SETUP_CHECKLIST - mark-ik/graphshell GitHub Wiki

Getting Graphshell Running on Windows 11 - Checklist

Phase 1: Install Prerequisites (Do Once)

Visual Studio 2022 Build Tools

  • Download from https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/
  • Run installer
  • Select "Desktop development with C++"
  • Select C++ v143 or later
  • Install Windows 11 SDK
  • Install CMake tools
  • Complete installation (~2 hours)
  • Verify: cl.exe works in terminal (C++ compiler)

Python 3.8+

  • Download from https://www.python.org/downloads/
  • Run installer
  • CHECK: "Add Python to PATH"
  • Click "Install Now"
  • Complete installation (~5 minutes)
  • Verify: python --version in terminal

Perl

Git

  • Download from https://git-scm.com/download/win
  • Run installer
  • Use default settings
  • Ensure "Git from command line" selected
  • Complete installation (~5 minutes)
  • Verify: git --version in terminal

Rust

  • Download from https://rustup.rs/
  • Run installer
  • Accept default settings
  • Complete installation (~5 minutes)
  • Verify: rustc --version in terminal
  • Rust should show 1.86.0 (auto-detected from graphshell)

MozillaBuild (CRITICAL FOR GRAPHSHELL)

  • Download from https://wiki.mozilla.org/MozillaBuild
  • Run installer
  • IMPORTANT: Install to C:\mozilla-build (default location, must not have spaces)
  • DO NOT choose custom path
  • Complete installation (~10 minutes)
  • Verify: File C:\mozilla-build\start-shell.bat exists

Total setup time: ~3–4 hours (mostly waiting for Visual Studio to download)

Phase 2: Build Graphshell

Clone Repository

  • Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
  • Choose build location (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Projects)
  • Run: git clone https://github.com/markik/graphshell
  • Navigate: cd graphshell

Build in MozillaBuild Terminal

  • CRITICAL: Open MozillaBuild Terminal: Run C:\mozilla-build\start-shell.bat
  • NOT regular Command Prompt or PowerShell
  • Navigate: cd /c/Users/YourName/Projects/graphshell
  • Run: cargo build --release
  • Wait 15–20 minutes (first build compiles entire Servo)
  • Watch for: "Finished release" message at end
  • Verify: target/release/graphshell.exe exists

Build time: 15–20 minutes (first time), 2–5 minutes (subsequent)

Phase 3: Test Graphshell

Launch Graphshell

  • Still in MozillaBuild Terminal
  • Run: ./target/release/graphshell.exe
  • Window should appear with address bar

Basic Tests

  • Window opens without crash ✅
  • Can see address bar ✅
  • Can type URL (e.g., https://example.com) ✅
  • Press Enter → page loads ✅
  • Can see rendered webpage ✅
  • Can open new tab ✅
  • Can close tabs ✅
  • Can click links on webpage ✅
  • Can close application with X button ✅

If Tests Pass

If Tests Fail

Phase 4: Future Development

Once Graphshell runs successfully:

Option A: Contribute to Graph Canvas

Option B: Fix Bugs / Add Features

  • Run: cargo build (debug, faster compile)
  • Make changes to src/
  • Re-run: cargo build
  • Test changes
  • Commit to git

Option C: Explore Codebase

  • Read README.md architecture section
  • Explore src/graphshell.rs (main logic)
  • Explore src/compositor.rs (rendering)
  • Explore src/webview/ (webpage embedding)

Helpful Documents

Troubleshooting Quick Links

Error Solution
"MozTools not found" Use MozillaBuild Terminal (start-shell.bat), not CMD
"Python not found" Install Python, add to PATH, restart terminal
"Build hangs >30 min" Normal for first build; check disk space (20GB free)
"Link error" Install Visual Studio 2022 Build Tools (C++)
"Permission denied" Run Command Prompt as Administrator for Git/Python install

Full guide: WINDOWS_BUILD.md#troubleshooting

Success Criteria

✅ You can run: ./target/release/graphshell.exe
✅ Window appears with address bar
✅ Can navigate to websites
✅ Can open/close tabs
✅ Application is stable (no crashes)

If all above are true → You have a working Graphshell browser!

Estimated total time: 4–5 hours (mostly waiting for prerequisites to download/install)

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