ArchHub is a Windows desktop app. This page covers the installer, the first open, signing in and updates as they work in build 20260916-2130-e733a13.
Install
- 1Download ArchHub-Setup-0.exe from the ArchHub releases page on GitHub.
- 2Run it. It installs for your Windows user only, into %LOCALAPPDATA%\ArchHub, and does not need administrator rights. The install folder cannot be changed.
- 3ArchHub needs Python 3.11 or newer. If setup cannot find it, setup downloads Python from python.org for your user only, without changing your PATH. If that download fails or is cancelled, setup stops with a message. If Python asks for a restart, restart Windows and run setup again.
- 4Setup adds ArchHub and Uninstall ArchHub to the Start menu, and a desktop shortcut if you tick that option.
The installer is not code-signed. Windows may warn you before it runs, depending on how you got the file and your machine's policy.
First open
Tick "Open ArchHub now" on the last setup page, or open ArchHub from the Start menu.
The first time, a console window opens before the app. It prints "Preparing this ArchHub build. ArchHub opens by itself when it finishes." While it runs, it:
- creates a private Python environment and installs what ArchHub needs,
- checks that everything loads,
- lists the design applications it finds on this machine, without opening any of them,
- asks once whether to connect ArchHub tools to Claude Code for your Windows user. The default answer is no.
When it prints "ready. ArchHub is opening now." the app window opens.
If a step fails, the window prints REFUSED with the reason, stays open, and marks nothing as ready. Keep that text for support.
If the app itself cannot start, a message box says "ArchHub could not open." and names the log file, %LOCALAPPDATA%\ArchHub-Test\launcher.log.
Closing the ArchHub window hides it to the system tray. ArchHub keeps running until you quit it from the tray.
Sign in
You can use the canvas without signing in. Signing in connects your email account to the ArchHub cloud.
- 1Click sign in in the status strip, or open Settings and go to Account.
- 2Choose Continue with Google.
- 3Finish in the browser window that opens. The dialog updates by itself and shows "signed in" with your email. If you do not finish within five minutes, the attempt times out and you can start again.
The Account page has the details.
Updates
ArchHub checks the GitHub releases page two minutes after it opens and every thirty minutes after that. You can check at any time with Check for updates now in the tray menu, or Check and download in Settings, About.
When a newer build is published, ArchHub downloads the installer and compares it with the checksum published with that release. A file that does not match is refused, and an older or equal build is never staged. The checksum shows that the file arrived intact; it is not a signature.
To install a downloaded update, choose Restart to install the update in the tray menu, Update and reload in the app, or Restart now when BABOOM offers it. ArchHub closes, keeps a recovery copy, installs the update and opens again.
Known problems in this build
- If an update fails to install, ArchHub does not open and shows no message; the reason is written only to %LOCALAPPDATA%\ArchHub-Test\launcher.log.
- Check for updates in the BABOOM menu reports only whether an update is already downloaded. It does not check GitHub.
- After an update, the setup console window may run again before the app opens.
- BABOOM may keep saying an update is ready after it has been installed.