, it would just launch them.
Activity
mpt-gh commentedon Apr 16, 2026
Your suggestion is very useful, as GitHub is an important source for updates. And for some software, GitHub can also serve as a backup source if Winget packages don't work in UnigetUI.
TPS commentedon Jun 2, 2026
https://cli.github.com/ → https://github.com/cli/cli if needed
mpt-gh commentedon Oct 21, 2026
will this feature ever be implemented? that would be a gamechanger for UnigetUI
karpuzikov commentedon Oct 21, 2026
No maintainer has confirmed implementation yet. The request remains open, and I still think GitHub release tracking and installation support would be very valuable.
beedell-roke commentedon Oct 21, 2026
karpuzikov, I do not believe that this is feasible for UniGetUI, with its current project objective.
If this were implemented, someone would request Forgejo, and another would suggest GitLab. Then, UniGetUI would become an entire Obtainium competitor, for the desktop. If that is the ultimate desire, we should re-scope it to demonstrate that, rather than prioritise solely GitHub.
In the meantime, a repository, like
pl4nty/winget-extras, is the most feasible alternative.karpuzikov commentedon Oct 21, 2026
Yes, an Obtainium-like desktop feature is the actual goal. GitHub was proposed as the first source, but I am fine with re-scoping this to a multi-forge release tracker that could also support GitLab and Forgejo. winget-extras is useful, but it is not equivalent because packages must be curated and may not stay current.
tlrib commentedon Oct 24, 2026
Would love to see this added too! There are quite a few smaller apps and tools that are only available on GitHub, or where the WinGet/Scoop packages are outdated.
It wouldn't even need to be a full Obtainium alternative. Just being able to add a GitHub repo, choose which release asset to install (e.g. x64 installer or portable version), and get notified about updates would already be super useful.
mpt-gh commentedon Oct 25, 2026
GitHub as a source would be perfectly sufficient for me. It doesn't need to be an Obtainium replacement with even more package repositories. But GitHub would be useful and important.