Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.MSIX: Clarification needed on support and roadmap for non-UWP projects

[riverar]

Following up on #5060, which asked foundational questions about Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.MSIX that remain largely unanswered in any official documentation.

We're now hearing informally that the intention is for this package to support all project types: console, WPF, WinForms, etc., not just WinUI/UWP. Specifically, the following was shared by @Sergio0694:

Our intention is to support this for all scenarios (console, WPF, WinForms, etc). We have tests and samples with those scenarios too, and they should work.

This is encouraging, but the problem is: none of this is documented anywhere. There is no official guidance, no migration path, and no public statement of intent for developers currently relying on .wapproj (Windows Application Packaging Project) for non-UWP scenarios. This creates a real problem: developers can't plan or adopt this package in good conscience based on Discord messages alone.

Specifically, we need clarification on:

1. Is Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.MSIX officially intended as a replacement for .wapproj in non-UWP scenarios (WPF, WinForms, console apps)? Or is it complementary/optional?

2. What is the migration story? For projects currently using a Windows Application Packaging Project, what does moving to this NuGet look like? Is there a guide, or is one planned?

3. Feature parity questions--does this package support:

   • Packaging for CI/CD pipelines without Visual Studio? (There seems to be a reliance on UAP workload?)
   • Publish profiles?
   • Generating a .msixbundle?
   • Entitlements / capabilities configuration (currently in Package.appxmanifest within .wapproj)?

4. Who owns this package and where should issues be filed? This repo, a separate repo, or somewhere else?

5. Where are the docs? Neither docs.microsoft.com nor the NuGet page contains any meaningful usage documentation. If docs are in progress, is there a public tracking issue?

6. Can we legally use this NuGet? As mentioned in What is Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools.MSIX? #5060, the license currently contains errors making its licensing status ambiguous.

       i.  **Windows App Requirements.** If you intend to make your
         program available in the Windows Store, the program must
         comply with the Certification Requirements as defined and
         described in the App Developer Agreement, currently
        available at: .
   

[0x5bfa]

I think we should ping you @snigdha011997

[DrusTheAxe]

+@RDMacLachlan