Windows Installer -
For managing built-in (like Hyper-V or WSL) rather than application features, administrators typically use tools like DISM or PowerShell cmdlets like Install-WindowsFeature . Windows Installer Features - Win32 apps - Microsoft Learn
: Features can have a parent-child relationship. If a child feature is selected for installation, its parent feature is automatically included. Windows Installer
: Installing certain features only if specific launch conditions (like a specific OS version) are met. For managing built-in (like Hyper-V or WSL) rather
In the context of the , a feature is a specific part of an application's total functionality that a user can recognize and choose to install independently. For example, in a productivity suite, a feature might be a spell-checker, a thesaurus, or a collection of clip art. Key Characteristics of Windows Installer Features : Installing certain features only if specific launch
When authoring an installation package , developers define features in the Feature Table of the MSI database. This allows for:
: Developers can author packages that allow features to be "advertised" but not fully installed until the user attempts to use them for the first time. Common Use Cases for Developers