When it comes to application installers, it can be difficult to identify the rightful option. It depends on the nature of the app, how you want to deploy it and the features you need to provide. Here you have a quick list with the difference between msi and exe, the most popular installation systems.
What is EXE?
EXE is quite unique in the application installer world for a multitude of reasons. While exe files can be executables, they can also be a setup file. In general, an exe file will have executable code that the computer can run to complete various tasks, or launch applications.
Also, EXE can be versatile as a format. You can have a mini-program that installs another application. Or it can be a general purpose app that’s running on its own. You can easily install the software you need, or even run the app with a customizable set of instructions. That, combined with the flexibility offered by EXE makes it one of the best installer choices.
EXE doesn’t rely on a certain engine. Instead, it’s self-contained, and it only depends on the tool you use to create the setup. You can also silently install with the EXE format. It’s suitable for smaller applications, and it provides a very simple onboarding process for developers. In addition, you get plenty of customization solutions that help optimize and enhance the installation process for your apps.
What is MSI?
MSI is a popular format designed to help install software on Windows OS. It can perform various operations that relate to installation, along with configuring the software, executing program updates or removing the app from the device. MSI uses the Windows Installer service from Microsoft in order to configure the installer packages, and it also helps you update everything accordingly, when that becomes a necessity.
Just like EXE, MSI can be silently installed, and it has that by default. Another important aspect to note is that MSI can reverse the installation steps in case the installation crashes mid-process. That will help clean up any changes made to the system. It will remove any registry keys and files that were added get removed by default. That becomes a huge necessity in the case of larger files, and it’s something that EXE doesn’t provide. EXE will always run files included within the package, and it can’t be altered on the spot, something that helps improve security.
Conclusion
Both MSI and EXE are very popular formats that have revolutionized the way people install applications on their devices. EXE is a more basic application packaging system, and it can be versatile for a plethora of different use cases. MSI on the other hand is more complex, and it provides great features like reverting the system changes when the installation process is corrupted. As you can see, both EXE and MSI are very dependable, and it’s imperative to learn the pros and cons of each option before you use it.