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LSW

Build, run, debug, and ship Windows software without leaving Linux.

$ lsw setup
Detected CMake project 'hello'
Created environment 'windows-x64' (llvm-mingw 22.1.8, wine 11.13)

$ lsw run
Hello from LSW

$ lsw check
  + build            1 artifact(s) via CMake
  + wine execution   1 test(s) passed under wine
  + dependencies     all DLL imports resolved
  + hardening        ASLR + DEP enabled
all checks passed

What LSW is

LSW is one command-line tool for Windows development on Linux. It controls the tools that you already have. MinGW-w64 or Clang does the compilation. Wine runs the result. LSW adds the parts that these tools do not have:

  • Isolated Wine environments, one for each target.
  • A declarative project file, lsw.toml.
  • A lock file, lsw.lock, for reproducible builds.
  • Deterministic path mapping between the Linux view and the Windows view of your project.

lsw build makes a genuine Windows PE binary from your CMake, Meson, Cargo, Zig, Make, or .NET project. lsw run starts the binary through Wine. lsw test, lsw debug, and lsw package complete the loop.

A test that passes under Wine is not a test that passes on Windows. LSW keeps these two results separate at all times. Use lsw verify --native to run your binaries on a real Windows host and to get the real result.

WSL puts a Linux userland on Windows. LSW points the other way: you develop for the Windows target, and you do not leave Linux.

Where to go

  • Install - install LSW and the host tools.
  • Quickstart - from zero to a passed lsw check in five commands.
  • Command reference - all commands and flags.
  • Configuration - the full lsw.toml schema and all LSW_* environment variables.
  • Troubleshooting - the full LSW#### error catalogue and the usual first-run failures.