WinGet is the Windows Package Manager. This project includes a CLI (Command Line Interface), PowerShell modules, and a COM (Component Object Model) API (Application Programming Interface).
This report summarizes scanner evidence for microsoft/winget-cli, a C++ project with 26,553 GitHub stars. SynthScan examined 354,039 lines of code across 2189 source files, recording 948 pattern matches distributed across 9 syntactic categories. The legacy adjusted pattern signal is 3.0 (Low pattern signal); it is not an authorship estimate.
Use the findings to ask whether maintainers can explain intent, verify dependencies, simplify unnecessary scaffolding, and focus review effort. Risk Payload v1 adds ownership, supply-chain, over-engineering, and review-effort vectors when available. These are prompts for human verification, not probabilities, security findings, or measured maintenance costs.
Use each vector to guide manual verification of the underlying findings.
Payload schema: 1.0.0 · Engine: 2.0.0 · Scoring: heuristic-density-v1 · Scan date: 2026-10-31.
Can maintainers explain intent, assumptions, and trade-offs? 923 finding(s).
Are imports declared and package/API names verified? 3 finding(s).
Are wrappers, guards, and repeated structures necessary? 23 finding(s).
Which changes need focused human review? 948 finding(s).
This chart tracks the legacy adjusted pattern score across scan runs. Changes can reflect source changes, scan coverage, or detector/scoring versions; they do not measure AI adoption or prove that a team refactored code. Compare runs only when their scoring versions are compatible. The dashed line tracks the raw pattern-hit count.
Groups findings by configured severity weight. Severity is not a confidence estimate, security rating, or proof that a package is missing. Verify imports against the project's manifests and inspect each finding in its local design context.
This horizontal bar chart shows where configured pattern scores accumulate across directories. Treat the bars as locations to inspect, not as evidence of authorship or code quality. Use the file-level findings to decide whether a directory needs a focused ownership, dependency, complexity, or review check.
The scanner identified 948 distinct pattern matches across 9 syntactic categories. Each entry below represents a discrete location in the source code where the engine recorded a detector match to inspect in context. Expand any category row to inspect the individual file paths, line numbers, code snippets, and the lexical context (CODE, COMMENT, or STRING) in which each match was detected.
Reading the findings table: The Severity column indicates the configured finding weight (CRITICAL / HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW). The Context column identifies whether the match occurred inside executable code, an inline comment, or a string literal — legacy comment-context matches receive a ×1.5 score weight. The ⚡ bolt icon marks clustered matches: three or more patterns within a 10-line window, each receiving an additional ×1.5 density multiplier under the legacy scoring model.
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | …tallAndCheckCorrelation/InstallAndCheckCorrelation.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/SampleWinGetUWPCaller/AppInstallerCaller/pch.h | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/SampleWinGetUWPCaller/AppInstallerCaller/App.cpp | 101 | /// <summary> | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/IndexComparisonTool/pch.h | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/IndexComparisonTool/pch.h | 21 | #include <string> | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/IndexComparisonTool/pch.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | samples/ConnectionValidationSample/Program.cs | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | samples/WinGetUWPCaller/WinGetUWPCaller/pch.h | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | samples/WinGetUWPCaller/WinGetUWPCaller/pch.h | 21 | #include <mutex> | COMMENT |
| LOW | samples/WinGetUWPCaller/WinGetUWPCaller/MainPage.cpp | 841 | else if (uninstallResult) | COMMENT |
| LOW | samples/WinGetUWPCaller/WinGetUWPCaller/App.cpp | 101 | /// <summary> | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/duplicate-surfacing.lock.yml | 1 | # gh-aw-metadata: {"schema_version":"v4","frontmatter_hash":"369c0dc7840b1b7153bc9e30f8e49b4853e89dee604895a38891567c547 | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/duplicate-surfacing.lock.yml | 21 | # gh aw compile | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/duplicate-surfacing.lock.yml | 41 | # - actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0 | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/spelling3.yml | 1 | # spelling.yml is blocked per https://github.com/check-spelling/check-spelling/security/advisories/GHSA-g86g-chm8-7r2p | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/spelling3.yml | 21 | # | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/spelling3.yml | 41 | # Access to SARIF reports is generally restricted (by GitHub) to members of the repository. | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/issue-closure-recommendation.lock.yml | 1 | # gh-aw-metadata: {"schema_version":"v4","frontmatter_hash":"e6ba9bc689f737c53dda78254f68ee89b8b2cff3569a7337302a55c06a0 | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/issue-closure-recommendation.lock.yml | 21 | # gh aw compile | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/issue-closure-recommendation.lock.yml | 41 | # - actions/github-script@3a2844b7e9c422d3c10d287c895573f7108da1b3 # v9.0.0 (source v9) | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/workflows/issue-closure-recommendation.lock.yml | 761 | id: pre_agent_audit | COMMENT |
| LOW | .github/actions/spelling/patterns.txt | 81 | COMMENT | |
| LOW | doc/specs/#888 - Com Api.md | 441 | /// SAMPLE VALUES: For OpenWindowsCatalog "Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe" | COMMENT |
| LOW | doc/specs/#888 - Com Api.md | 661 | FindPackagesOptions(); | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/binver/binver/version.h | 1 | #define STRINGIZE2(s) #s | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/binver/binver/version.h | 21 | #define VER_COPYRIGHT_STR "Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation" | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/binver/binver/resource.h | 1 | //{{NO_DEPENDENCIES}} | COMMENT |
| LOW | …nitTests/ManifestUnitTest/ManifestEqualityUnitTests.cs | 121 | /// Manifest with all properties that provide equality. | COMMENT |
| LOW | …terop.UnitTests/ManifestUnitTest/V1ManifestReadTest.cs | 541 | #pragma warning disable SA1310 // FieldNamesMustNotContainUnderscore | COMMENT |
| LOW | …terop.UnitTests/ManifestUnitTest/V1ManifestReadTest.cs | 561 | COMMENT | |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerTestExeInstaller/main.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/ComInprocTestbed/pch.h | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/ComInprocTestbed/pch.h | 21 | #include <string_view> | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/ComInprocTestbed/Tests.h | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/ComInprocTestbed/pch.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/Dependencies.cpp | 1 | #include "pch.h" | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/PinFlow.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/pch.h | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/pch.h | 21 | #include <catch2/reporters/catch_reporter_registrars.hpp> | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/pch.h | 41 | #include <fstream> | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/WorkFlow.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/WorkflowCommon.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/TestCommon.h | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/CustomHeader.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/PortableInstaller.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/WorkflowGroupPolicy.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/SQLiteIndexDelta.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/PreIndexedPackageSource.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/PreIndexedPackageSource.cpp | 1081 | } | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/PreIndexedPackageSource.cpp | 1241 | auto baselineWriteTime = test.StampBaselineWriteTime(); | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/ExperimentalFeature.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/UserSettings.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/YamlManifest.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/RestClient.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/TestHooks.h | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/CompositeSource.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/PromptFlow.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/InstallDependenciesFlow.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/ARPChanges.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/RestInterface_1_7.cpp | 1 | // Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. | COMMENT |
| 843 more matches not shown… | ||||
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 10 | // ── State ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 46 | // ── DOM refs ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 66 | // ── Helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 153 | // ── Filter logic ───────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 213 | // ── Sidebar builder ────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 353 | // ── Virtual scroll renderer ─────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 452 | // ── Scroll handler (virtual scroll repaint) ─────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 474 | // ── Error navigation ───────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 497 | // ── Option toggles ──────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 513 | // ── Search ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 523 | // ── Level / Channel / Subchannel "All / None" buttons ──────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 567 | // ── Export ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/media/viewer.js | 577 | // ── Message handler (from extension host) ───────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/src/logViewerProvider.ts | 21 | // ── CustomReadonlyEditorProvider ──────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/src/logViewerProvider.ts | 97 | // ── Public: open any log file in a new panel ───────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | tools/WinGetLogViewer/src/logViewerProvider.ts | 166 | // ── HTML builder ───────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | src/AppInstallerCLICore/Commands/DebugCommand.cpp | 403 | // ── LogViewerTestCommand ───────────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM⚡ | src/AppInstallerCLICore/Commands/DebugCommand.cpp | 434 | // ── All five levels on CLI ──────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM⚡ | src/AppInstallerCLICore/Commands/DebugCommand.cpp | 441 | // ── One Info entry on every channel ────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM⚡ | src/AppInstallerCLICore/Commands/DebugCommand.cpp | 451 | // ── Subchannel simulation (sub-component logs routed through CLI) ───── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | src/AppInstallerCLICore/Commands/DebugCommand.cpp | 475 | // ── Follow mode: stream log lines every 3 seconds ──────────────────── | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | src/AppInstallerCLICore/Commands/DebugCommand.cpp | 716 | // ── ValidateStorePinningCommand ────────────────────────────────────────────── | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIGH | …ryCore/Microsoft/Schema/1_0/SearchResultsTable_1_0.cpp | 78 | // Create an insert statement to select values into the table as requested. | COMMENT |
| HIGH | …ryCore/Microsoft/Schema/2_0/SearchResultsTable_2_0.cpp | 80 | // Create an insert statement to select values into the table as requested. | COMMENT |
| HIGH | src/AppInstallerRepositoryCore/Rest/RestClient.cpp | 170 | // Cache the information value as requested | COMMENT |
| HIGH | …et.SharedLib/Resources/GroupPolicyResource.Designer.cs | 3 | // This code was generated by a tool. | COMMENT |
| HIGH | …t.Configuration.Engine/Resources/Resources.Designer.cs | 3 | // This code was generated by a tool. | COMMENT |
| HIGH | ….WinGet.Client.Engine/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs | 3 | // This code was generated by a tool. | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRITICAL | …c/AppInstallerCLIE2ETests/PowerShell/PowerShellHost.cs | 65 | var newModulePath = this.PowerShell.Runspace.SessionStateProxy.PSVariable.GetValue("env:PSModulePath") + $"; | CODE |
| CRITICAL | …c/AppInstallerCLIE2ETests/PowerShell/PowerShellHost.cs | 66 | this.PowerShell.Runspace.SessionStateProxy.PSVariable.Set("env:PSModulePath", newModulePath); | CODE |
| CRITICAL | …nitTests/Tests/ConfigurationProcessorTelemetryTests.cs | 190 | Assert.Equal(testObjects.GetResult.ResultInformation.ResultCode.HResult.ToString(), runEvent.Properties[Tele | CODE |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/RestClient.cpp | 65 | // Update this test to next version so that we don't forget to add to supported versions before rest e2e tests are a | COMMENT |
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/TestHooks.h | 30 | // Don't forget to clear the overrides after use! | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | src/AppInstallerCLICore/Argument.cpp | 338 | // Used for demonstration purposes | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | src/AppInstallerCLICore/ExecutionArgs.h | 197 | // Used for demonstration purposes | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEDIUM | …oryCore/Microsoft/PredefinedInstalledSourceFactory.cpp | 320 | // TODO: To support servicing, the initial implementation of update will simply leverage | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | …sitoryCore/Microsoft/ConfigurableTestSourceFactory.cpp | 30 | // TODO: If this becomes more dynamic, refactor the UserSettings code to make it easier to leverage | COMMENT |
| MEDIUM | …nstallerCLICore/ConfigurationDynamicRuntimeFactory.cpp | 44 | // have this implementation leverage that one with an event handler for the packaged specifics. | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | doc/windows/package-manager/package/repository.md | 31 | ### Step 1: Validate your manifest | COMMENT |
| LOW | doc/windows/package-manager/package/repository.md | 41 | ### Step 2: Clone the repository | COMMENT |
| LOW | doc/windows/package-manager/package/repository.md | 58 | ### Step 3: Add your manifest to the local repository | COMMENT |
| LOW | doc/windows/package-manager/package/repository.md | 72 | ### Step 4: Submit your manifest to the remote repository | COMMENT |
| LOW | doc/windows/package-manager/package/repository.md | 86 | ### Step 5: Create a pull request | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | …stallerRepositoryCore/Public/winget/RepositorySearch.h | 387 | // Example usage: | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | src/AppInstallerCLITests/TestRestRequestHandler.h | 6 | class TestRestRequestHandler : public web::http::http_pipeline_stage | CODE |