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Install on Windows

The installer or the portable zip, SmartScreen, checking the download, updates, where your data lives, and building from source.

2 min read

#Download and run the installer

Download openFTTH-Setup-0.1.0.exe from the latest release and run it. It installs for your Windows user only, with no administrator rights, adds openFTTH to the Start menu and puts an uninstaller in Settings → Apps. It brings its own Node and Python, so nothing else is needed.

#Or use the portable zip

Download openFTTH-0.1.0-windows-x64.zip, unzip it anywhere and run openFTTH\openftth.exe. It carries the same Node and Python and needs no install.

#Check the download

Each release publishes a .sha256 file next to the installer and the zip. Check the download against it before you run it.

#SmartScreen warning

The installer is not code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may warn "unknown publisher". Choose More info → Run anyway. Checking the .sha256 file first is how you know the file is the one that was published.

#Where your data lives

Projects, settings and logs live in %USERPROFILE%\.openftth. They survive upgrades and uninstalls: the uninstaller asks before deleting this folder. Each project is a local git history of versions. Files you import are read where they are; openFTTH reads only the files you choose.

Keys for OpenRouter or an OpenAI-compatible API are stored in Windows Credential Manager, encrypted for your Windows account, never in a file. A key can also come from an environment variable (OPENROUTER_API_KEY). The Claude and Codex CLIs use their own sign-in, outside openFTTH.

#Bring your own AI, or none

Design automatically needs no AI, account or key. For the crew, pick an engine in the composer's engine menu: the Claude CLI or Codex CLI (your own subscription), an OpenAI-compatible API or OpenRouter (your own key), or a local model through Ollama (free). The engine menu says what each option costs.

#Updates

openFTTH checks GitHub for a newer version when it starts and offers the download; turn it off in Settings → Updates. Security fixes go into the newest release only.

#Build the installer yourself

You need Rust, Node 24 + pnpm, uv and Inno Setup 6, all free. Then:

tools\package-windows.ps1 -Installer

#Run from a checkout

With Node.js 23.6 or newer, Rust and uv installed, this builds the app and adds openFTTH to the Start menu and the desktop:

.\tools\install-desktop.ps1

The app starts its own harness and design engine when opened. install-desktop.ps1 -Uninstall removes the shortcuts.

#Engine only

The design engine also runs headless from the command line:

cd engine
uv sync
uv run openftth-engine design --area ../fixtures/gent/area.geojson --osm ../fixtures/gent/gent.osm --rulebook ../rulebooks/belgium.yaml --out ../runs/gent