WinMD API Search

This skill helps you find the right Windows API for any capability and get its full details. It searches a local cache of all WinMD metadata from:

• Windows Platform SDK — all Windows.* WinRT APIs (always available, no restore needed)
• WinAppSDK / WinUI — bundled as a baseline in the cache generator (always available, no restore needed)
• NuGet packages — any additional packages in restored projects that contain .winmd files
• Project-output WinMD — class libraries (C++/WinRT, C#) that produce .winmd as build output

Even on a fresh clone with no restore or build, you still get full Platform SDK + WinAppSDK coverage.

When to Use This Skill

• User wants to build a feature and you need to find which API provides that capability
• User asks "how do I do X?" where X involves a platform feature (camera, files, notifications, sensors, AI, etc.)
• You need the exact methods, properties, events, or enumeration values of a type before writing code
• You're unsure which control, class, or interface to use for a UI or system task

Prerequisites

• .NET SDK 8.0 or later — required to build the cache generator. Install from dotnet.microsoft.com if not available.

Cache Setup (Required Before First Use)

All query and search commands read from a local JSON cache. You must generate the cache before running any queries.

# All projects in the repo (recommended for first run)
.\.github\skills\winmd-api-search\scripts\Update-WinMdCache.ps1

# Single project
.\.github\skills\winmd-api-search\scripts\Update-WinMdCache.ps1 -ProjectDir <project-folder>

No project restore or build is needed for baseline coverage (Platform SDK + WinAppSDK). For additional NuGet packages, the project needs dotnet restore (which generates project.assets.json) or a packages.config file.

Cache is stored at Generated Files\winmd-cache\, deduplicated per-package+version.

What gets indexed

Note: This cache directory should be in .gitignore — it's generated, not source.

How to Use

Pick the path that matches the situation:

Discover — "I don't know which API to use"

The user describes a capability in their own words. You need to find the right API.

0. Ensure the cache exists

If the cache hasn't been generated yet, run Update-WinMdCache.ps1 first — see Cache Setup above.

1. Translate user language → search keywords

Map the user's daily language to programming terms. Try multiple variations:

Start with simple everyday words. If results are weak or irrelevant, try the more technical variation.

2. Run searches

.\.github\skills\winmd-api-search\scripts\Invoke-WinMdQuery.ps1 -Action search -Query "<keyword>"

This returns ranked namespaces with top matching types and the JSON file path.

If results have low scores (below 60) or are irrelevant, fall back to searching online documentation:

1. Use web search to find the right API on Microsoft Learn, for example:
   • site:learn.microsoft.com/uwp/api <capability keywords> for Windows.* APIs
   • site:learn.microsoft.com/windows/windows-app-sdk/api/winrt <capability keywords> for Microsoft.* WinAppSDK APIs
2. Read the documentation pages to identify which type matches the user's requirement.
3. Once you know the type name, come back and use -Action members or -Action enums to get the exact local signatures.

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