Curiosity

Windows Installation

The Windows installer is intended for evaluation and small single-host deployments — typically a Windows Server or a dedicated workstation used as a workgroup workspace. For larger production deployments, the Docker or Kubernetes paths are recommended.

Download

The latest installer is at https://downloads.curiosity.ai/workspace/windows.

Match the installer architecture (x64 / ARM64) to the host.

Install

Run the installer as Administrator. By default the app is placed under %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Curiosity Workspace\. The installer creates a Start Menu entry and a desktop shortcut.

Initial sign-in

After the installer finishes, the workspace starts and opens http://localhost:8080 in your default browser.

Sign in with admin / admin for first-boot setup, then immediately rotate the admin password from Settings → Accounts → Users. On Windows you can also set MSK_ADMIN_PASSWORD as a machine environment variable before the first launch so the bootstrap account uses a stronger password.

Configuration

All configuration uses MSK_* environment variables (see the Configuration reference). On Windows, set machine-scope environment variables:

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("MSK_ADMIN_PASSWORD", "<strong-password>", "Machine")
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("MSK_GRAPH_STORAGE",  "D:\Curiosity\data", "Machine")
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("MSK_JWT_KEY",        "<32+ random bytes>",  "Machine")

Restart the workspace service for changes to take effect.

Running as a Windows Service

To run the workspace as a Windows service:

  1. Stop the foreground app (from the workspace UI: Settings → Maintenance → Shutdown, or Ctrl+C if you launched it from a shell).
  2. Open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell.
  3. cd "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Curiosity Workspace\".
  4. Run configure-windows-service.bat.

Once installed:

sc query curiosity     # check service status
sc stop curiosity
sc start curiosity

The service is also visible in services.msc.

Logs

Logs are written to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Curiosity Workspace\Logs by default. Override with MSK_LOG_PATH if you want them on a different volume.

Upgrading

  1. Take a backup of the data directory pointed at by MSK_GRAPH_STORAGE (the installer defaults to a location under %LOCALAPPDATA%).
  2. Run the new installer; it preserves data and configuration in place.
  3. Restart the service.

For breaking changes, walk Upgrades and migrations first.

Uninstalling

Use Settings → Apps & features → Curiosity Workspace → Uninstall. The uninstaller stops the service, removes the installed binaries, and leaves data in place. To delete the graph and configuration, manually remove the directory that MSK_GRAPH_STORAGE points at.

Firewall and TLS

By default the workspace listens on 8080. If you expose it beyond localhost:

  • Open inbound TCP 8080 (or your MSK_PORT) in Windows Defender Firewall.
  • Terminate TLS at a reverse proxy (IIS with ARR, Nginx for Windows) or set MSK_CERT_FILE and MSK_CERT_FILE_PRIVATE_KEY on a PEM certificate readable by the service account.
  • Set MSK_PUBLIC_ADDRESS to the URL clients will use.

When to graduate to Docker / Kubernetes

The Windows installer is fine for evaluations and small teams. Move to Docker or Kubernetes when you need:

  • Reproducible deployment via infrastructure as code.
  • Rolling upgrades without downtime.
  • Centralized secret management.
  • Multiple environments (dev / staging / prod) on parity.

See also

Referenced by

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