Building a Native SDKMAN Tool for Windows using Shims: Learning from the Experience of Scoop and Chocolatey

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SDKMAN is a popular tool that allows developers to easily install, manage, and switch between multiple versions of software development kits (SDKs) on their local machines. While SDKMAN has historically been primarily used on Unix-based systems, there is increasing demand for SDKMAN support on Windows. One approach to bringing SDKMAN to Windows is to build a native SDKMAN tool using shims, similar to the approach used by package managers such as Scoop and Chocolatey.

Here are some tips for building a native SDKMAN tool for Windows using shims:

  1. Use PowerShell as the scripting language: PowerShell is the default shell in Windows and is widely supported on modern versions of Windows. Using PowerShell as the scripting language for your shims will ensure maximum compatibility with Windows.

  2. Use a consistent directory structure: Use a consistent directory structure for your shims to make it easy for users to understand and navigate your tool. For example, you might use a bin directory to store the shims and a lib directory to store the SDKs.

  3. Use Git for version control: Use Git for version control and make your tool available on GitHub. This will allow other developers to easily contribute to your tool and will make it easy for users to install and update the tool using package managers like Scoop and Chocolatey.

  4. Test your shims thoroughly: Test your shims thoroughly on a variety of different Windows environments to ensure maximum compatibility. Make sure to test your shims on different versions of Windows, with different user accounts, and with different SDKs.

  5. Use automatic version detection: Use automatic version detection to make it easy for users to install and switch between different versions of SDKs. This will make your tool more user-friendly and will help prevent version conflicts.

  6. Provide clear documentation: Provide clear and concise documentation for your tool, including installation instructions, usage instructions, and troubleshooting information. This will help users get up and running with your tool quickly and easily.

By following these tips, you can build a native SDKMAN tool for Windows using shims that is user-friendly, easy to install and use, and compatible with a wide range of Windows environments.