Discussion on Docker Compose and Windows Support for the Nibiru Blockchain Binary and

[Unique-Divine]

[2024-08-07] Windows Support Discussion for Nibiru Blockchain Binary

ticket automatically generated from a Slack discussion using Claude AI

From recent discussion about adding Windows support for building the Nibiru blockchain binary (built in Go with optional C dependencies use -tag). The conversation explored the necessity and implications of Windows support, considering that most of the team uses Unix-based systems.

Discussion and Context

• Windows support was initially requested by Kevin but put on hold until a clear need was established.
• The PR in question: "build: add support for windows builds #1945"

Potential Use Cases for Windows Support

1. Developers working on the Nibiru project (nibid)
2. Business people needing to use local multisig functionality

Challenges with Windows Support

• Adds complexity to the build makefile
• Requires additional tools (MinGW, Make) that business users might struggle to install

Alternative Solutions Discussed

1. Encouraging the use of Docker instead of building on Windows
2. Using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) with Ubuntu for edge cases
3. Potentially releasing Windows binaries, but only for CLI use, not for running nodes

Decisions and Next Steps

• [ ] 1. Close the PR for Windows support
• [ ] 2. Focus on improving Docker compose user experience
• [ ] 3. Create a ticket to document Docker compose UX improvements and potential inclusion in documentation
• [ ] 4. Consider creating an EXE installer for Windows users if needed in the future
• [ ] 5. Maintain Unix-only support for raw builds, as core developers use Unix-based systems

Results

The team decided to prioritize improving the Docker experience rather than adding native Windows support, considering the current user base and development needs.

• Windows support is not currently necessary for the project's core functionality
• Docker and WSL provide sufficient alternatives for Windows users
• We should improve the Docker compose UX rather than focusing on Windows binaries

Originally posted by @Unique-Divine in https://github.com/NibiruChain/nibiru/issues/1945#issuecomment-2273173240

[Unique-Divine]

[2024-08-21] @CalicoNino noted that Windows is super popular in India. It's most common for people to try to deploy contracts, which can be done fully in JS.