C# Desktop App Deployment with Squirrel - Easier than MSI Files, Better than ClickOnce

Deploying your desktop software isn't the easiest thing to do well. Either you go the simple route and just copy your files to another machine or you try to create a complex installer file that is hard to understand and support. Fortunately, there is a third option. In this video, we are going to look at Squirrel, a simple to use installer that just works. We are going to see how easy it is to create an installer that also keeps our software up to date without being a huge headache.

0:00 - Intro
1:12 - What we are going to do in this video
3:40 - What is Squirrel
7:02 - Squirrel GitHub page
8:43 - Squirrel NuGet reference
9:30 - Automatic application updates update check
15:55 - Assembly version changes
17:47 - Creating custom NuGet Package
27:04 - Installing the application
29:05 - Running the installed app and fixing bugs
33:49 - Updating the application code
37:06 - Releasing the updates
43:06 - Recap
45:20 - Summary and concluding remarks

Thanks Ralfs for the timestamp breakdown!

[vinuhosanagar]

Thank you and congratulations on 40k subscribers. It feels awesome when I say I'm one of your first subscribers. :)

[Lvlchao]

This tutorial came in clutch. Was just about to wrap up a current winform project and was wondering how to make the installer for it. Now I know, thanks Tim.

[ArbazAbid]

Mr. Tim Corey, As a learner and beginner as a C# developer, I am in love with you. I learn a lot from your videos and your way of talking and explaining things is very awesome. Thank you so much for your time which you invest in people like me. May GOD bless you Sir :)

[MuhammadAli-hdyl]

Thank you Tim for such a detailed tutorial. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos. It's the small details you explain which matter the most to me, for example when you explained why the @ is used before a path string.

[ohmyohmyohmy]

Great tutorial! Feel guilty that I can only leave 1 thumbs up for all the work you put into this. Thank you

[pigeonfigther]

I have zero experience with ClickOnce MSI or install shield. This is exactly what i have been looking for. A simple explanation of this complicated process in its simplest form. I now have a foundation to move forward and learn other techniques.Thanks!

[krisfullkrisfull]

It's nice and uncommon that You take care of the recordings that you posted some time ago. Thank you for the time and energy You put into promoting knowledge.

[cervzzz]

Are you still going to make the future video showing how to automate this? As well as showing an example of how to do it through a different server, thank you for the amazing content !

[VANTYCSolutions]

wow you save me! from clickonce, now I can deploy my apps using sql ccmpact edition and cryptography that click once does not support! Thank you for this amazing material.

[PaweLipowczan]

Great tutorial. It would be great if you could show the next level with the automation of all those processes. However it is a good point to start. Thanks.

[mk]

It's been a while since this video was made -- do you still recommend Squirrel, and is it still being supported?

[Yassirelattarrissayleratta]

Hello Tim again,

I just wanted to thank you very much for your videos... I asked you on the video of SQLite demo video about a problem I get in deployment, but now with Squirrel, it is solved... So, Thank YOU A GREAT WORK SIR!!!

[harikrishna-ldce]

Very nice lecture Tim . Crysp and clear. And i dont know anything about deployment and even Release also in visual studio. I am the basic beginner. And I could understood in clear way. Will be waiting for you next video about Releasing to the GITHUB and autoupdate from GITHUB..

[hctor]

Amazing video Tim! Thanks for all your useful delivery on this video. Now, the next step would be maybe to give the user the choice to update or not the software version and make an automatic restart if so.

[sorryforfallingwonthappena]

This video is...AWESOME!!! The way you explain everything step by step is incredible. I have a lot of question, actually..a lot of requirements but I'm pretty sure I will find answers on your videos!!! Thank you so much!!!

[dingdong]

Learned some thing very useful.This thing is good man. Plus dapper video was also helpful.

[EARSPLACE]

You have helped me at work, school and even in personal projects. Thanks so much for these excellent videos! I am a much more competent programmer thanks to you :)

[JohannJimenez]

Magnificent explanation. I didn't know about squirrel but i will have it in account in the future.

[MauricioCaterino]

Excellent Tim. It was just what I was looking for. Look forward to see the automated process. Although, as long as it is for a simple and small app I would rather do it manually. Next Time, show us how to place an icon for the app.

[neilrichardson]

Great video. Thanks for the heads up on such an application (Squirrel that is) existing. It appears it will solve the install issue I have for a widely used corporate application.