🪟Building on Windows

Notes:

• The following steps are verified on

  • Windows 10 X86_64

  • Windows 10 arm64

  • Windows 11 X86_64

  • Windows 11 arm64

• Both Windows cmd and powershell can be used for running commands.

• If you encounter any issues, please have a look at Troubleshooting first. If your issue is not included in the page, please create an issue or ask on Discord.\

If you prefer a video tutorial click here:

video tutorial for building on windows

Step 1: Get the source code

You should fork the code instead if you wish to submit patches. You'll find information on that in Setting Up Your Repositories

git clone https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/appflowy.git

Step 2: Install your build environment

• Install Visual Studio 2022 build tools. Download from https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/

  • In section "All Downloads" => "Tools for Visual Studio 2022" => "Build Tools for Visual Studio 2022".

  • Launch vs_BuildTools.exe to install.

    • Choose "Desktop Development with C++"

• Install vcpkg according to this page. Make sure to add vcpkg installation folder to your PATH environment variable.
• Install flutter according to this page.
• Make sure to use the Flutter 3.27.4 version

flutter --version
Flutter 3.27.4 • channel stable • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
Framework • revision d8a9f9a52e (4 weeks ago) • 2025-01-31 16:07:18 -0500
Engine • revision 82bd5b7209
Tools • Dart 3.6.2 • DevTools 2.40.3

• Enable the specified platform first if you don't enable it before and then select the desktop device.

flutter config --enable-windows-desktop

• Fix any problems reported by flutter doctor

flutter doctor

• Install LLVM

  • Based on your platform, install the LLVM using the LLVM-16.0.0-win64(32). Additionally, make sure to add it to the system path.

  

  install_llvm
• Install rust

  • Download rustup.exe from https://win.rustup.rs/x86_64
  • Call rustup.exe from powershell or cmd

.\rustup-init.exe --default-toolchain stable --default-host x86_64-pc-windows-msvc -y

It is a good idea to check your rustc version after this step, and compare it to the current supported one in AppFlowy. Run the command:

rustup --version

Look for rustc 1.80.1 - You can find the supported version here.

In case you need to checkout/downgrade your version, you can replace the version number in this command:

rustup default 1.80.1

• Install cargo make

You probably need to re-open your terminal to get the cargo command in your PATH

cd AppFlowy/frontend

cargo install --force cargo-make

• Install duckscript

cargo install --force duckscript_cli

• Add Powershell to the PATH

Add C:\Windows\System32 to the PATH to prevent Powershell build commands crashing.

• Install openssl

  • Download openssl_1.1.1n_win32_complete.zip from https://sockettools.com/kb/openssl-installation-packages-windows/
  • Run installer and install Openssl where you want

  • Add bin folder to the PATH (ie: G:\Compilation\OpenSSL\bin)

  • Create a new User variable (using the same window as the PATH editor): Name it OPENSSL_DIR with same value as bin folder (ie G:\Compilation\OpenSSL\bin)

Note: In cse the OpenSSL link resolves to a dead download, you can install OpenSSL from this alternative source. (From https://slproweb.com/)

• Install perl

  • Download Perl for Windows (called Strawberry perl) from https://strawberryperl.com/ (choose x64 installer)
  • Run installer

  • Check Perl is installed with following command

perl --version

• Install Dart extension for Visual Studio Code

• Enable the Dart protoc_plugin

dart pub global activate protoc_plugin 21.1.2

• For Windows 11: Activate Developer Mode

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > switch ON Developer Mode

Step 3: Edit and run the application

[VS Code]

1. Open the frontend folder located at xx/AppFlowy/frontend with VS Code.

2. Go to the Run and Debug tab and then click AF-desktop: Clean + Rebuild All for the first time running.

img.png

If you encounter any issues, have a look at Troubleshooting first. If your issue is not included in the page, please create an issue or ask on Discord.

Building in release mode

1. Go to the AppFlowy/frontend/ directory.

2. Run the following command to create the binary.

cargo make --profile production-windows-x86 appflowy

The scripts are located in the AppFlowy/frontend/Makefile.toml file.

The resulting binary file is located in AppFlowy/frontend/appflowy/product/x.x.x/Windows/Release/AppFlowy/.

If using a virtual machine

• Run Linux GUI application through x11 on windows (use MobaXterm) for instance:

export DISPLAY=localhost:10