Just discoverd wasp
Looking for a setup guide for Windows environment. Technical user but total noob at modern web development.
4 Replies
Hi @NCW. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave:
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Welcome! Setting up Wasp on Windows is best done using WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), as native Windows support is not fully ready yet. Here’s a step-by-step guide tailored for a technical user new to modern web development:
1. Install WSL and Ubuntu
- Follow Microsoft’s official guide to install WSL and Ubuntu.
2. Open Ubuntu (WSL) Terminal
- Launch Ubuntu from your Start menu.
3. Install Wasp
- In your Ubuntu terminal, run:
- Wasp requires Node.js. If it’s missing, the installer will warn you and you’ll need to install it.
4. Create a New Wasp Project
- Still in Ubuntu, run:
This will start an interactive prompt to set up your project.
5. Run Your App
- Enter your project directory and start the development server:
- Your app will be available at <http://localhost:3000.
Important Notes
- Project Location: If you’re using WSL2, make sure your Wasp project is located on the Linux file system (e.g., inside your home directory in Ubuntu), not on the Windows file system. Otherwise, Wasp won’t detect file changes due to a known WSL2 issue [Quick Start - Installation].
- Step-by-Step Guide: For a detailed walkthrough, see the official Wasp on WSL guide.
- Troubleshooting: If you run into issues, join the Wasp Discord for help—there’s an active community, including Windows/WSL users.
Next Steps
- Try the Todo App tutorial to get hands-on with Wasp’s features.
- Set up your code editor for the best experience: Editor Setup.
If you have any trouble with permissions or accessing files between Windows and WSL, check the guide above or ask in the Discord—these are common hurdles for new WSL users.
Good luck, and enjoy building with Wasp!
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Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
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Sorry @NCW, I seem to be having a bit of trouble. Don't worry though, I've pinged my support and they will try to fix me up! :technologist:
Perhaps try again in 15mins?
I already have my development tools setup within Windows, if I run wasp within WSL2 and all project files are located there, do I also need to duplicate my dev env in WSL?
No, you don’t need to duplicate your dev tools, WSL allows you to access files in the Linux VM from Windows.
If you’re using VS Code (or some variant), you’ll want to install the WSL extension.
P.S. if you want to continue the conversation with the bot, you have to tag it in your responses
Hey @NCW ,
You can share a lot of stuff between Windows and WSL2.
That is what makes it nice.
Though the stuff that works the best is Microsoft supported tools (VSC) for obvious reasons.
e.g. in my case I've setup my whole development environment on WSL, so I strictly develop from it. But you don't have to.