katex-memo.ts (added in 112cad59b) imports hast-util-from-html-isomorphic,
hast-util-to-text, remark-math, katex, and unist-util-visit-parents but
those were never added to apps/desktop/package.json. They were silently
resolving via @streamdown/math at the workspace root, which broke the
moment `npm i --prefix apps/desktop` ran with the per-workspace lockfile
because that install only consults apps/desktop/package.json. Add them
as direct deps, plus unified/vfile/@types/hast for the type imports.
Also delete apps/desktop/package-lock.json — root package.json declares
workspaces: ["apps/*"], so npm manages all lockfile state at the root.
The stale per-app lockfile is what made `npm i --prefix apps/desktop`
diverge from the workspace install in the first place and left an empty
apps/desktop/node_modules/@assistant-ui/ stub that Vite's dep optimizer
then tried (and failed) to open at @assistant-ui/core/dist/internal.js.
- chat-messages: match tool rows by overlapping query/context/preview values
so preview-first `tool.progress` rows reliably adopt later stable-id
`tool.start` payloads instead of spawning ghost rows or mis-merging
parallel same-name calls; preserve prior args/result across phases.
- tui_gateway: emit full args + parsed result on `tool.start` / `tool.complete`,
drop redundant `tool.started` re-emit from `tool.progress`.
- electron/main: prefer SOURCE_REPO_ROOT before PATH `hermes` in dev so
local backend edits actually run; split hardening helpers into
`electron/hardening.cjs` with tests.
- thread/tool UI: one-shot enter animation keyed by stable ids, braille
spinner for running rows, Cursor-like disclosure rows, drill-down +
duration/count formatting via new tool-fallback-model.
- composer: extract `text-utils`, drop liquid-glass overrides.
- right-rail: split preview-pane into preview-console / preview-file.
- runtime: incremental external-store runtime + runtime-readiness gate;
onboarding store + tests; route-resume hook test.
- regression tests for live tool reconciliation (parallel tools, id-less
progress, preview-first rows, structured args/results).
The packaged Windows installer now detects Python 3.11+ and Git for Windows
at install time and offers to install missing prereqs via winget. Mirrors
the prereq logic scripts/install.ps1 already runs for CLI installs, so
desktop installer users get the same out-of-the-box experience as
install.ps1 users.
Why
- Hermes' terminal tool calls bash.exe directly (tools/environments/
local.py); on Windows that's Git Bash from Git for Windows. Without it,
the agent fails on the first terminal() call.
- Hermes' Python runtime needs 3.11+. Without it, the desktop bootstrapper
errors out at venv creation.
- Both gaps surfaced on a fresh Windows 11 VM smoke test: VM had Python
pre-installed but no Git, so the agent's first terminal call failed
with "Git Bash isn't installed."
- install.ps1 has had Install-Git + Install-Uv functions for ages. The
desktop installer was the asymmetric outlier.
How — NSIS prereq page
- New file: apps/desktop/installer/prereq-check.nsh (plugged into
electron-builder via build.nsis.include)
- Real Wizard page using nsDialogs, inserted via customPageAfterChangeDir
hook (between the Directory page and InstFiles).
- Group boxes for Python and Git, each showing detection status.
- Pre-checked install checkboxes when winget is available.
- Auto-skips silently if both prereqs are already installed.
- Falls back to manual download URLs when winget itself is missing.
- Detection:
- Python: probes `py -3.11`/`-3.12`/`-3.13`/`-3.14` via the Python
launcher. Microsoft Store "Python stub" (no py.exe) is correctly
classified as not-installed.
- Git: `where git`.
- winget: `where winget` (Win10 1809+ / Win11 with App Installer).
- Install execution (in customInstall macro):
- Python: nsExec::ExecToLog with `--scope user --silent`. Per-user
install, no UAC prompt, output streams to install log.
- Git: ExecShellWait via Windows ShellExecute. Critical because Git
always installs per-machine and triggers UAC; ShellExecute preserves
the foreground focus chain across non-elevated → elevated process
spawns, so UAC actually comes to the foreground. nsExec::ExecToLog
breaks the chain because winget runs hidden.
- Both pass `--disable-interactivity --accept-package-agreements
--accept-source-agreements` to suppress winget's own dialogs.
- Verification: probes Git's standard install locations via FileExists
rather than `where git`. NSIS's process inherits PATH at startup, so
a freshly-installed Git won't be visible to `where` until restart.
- Silent installs (/S) skip the prompts; managed deploys handle prereqs
out-of-band via Group Policy / Intune.
How — Electron-side safety net
- New findGitBash() in main.cjs, parallel to findSystemPython(). Probes
the same locations as tools/environments/local.py:_find_bash() so a
positive result here means the agent's terminal tool will work.
- ensureRuntime now throws a clear, actionable error on Windows when Git
Bash isn't found, matching the existing "Python 3.11+ is required"
error path.
- Catches users the NSIS page doesn't: .msi installer users (NSIS prereq
page doesn't run for MSI), `npm run dev` users, manual installers,
anyone who unchecked the install boxes on the NSIS prereq page.
- All gated on `IS_WINDOWS`; macOS / Linux unaffected.
NSIS build issue (resolved)
- electron-builder defaults to `-WX` (warnings as errors). NSIS optimizer
emits "warning 6010: function not referenced" for our page functions
because Page custom directives don't count as references in its
static-analysis pass. The functions ARE called at runtime when NSIS
invokes the page; the optimizer just can't see it statically.
- Set `build.nsis.warningsAsErrors=false` in package.json so this
spurious warning doesn't fail the build. (Documented option from
electron-builder's nsisOptions.)
Out of scope (filed for future work)
- MSI prereq detection: Windows Installer custom actions are a different
mechanism. Enterprise deploys typically handle prereqs via GP/Intune.
- Bundle PortableGit + python-build-standalone in extraResources for
zero-network installs. ~80MB increase.
- Mac / Linux GUI prereq flows (different installer formats; Xcode CLT
covers most macOS prereqs already; Linux is per-distro hard).
Files
- apps/desktop/installer/prereq-check.nsh (new, ~290 lines NSIS)
- apps/desktop/package.json (build.nsis.include +
warningsAsErrors)
- apps/desktop/electron/main.cjs (findGitBash + preflight)
- apps/desktop/README.md (Runtime prerequisites
section)
Cross-platform impact
- macOS / Linux builds (dist:mac, dist:mac:dmg, dist:mac:zip): nsis
config is ignored entirely; .nsh is dormant.
- npm run dev: .nsh dormant; main.cjs preflight gated on IS_WINDOWS.
- scripts/install.ps1, scripts/install.sh: no reference to any new
files; CLI install paths untouched.
- Hermes CLI / dashboard / gateway: no reference; runtime untouched.
- All checks: node --check on main.cjs and test-desktop.mjs pass;
npm run test:desktop:platforms 4/4 passing; node --test green.
Tested
- npm run dist:win produces signed .exe and .msi without errors.
- Fresh Win11 VM (Python pre-installed, no Git): prereq page renders,
Python check shows detected, Git checkbox pre-checked. Click Next →
Git installs via winget with UAC prompt in foreground.
- After install completes, Hermes launches and the agent's terminal
tool can run bash commands. Verified Git Bash is detected at
`C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe` by ensureRuntime's preflight.
Introduce the Electron desktop app with a split app/chat/settings structure and shared nanostore state so UI areas own their state instead of routing it through the root.
Brooklyn Nicholson