Windows (WSL)

Run FrownCode on Windows using WSL for the best experience.

While FrownCode 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 FrownCode’s features.

Setup

Install WSL

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

Once WSL is set up, open your WSL terminal and install FrownCode using one of the installation methods.
Terminal window
```
npm install -g frowncode-ai
```
Use FrownCode from WSL

Navigate to your project directory (access Windows files via /mnt/c/, /mnt/d/, etc.) and run FrownCode.
Terminal window
```
cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/project
frowncode
```

Desktop App + WSL Server

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

Start the server in WSL with --hostname 0.0.0.0 to allow external connections:
Terminal window
```
frown serve --hostname 0.0.0.0 --port 4096
```
Connect the Desktop app to http://localhost:4096

FROWNCODE_SERVER_PASSWORD=your-password frown serve --hostname 0.0.0.0

Web Client + WSL

For the best web experience on Windows:

Run frown web in the WSL terminal rather than PowerShell:
Terminal window
```
frown web --hostname 0.0.0.0
```
Access from your Windows browser at http://localhost:<port> (FrownCode prints the URL)

Running frown 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:

cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Documents/project
frowncode

Tips

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