Winmd API Search

# 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](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download) 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.**

```powershell
# 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

| Source | When available |
|--------|----------------|
| Windows Platform SDK | Always (reads from local SDK install) |
| WinAppSDK (latest) | Always (bundled as baseline in cache generator) |
| WinAppSDK Runtime | When installed on the system (detected via `Get-AppxPackage`) |
| Project NuGet packages | After `dotnet restore` or with `packages.config` |
| Project-output `.winmd` | After project build (class libraries that produce WinMD) |

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