WiX v6.0.0 available

The release build of WiX v6.0.0, the second of the new annual WiX release cadence, is now available.

Open Source Maintenance Fee

WiX v6.0.0 is the first release of WiX that falls under an Open Source Maintenance Fee. While the WiX source code remains open source and freely available, if you make money using WiX, there is now a fee for using aspects of the WiX project.

As always, FireGiant customers are covered: You’re already helping maintain WiX and don’t need to worry about paying the Open Source Maintenance Fee separately.

• To start using WiX v6 in your MSBuild-based builds, update your .wixproj project files to look like this:

<Project Sdk="WixToolset.Sdk/6.0.0">
...
</Project>

• To install the WiX CLI package for CI builds, download it from GitHub.

• To install WiX v6 as a .NET tool, run the following command:

dotnet tool install --global wix --version 6.0.0

• To update an already-installed WiX .NET tool, run the following command:

dotnet tool update --global wix --version 6.0.0

It’s so easy

How easy is it? It’s so easy that you can get started with a two-line SDK-style .wixproj project:

<Project Sdk="WixToolset.Sdk/6.0.0">
</Project>

and simple package code in a .wxs file:

<Wix xmlns="http://wixtoolset.org/schemas/v4/wxs">
    <Package 
        Id="Acme.HelloWorld" 
        Name="HelloWorld" 
        Version="6.0.0" 
        Manufacturer="Acme">

        <Files Include="*" />
    </Package>
</Wix>

and run

dotnet build

to build it.