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Windows (WSL)

Run ArmIn on Windows using WSL for the best experience.

While ArmIn can run directly on Windows, we recommend using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) for the best experience. WSL provides a Linux environment that works seamlessly with ArmIn’s features.


Setup

  1. Install WSL

    If you haven’t already, install WSL using the official Microsoft guide.

  2. Install ArmIn in WSL

    Once WSL is set up, open your WSL terminal and install ArmIn using one of the installation methods.

    Terminal window
    curl -fsSL https://armin.com.cn/install | bash
  3. Use ArmIn from WSL

    Navigate to your project directory (access Windows files via /mnt/c/, /mnt/d/, etc.) and run ArmIn.

    Terminal window
    cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/project
    armin

Desktop App + WSL Server

If you prefer using the ArmIn Desktop app but want to run the server in WSL:

  1. Start the server in WSL with --hostname 0.0.0.0 to allow external connections:

    Terminal window
    armin serve --hostname 0.0.0.0 --port 4096
  2. Connect the Desktop app to http://localhost:4096

Terminal window
OPENCODE_SERVER_PASSWORD=your-password armin serve --hostname 0.0.0.0

Web Client + WSL

For the best web experience on Windows:

  1. Run armin web in the WSL terminal rather than PowerShell:

    Terminal window
    armin web --hostname 0.0.0.0
  2. Access from your Windows browser at http://localhost:<port> (ArmIn prints the URL)

Running armin web from WSL ensures proper file system access and terminal integration while still being accessible from your Windows browser.


Accessing Windows Files

WSL can access all your Windows files through the /mnt/ directory:

  • C: drive → /mnt/c/
  • D: drive → /mnt/d/
  • And so on…

Example:

Terminal window
cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Documents/project
armin

Tips

  • Keep ArmIn running in WSL for projects stored on Windows drives - file access is seamless
  • Use VS Code’s WSL extension alongside ArmIn for an integrated development workflow
  • Your ArmIn config and sessions are stored within the WSL environment at ~/.local/share/armin/