Did Microsoft Copy Open‑Source Tools? The WinGet vs AppGet Controversy Explained

Recently, the author Keivan Beigi, creator of the open‑source Windows package manager AppGet, accused Microsoft of copying his project for the new WinGet tool released at Build 2020.

Microsoft initially contacted Keivan in July, expressed interest, and offered a position, gaining insight into AppGet’s design. After a series of meetings, the collaboration stalled, and months later Microsoft announced WinGet, whose code and manifest format closely resemble AppGet’s.

Keivan publicly announced the “death” of AppGet, noting that WinGet’s core mechanisms, terminology, and repository structure mirror his work, while Microsoft’s announcement only briefly mentioned AppGet among other managers.

Microsoft later acknowledged AppGet’s contributions, citing benefits such as script‑free installation, rich manifest definitions, support for all Windows installer types, and seamless repository updates.

The article also recounts a similar incident where Microsoft’s “Rush” project appeared to copy the Lerna multi‑package manager, with identical file structures and commit histories, raising further concerns about code plagiarism.

Legal commentary explains that open‑source licenses (e.g., MIT, Apache 2.0) require attribution and preservation of copyright notices; violating these terms constitutes a breach of the license, which is especially problematic for large corporations facing individual developers.

Overall, the piece highlights the challenges individual open‑source contributors face when defending their rights against powerful companies and stresses the importance of understanding and respecting open‑source licenses.