Dropstone Docs

Windows (WSL)

Run Dropstone on Windows using WSL for the best experience.

While Dropstone 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 Dropstone's features.

Why WSL?:

WSL offers better file system performance, full terminal support, and compatibility with development tools that Dropstone relies on.

Setup

1

Step 1

Install WSL

If you haven't already, install WSL using the official Microsoft guide.

2

Step 2

Install Dropstone in WSL

Once WSL is set up, open your WSL terminal and install Dropstone using the install script:

curl -fsSL https://dropstone.io/install | bash
3

Step 3

Use Dropstone from WSL

Navigate to your project directory (access Windows files via /mnt/c/, /mnt/d/, etc.) and run Dropstone.

cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/project
dropstone

Web Client + WSL

For the best web experience on Windows:

  1. Run dropstone web in the WSL terminal rather than PowerShell:

    dropstone web --hostname 0.0.0.0

  2. Access from your Windows browser at http://localhost:<port> (Dropstone prints the URL)

Running dropstone 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
dropstone

Tip:

For the smoothest experience, clone or copy your repo into the WSL filesystem (for example under ~/code/) and run Dropstone there. WSL's native filesystem is much faster than /mnt/c/ for large projects.

Tips

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