version specific feature

Relevant area(s)

• WinGet CLI

Description of the new feature / enhancement

winget install --version <version> currently requires an exact version match. This request is to support semantic-version-style selection, so a user can install the latest version within a range without knowing the exact build.

Examples:

• winget install node --version 12 → install the latest 12.x.y (latest minor + patch within major 12)
• winget install node --version 12.16 → install the latest 12.16.x (latest patch within 12.16)

Full exact versions already work today (e.g. --version 12.16.3).

Proposed technical implementation details

• Interpret a partial version as a range and resolve to the highest available version matching the specified prefix.
• Define behavior when no version matches the prefix, and how this interacts with pinning and upgrade.
• WinGet already supports wildcard/gated versions for pinning; a similar matching approach could apply to install/upgrade version selection.

Alternative syntax under consideration

In addition to the --version flag, an inline separator syntax has been proposed (originally by @lietu in #406) so a version can travel with the package identifier in a list — familiar from Chocolatey/Scoop workflows:

• winget install "Node.js@12.16.3" (or a variant such as ==)

This is a syntax variation of the same underlying capability and is being considered alongside the semantic-version-part selection above. Consolidating it here so the idea isn't lost.

Out of scope

• Commit-hash selection (e.g. --version <sha>) — WinGet doesn't have this kind of source data.
• Branch / tag / channel selection (e.g. --version experimental) — tracked separately as release channels in #147.

Notes

• Possibly related: #120, #163, #216, #406.

Updated with GitHub Copilot.

No files or tests are named. Start by tracing WinGet CLI handling of --version and the existing wildcard or gated version matching used for pinning. Define the highest-prefix match, no-match behavior, and interactions with pinning and upgrade, then validate the install examples and any separator syntax.