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deploy-from-windows.md

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Deploy from Windows

You have three options to run Algo on Windows:

  1. PowerShell Script (Recommended) - Automated WSL wrapper for easy use
  2. Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) - Direct Linux environment access
  3. Git Bash/MSYS2 - Unix-like shell environment (limited compatibility)

Option 1: PowerShell Script (Recommended)

The PowerShell script provides the easiest Windows experience by automatically using WSL when needed:

git clone https://github.com/trailofbits/algo
cd algo
.\algo.ps1

How it works:

  • Detects if you're already in WSL and uses the standard Unix approach
  • On native Windows, automatically runs Algo via WSL (since Ansible requires Unix)
  • Provides clear guidance if WSL isn't installed

Requirements:

  • Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) with Ubuntu 22.04
  • If WSL isn't installed, the script will guide you through installation

Option 2: Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

For users who prefer a full Linux environment or need advanced features:

Prerequisites

  • 64-bit Windows 10/11 (Anniversary update or later)

Setup WSL

  1. Install WSL from PowerShell (as Administrator):
wsl --install -d Ubuntu-22.04
  1. After restart, open Ubuntu and create your user account

Install Algo in WSL

cd ~
git clone https://github.com/trailofbits/algo
cd algo
./algo

Important: Don't install Algo in /mnt/c directory due to file permission issues.

WSL Configuration (if needed)

You may encounter permission issues if you clone Algo to a Windows drive (like /mnt/c/). Symptoms include:

  • Git errors: "fatal: could not set 'core.filemode' to 'false'"
  • Ansible errors: "ERROR! Skipping, '/mnt/c/.../ansible.cfg' as it is not safe to use as a configuration file"
  • SSH key errors: "WARNING: UNPROTECTED PRIVATE KEY FILE!" or "Permissions 0777 for key are too open"

If you see these errors, configure WSL:

  1. Edit /etc/wsl.conf to allow metadata:
[automount]
options = "metadata"
  1. Restart WSL completely:
wsl --shutdown
  1. Fix directory permissions for Ansible:
chmod 744 .

Why this happens: Windows filesystems mounted in WSL (/mnt/c/) don't support Unix file permissions by default. Git can't set executable bits, and Ansible refuses to load configs from "world-writable" directories for security.

After deployment, copy configs to Windows:

cp -r configs /mnt/c/Users/$USER/

Option 3: Git Bash/MSYS2

If you have Git for Windows installed, you can use the included Git Bash terminal:

git clone https://github.com/trailofbits/algo
cd algo
./algo

Pros:

  • Uses the standard Unix ./algo script
  • No WSL setup required
  • Familiar Unix-like environment

Cons:

  • Limited compatibility: Ansible may not work properly due to Windows/Unix differences
  • Not officially supported: May encounter unpredictable issues
  • Less robust than WSL or PowerShell options
  • Requires Git for Windows installation

Note: This approach is not recommended due to Ansible's Unix requirements. Use WSL-based options instead.