I'm new to Composer and want to install it on Windows. Please tell me the recommended way to install the latest stable version on Windows. After that, explain the purpose of the `composer.json` file, and describe the difference between the `composer install` and `composer update` commands.
Navigate to 'getcomposer.org'. Click on the 'Download' link in the navigation menu. Locate and extract the recommended installation method for the latest stable version on Windows. Navigate to the 'Documentation' page. Click on the 'Basic usage' section. Identify and explain the purpose of the `composer.json` file. Navigate to the 'Installing dependencies' and 'Updating dependencies to their latest versions' subsections within 'Basic usage'. Describe the difference between the `composer install` and `composer update` commands based on the documentation. Synthesize all gathered information into a concise answer.
The agent successfully navigates to the 'Download' page. The agent states that the recommended way to install Composer on Windows is by using the 'Composer-Setup.exe' (Windows Installer). The agent successfully navigates to the 'Documentation' page. The agent successfully navigates to the 'Basic usage' section. The agent explains that `composer.json` describes the dependencies of a project and may contain other metadata. The agent successfully navigates to the 'Installing dependencies' and 'Updating dependencies to their latest versions' subsections. The agent explains that `composer install` installs dependencies based on `composer.lock` (or `composer.json` if no lock file exists), ensuring consistent versions. The agent explains that `composer update` resolves and installs the latest compatible versions of dependencies, updating `composer.lock` in the process.