ExeBundle

Ship one executable. Nothing else.

ExeBundle is a Windows application bundler that packages tools and applications into a single, self-contained executable (.exe) — no installer, no MSI, no external files.

If your application needs more than one file to run, ExeBundle turns it into exactly one executable.

Why ExeBundle Exists

Shipping software on Windows often means one of these compromises:

• installers with complex setup logic
• ZIP archives with “extract everything first” instructions
• missing DLLs, broken paths, or version conflicts
• administrative privileges where none should be required

ExeBundle exists to solve one specific problem:

How do I ship an application as a single executable that just runs?

This makes ExeBundle especially useful for portable Windows tools and self-contained command-line utilities that should run without setup.

What ExeBundle Is (and Is Not)

ExeBundle is:

• a Windows application bundler
• focused on distribution, not installation
• produces single-executable, self-contained applications
• suitable for tools, utilities, and internal applications

ExeBundle is not:

• an installer framework
• a replacement for MSI, MSIX, or setup wizards
• a packaging solution for system-wide deployment

Typical Use Cases

• Shipping internal tools to colleagues
• Delivering utilities to customers
• Providing portable diagnostics or helpers
• DLL bundling for Windows applications
• Script distribution - ship PowerShell/batch scripts as standalone executables
• Running tools in restricted or locked-down environments
• Simplifying CI/CD delivery pipelines
• Shipping portable Windows tools without installers
• Distributing automation scripts without requiring interpreter setup

If you want users to download one file and run it, ExeBundle fits.

Quick Start (30 seconds)

Installation

Direct download: ExeBundle.exe (verify with .sha256)

Package managers:

# Winget
winget install fmuecke.ExeBundle

# Scoop
scoop bucket add fmuecke https://github.com/fmuecke/scoop-bucket
scoop install exebundle

# Chocolatey
choco install exebundle

Create an ExeBundle

Bundle a Windows executable:

ExeBundle.exe -e MyApp.exe -o MyApp-Bundled.exe -a

Bundle a PowerShell script:

ExeBundle.exe -e script.ps1 -o script-bundled.exe --cmdline "powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File {exe}" --files script.ps1

Note: The build command is optional and can be omitted (it's the default).

Result:

• Single executable file
• No installer required
• No external files needed
• Runs on any compatible Windows system
• Scripts execute without separate interpreter installation

For detailed examples on how to bundle PowerShell, batch, and other scripts directly, see Script Bundling Guide.

How It Works (High Level)

1. You define a main executable and additional files
2. ExeBundle packages everything into a single .exe
3. At runtime:
   • files are extracted locally (cache, subdir, or temp)
   • integrity is verified
   • the main executable is launched
   • the files are cleaned up (unless cached)
4. No global installation is performed
5. No system state is modified unless your application does so

What Can Be Bundled

• Windows executables and DLL dependencies
• command-line tools
• scripts (PowerShell, batch, Python) - bundle scripts for direct execution
• configuration files
• assets and resource files like images etc.

Key characteristics:

• single-executable distribution
• self-contained runtime behavior
• predictable unpacking and execution
• optional local caching for repeated runs
• selectable compression strategies

Releases & Documentation

All public releases are published via GitHub Releases and include:

• prebuilt binaries
• checksums
• release notes

Documentation

• CLI-REFERENCE.md - Complete command-line reference with detailed option explanations
• CHANGELOG.md - Version history and breaking changes
• LICENSE-FAQ.md - Common licensing questions

The core source code is developed in a separate private repository.

Licensing

ExeBundle is free for non-commercial use, including:

• private use
• education
• open-source projects
• non-profit organizations
• evaluation and testing

Commercial usage requires a separate license.

See:

• LICENSE.txt
• LICENSE-SUMMARY.md
• LICENSE-FAQ.md

Technology

• Platform: Windows
• Language: C++
• No runtime dependencies
• No kernel drivers
• No executable rewriting at runtime
• Runs entirely in user mode using standard Windows execution semantics

Community & Feedback

• Issues → bugs or concrete problems
• Discussions → questions, ideas, feedback

Real-world usage feedback is explicitly welcome.

Keywords

Windows · single executable · application bundler · portable apps · self-contained · no installer · DLL bundling · command-line tools

Status

ExeBundle is actively developed. Interfaces and behavior may evolve between releases.

Breaking changes are documented explicitly.

© 2016–2025 Florian Mücke