Installation and versions

See versions, changes and requirements in Framework 4.0 and CLI 1.2.

Using the npm distribution

npm install -g @wu-framework/cli@1.2.0
wu --version
wu --help

The package exposes the wu command through bin/wu.js and declares Node >=20. The launcher does not compile Zig during installation: it looks for a binary already packaged for the platform. Application dependencies are installed afterward, inside a project, using wu install.

For a temporary package invocation, use npm’s executor:

npx @wu-framework/cli@1.2.0 --version

This invocation still requires Node/npm and may query the registry. It is not equivalent to executing the binary directly.

Platforms selected by the launcher

The release publishes six packages: the launcher and five optional @wu-framework/cli-<os>-<cpu> packages, pinned exactly to 1.2.0. npm selects the platform; Windows ARM64 uses the x64 binary. The launcher verifies the version and SHA-256 against bin/SHA256SUMS. This release also keeps all five binaries inside the root package as a fallback.

On Unix, if the system rejects the binary with EACCES, the launcher attempts to fix the executable permission and retries once. On Windows, its internal npm invocations run npm.cmd through the system interpreter.

Linux binaries are static musl builds and also run on Alpine. The release uses ReleaseSafe and exactly Zig 0.16.0. If optional packages are missing, reinstall with npm install -g @wu-framework/cli@1.2.0 --include=optional; wu update already adds that option. An unsupported combination, wrong package version or mismatched checksum ends with a diagnostic and exit code 1.

Updating

wu update

The launcher queries @wu-framework/cli@latest, validates the returned version, and compares SemVer. If it is higher, it globally installs that exact version. If npm cannot be queried or installation fails, it returns 1. It does not change framework dependencies inside projects.

The passive update notice uses a 24-hour cache, including failed queries. wu update queries again without waiting for that cache. WU_DISABLE_UPDATE_CHECK=1 or an environment with CI skips the passive notice; neither disables an explicitly requested update.

$env:WU_DISABLE_UPDATE_CHECK = '1'
wu --version

Running wu.exe update directly prints that updating belongs to the launcher and exits with 1. Use the npm-installed command to update.

Updating the CLI does not change the project: continue with wu upgrade --dry-run, review the Framework 4 migration, apply with wu upgrade --yes and run wu install. Dependencies and migration explains pins, backups, codemods and CI exit codes.

Building from source

build.zig.zon requires at least Zig 0.16.0. The Zig package declares no external dependencies and builds an executable linked with libc.

zig build -Doptimize=ReleaseSafe
zig build test --summary all
zig build run -- --version
npm test

The run step forwards arguments after --. npm test checks invariants and Node tests for the launcher/compiler; this is a different suite from Zig test blocks. Compiling does not replace browser tests on a generated application.

For maintainers: npm run build:binaries generates the five platforms and their checksums. node scripts/publish.mjs runs checks and simulates publishing all six packages; only --yes publishes. It requires a clean tree, matching versions and valid binaries, and publishes platform packages before the launcher. Direct npm publish is rejected. This procedure distributes the CLI; it does not deploy an app.

Installation diagnostics

Implementation references

• wu-cli/package.json
• wu-cli/bin/wu.js
• wu-cli/scripts/build-all.mjs
• wu-cli/scripts/publish.mjs
• wu-cli/scripts/test-package.mjs
• wu-cli/tests/bin-wu.test.cjs