WinSW
Runs any program as a Windows service, using a small wrapper and an XML config file.
- Stars
- 14.4k
- Forks
- 1.7k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- C#
- Last update
- 3 months ago
- Type
- Dev tool
What it is
WinSW is a small wrapper executable that lets you run any application as a Windows service, so it starts with the machine and runs in the background without a logged-in user. You describe the program, its arguments, and logging in an XML file placed next to the wrapper. It is MIT licensed, and the README says it is in use by the Jenkins project.
- Run a Jenkins CI server as a Windows service using the sample configuration
- Install, start, stop, and check the status of a wrapped application with simple commands
- Set environment variables and command-line arguments for a wrapped program through the XML file
- Configure log rolling for the wrapped application's output
Great for
- Developers who need to run a server or background program as a Windows service
- Teams deploying Java or other console applications on Windows servers
- People who want a permissively licensed alternative to older service wrappers
Not ideal for
- Users who only need a desktop app to start at login, since a Windows service is a heavier mechanism than that
- Anyone on Linux or macOS, because the project is for Windows
- People who need a GUI; the README describes command-line and XML-based management
How to get it
- 1
Download the app
You'll need: .NET Framework 4.6.1 or later, or the bundled .NET 7 executables for systems without it
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/winsw/winsw - 2
Run it
- Download WinSW.exe or WinSW.zip from GitHub Releases
- Rename the .exe to your taste, such as myapp.exe, and place it beside myapp.xml
- Write myapp.xml following the XML config file specification or the samples
- Run myapp.exe install from an Administrator prompt, then myapp.exe start
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Read the XML config file specification in docs/xml-config-file.md for all available options
- Use the status command to confirm the service is running
- Use the refresh command to update service properties without reinstalling
- Review the logging and error reporting docs for log handling
- Check the extensions documentation if you need to extend behavior
Downloads
Strengths
- MIT licensed, as stated in the README and repository metadata
- Simple setup: one executable plus one XML file, with documented commands
- Provides bundled executables for systems without .NET Framework, per the README
Trade-offs
- The README says WinSW 3.x is in pre-release, while NuGet and Maven packages still correspond to 2.x, so version choice matters
- Most commands require Administrator privileges and will prompt for UAC
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| winsw (this) | 14.4k | Dev tool | intermediate | 3 months ago | Developers who need to run a server or background program as a Windows service |
| Files | 46.4k | App | intermediate | 4 days ago | Windows users who want a more modern alternative to File Explorer |
| Avalonia | 31.7k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | C# developers who already know XAML or WPF |
| spectre.console | 11.7k | Library | beginner | 11 days ago | C# or .NET developers writing command-line tools |
| Terminal.Gui | 11.3k | Library | intermediate | 6 days ago | C# / .NET developers building terminal tools with forms, tables or menus |
| Filee | 20.5k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | People who regularly convert images or documents and want a drag-and-drop workflow |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.