Developer Experience Briefing — Windows Dev Home and Dev Drive
Microsoft announced Windows Dev Home and Dev Drive on May 23, 2023, providing a WinGet-powered dashboard and a ReFS-based volume optimized for source control and build workloads on Windows 11.
Executive briefing: At Microsoft Build 2023 on , Microsoft introduced Dev Home and Dev Drive for Windows 11. The tools streamline developer onboarding with WinGet configuration profiles and deliver high-performance file systems tuned for git and package caches.
Key capabilities
- Dev Home dashboard. Centralizes machine setup, GitHub project tracking, and system metrics with WinGet configuration automation.
- Dev Drive storage. Provides a ReFS-backed volume with performance mode, copy-on-write caching, and Microsoft Defender exclusions tuned for build directories.
- Dev tunnels. Integrated secure tunnels simplify exposing local services to teammates without custom firewall rules.
- GitHub integration. Native widgets show PRs, issues, and workflows to accelerate Windows-based development.
Implementation guidance
- Adopt WinGet configuration files to codify standard Windows developer workstation baselines.
- Provision Dev Drive volumes for repos exceeding antivirus scanning limits to unlock build performance.
- Document Dev Tunnel usage and auditing to maintain compliance with secure remote access policies.