Forum Discussion
How to get started today
Amit,
When looking to move your existing apps forward to MSIX, I'd recommend starting with the tooling vendor creating your packages today (if you have one). For example, if you're using the WiX Toolset to create your installation packages, we at FireGiant have created an extension to create .appx packages (and soon MSIX packages when Windows provides full support for MSIX) along with your .msi packages. I expect all the other major packaging vendors will support MSIX as well. If you don't have a vendor already, there are several to choose from (I think this presentation showed them: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/events/build/content/msix-inside-and-out-pptx).
As to your second question, MSIX will allow you deploy directly via SCCM. You can use the Windows Store for Business but it is not a requirement. MSIX deployment is much more like MSI in that way.
Hope that helps.
Also, as I understand it, it is an important design goal that MSIX not have CustomActions.
If you want/need CustomActions during installation (vs application start), use the Windows Installer.
Not sure how application vendors/products will perform any customization via installers when it runs without taking into consideration machine dynamics.
Especially in the LIVE environment when product customers have different and unique desktop/server environments.
Having said that, I'd Love to see applications working without any prior customization required before deployment. Unfortunately, this is something needs to be addressed from the application development side.
And lastly, as we know there are tons of application development tools and technologies available. It would be really nice to see if developers are able to use tools which can deliver the end product to the computers without requiring customization.