When to reference the WindowsAppSDK.Runtime package

[benstevens48]

If I'm building a library that depends on WindowsAppSDK.WinUI, should I add a reference to the WindowsAppSDK.Runtime package in the library? The library is packaged as NuGet and declares a dependency on WindowsAppSDK.WinUI (think of Win2D for example). It seems that I should reference WindowsAppSDK.Runtime, otherwise, firstly I get some build warnings about compiling some Bootstrap files twice (can probably be ignored), and secondly the bootstrap should surely be part of the consuming app not the library. Also, the app failed to launch when the library was compiled without referencing WindowsAppSDK.Runtime but launches fine if it did reference it.

[DrusTheAxe]

I think if you're a library you should be disabling all the auto-initializers in your build as you don't control execution context, the process you're loaded into does that.

Your need for WinUI would be a documented prerequisite your caller would need to ensure is setup appropriately in their process before calling into you. Then it's their choice whether they use WinAppSDK/MSIX or WinAppSDK/SelfContained and other details only they can truly define and ensure.

+@Scottj1s would know the definitive answer and link to more detailed docs/guidance on the matter.