NuGet (pronounced "New Get") is a package manager, primarily used for packaging and distributing software written using .NET and the .NET Framework. The Outercurve Foundation initially created it under the name NuPack. Since its introduction in 2010, NuGet has evolved into a larger ecosystem of tools and services, including a free and open-source client application, hosted package servers, and software deployment tools.
A NuGet package is a single ZIP file that bears a .nupack or .nupkg filename extension and contains .NET assemblies and their needed files, with a manifest file describing its contents. Developers may create these packages with the NuGet client app and publish them in private or public repositories.
NuGet was initially distributed as a Visual Studio extension. Starting with Visual Studio 2012, both Visual Studio and Visual Studio for Mac can natively utilise NuGet packages. NuGet's client, nuget.exe is a free and open-source, command-line app that can both create and consume packages. MSBuild and .NET Core SDK (dotnet.exe) can use it when it is present. NuGet is also integrated with JetBrains Rider.
What is NuGet?
NuGet is an open-source package managers & updater program for Windows from Microsoft Corporation (developed by Microsoft). It ranks 2nd by popularity among package managers & updaters in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2010. It is written in C#.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 32-bit as Portable. The main installer is 8.7 MB. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 7.9.0, released on August 11, 2026. 49 versions are listed since August 2, 2022, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 12 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 2,577,517 times. The source code on GitHub (NuGet/NuGet.Client) has 822 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 19 of our languages. Similar programs include Chocolatey, uv and Conan Package Manager.
Project description on GitHub: “Client Tools for NuGet - including Visual Studio extensions, command line tools, and msbuild support. (Open issues on https://github.com/nuget/home/issues)”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 12 a year)
- Small download (8.7 MB)
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2010)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- 32-bit only
In short: NuGet is an open-source package managers & updater tool for 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is NuGet safe to download?
- The file is served by dist.nuget.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
992D70CAC5B06C38EFEC91806CABA64CDCC07E6D963A0959DBBBAF264D33B800· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 49 versions ›49 versions over 4 years · about 12 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.9.0Latest | August 11, 2026 | 8.7 MB | 32-bit Portable |
| 7.6.0 | May 12, 2026 | 8.5 MB | 32-bit Portable |
| 7.3.1 | April 14, 2026 | 8.3 MB | 32-bit Portable |
| 7.3.0 | February 10, 2026 | 8.3 MB | 32-bit Portable |
| 7.0.1 | November 25, 2025 | 8.3 MB | 32-bit Portable |
| 7.0.0 | November 11, 2025 | 8.3 MB | 32-bit Portable |
| 6.14.0 | May 13, 2025 | 9.0 MB | 32-bit Portable |
| 6.13.2 | February 24, 2025 | 9.0 MB | 64-bit Portable32-bit Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.NuGet -echoco install NuGet.CommandLine -yscoop install main/nugetProgram files (.exe): nuget.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install nugetInformation
- Publisher
- Microsoft Corporation
- Developer
- Microsoft
- Category
- Package managers & updaters
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/NuGet/NuGet.Client
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 7.9.0
- Released
- August 11, 2026
- First release
- 2010
- Added to the catalogue
- July 25, 2022
- Versions listed
- 49
- Updates / year
- 12.1
- Chocolatey downloads
- 2,577,517
- GitHub stars
- 822
- GitHub forks
- 767
- Website
- nuget.org
- winget ID
- Microsoft.NuGet
- Chocolatey package
- NuGet.CommandLine
- Scoop package
- main/nuget
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to NuGet
See all ›-
Chocolatey2.7.4.0Chocolatey is The Package Manager for Windows. It was designed to be a decentralized framework for quickly installing applications and tools that you need. It is built on the NuGet infrastructure and uses PowerShell as its focus for delivering packages.Open source386.2M ↓ -
Open source183K ↓ -
Conan Package Manager2.33.0An open source, decentralized C/C++ package manager, to automate building and sharing of packages.Open source257.3K ↓ -
Open source78.1K ↓ -
Open source9.8K ↓ -
Open source3.9K ↓ - Open source9.5M ↓
-
Open source15K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is NuGet free?
Yes. NuGet is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is NuGet safe to download?
The download comes from dist.nuget.org, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install NuGet with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does NuGet run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of NuGet?
The versions page lists all 49 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 2, 2022.
Can I use NuGet without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to NuGet?
Chocolatey, uv, Conan Package Manager, UniGetUI (formerly WingetUI) - Pre-Release and topgrade. The alternatives page compares them.
