Getting Started Overview

PackagingTools is organized around one shared project model that can be executed from three entry points:

Desktop app for interactive onboarding, environment validation, and editing packaging metadata.
CLI for scripted local runs and CI/CD automation.
SDK for embedding packaging orchestration inside custom services or build systems.

Recommended path

Start with Installation and Onboarding to install the .NET SDK and native platform toolchains.
Read Project Configuration to understand the portable JSON schema and provider-specific properties.
Use CLI Quickstart for the first end-to-end packaging run.
If your team prefers a guided workflow, use the Desktop Project Wizard to create and refine the same configuration interactively.

What the repository gives you

Shared orchestration through PackagingTools.Core
Platform engines for Windows, macOS, and Linux
Plugin contracts for extending formats, signing, telemetry, and policy
GitHub Actions workflows for validation, release publishing, and docs deployment
Generated .NET API documentation for the reusable packages

Next reading