# Building WLED Controller for Windows

This guide explains how to build a standalone Windows executable for WLED Controller.

## Prerequisites

- Node.js 20 or higher
- npm

## Build Steps

### 1. Install Dependencies

First, install dependencies for both frontend and backend:

```powershell
# Install backend dependencies
cd backend
npm install

# Install frontend dependencies
cd ../frontend
npm install
```

### 2. Run Database Migrations

Ensure your database is set up:

```powershell
cd backend
npm run prisma:migrate
npm run prisma:generate
```

### 3. Build the Executable

From the backend directory, run:

```powershell
cd backend
npm run package
```

This command will:
1. Build the frontend and copy it to `backend/public`
2. Build the backend TypeScript code to JavaScript
3. Package everything into a single Windows executable

The executable will be created at: `release/wled-controller.exe`

## Running the Executable

### First Time Setup

1. Copy the `wled-controller.exe` file to your desired location
2. In the same directory, create a `prisma` folder
3. Copy the `backend/prisma/dev.db` file (your database) to the same directory as the exe

Your directory structure should look like:
```
your-install-folder/
├── wled-controller.exe
└── prisma/
    └── dev.db
```

### Running

Simply double-click `wled-controller.exe` or run from command line:

```powershell
.\wled-controller.exe
```

The application will start on port 3000 (configurable via PORT environment variable).

Access the web interface at: http://localhost:3000

## Configuration

You can set environment variables before running:

```powershell
# Set custom port
$env:PORT=8080
.\wled-controller.exe

# Set custom database path
$env:DATABASE_URL="file:./custom-path/wled.db"
.\wled-controller.exe
```

## Troubleshooting

### Database Not Found

If you see database errors, ensure:
- The `prisma` folder exists in the same directory as the exe
- The `dev.db` file is in the `prisma` folder
- File permissions allow reading/writing

### Port Already in Use

If port 3000 is already in use, set a different port:

```powershell
$env:PORT=3001
.\wled-controller.exe
```

### Missing Dependencies

The executable includes all Node.js dependencies, but requires:
- Windows 10 or higher (64-bit)
- No additional runtime needed

## Development vs Production

- **Development**: Use `npm run dev` in both frontend and backend directories
- **Production Build**: Use `npm run package` to create the executable

## File Sizes

The packaged executable will be approximately 80-100 MB due to:
- Node.js runtime
- All npm dependencies
- Frontend static files
- Prisma binaries

## Notes

- The executable is self-contained and includes the Node.js runtime
- All frontend files are served from the built-in web server
- Database file can be backed up by copying the `dev.db` file
- Scheduler tasks will run automatically when the executable starts