How to Set Up Bolt.New on Windows + Open Source Bolt.New Updates

Key Concepts

Open Source Bolt, Fork, Pull Request (PR), Node.js, npm (Node Package Manager), API Key, Windows Setup, Dependencies, Self-Hosting, Open Router, Models (Gemini Flash, Sonnet 3.5), CRM Dashboard.

Open Source Bolt Updates

The video begins by discussing updates to the open-source Bolt project. The speaker highlights that the "medine" fork (Colman) has gained significant traction. Colman is actively accepting pull requests (22 open, 39 closed), adding moderators, and seeking contributors. Features like GitHub push and other providers are being implemented. The speaker plans to rebase on top of Colman's fork, add missing features, and contribute pull requests. The speaker has also applied to be a moderator. The speaker's own fork is used in the video for demonstration purposes due to its easier setup process for Windows.

Windows Setup Guide for Open Source Bolt

This section provides a step-by-step guide to setting up Open Source Bolt on a Windows machine. The speaker uses their own fork for demonstration because it has fewer initial setup steps. The speaker acknowledges that Colman's fork is more actively developed but requires more initial configuration (specifically, manually changing the API key in the code). The goal is to eventually merge the easier setup process into Colman's fork.

Four (Five) Steps:

1. Install Node.js: Download Node.js from the provided URL (link in description). The installation process includes installing additional tools like "Chocolately" which helps set up additional tools that Node.js needs. The speaker notes that this process can be slow, especially on older machines.
2. Download the Fork: Download the speaker's fork as a ZIP file from GitHub.
3. Install Dependencies: Extract the ZIP file. Open a PowerShell window within the extracted folder (using Ctrl+Shift+Right Click). Use the command npm install to install all the project dependencies listed in the package.json file. The speaker initially encountered an error and had to run Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser -Force in PowerShell before npm install would work. The speaker also used npm install -verbose to see the installation process.
4. Start the Application: Use the command npm run preview to start the application. This command builds the project and then attempts to launch it in the browser.
5. (Optional) Provide Your Own API Key: If the default API key runs out of quota, users can obtain their own key from Open Router (openrouter.ai). The speaker demonstrates how to create an account, generate a key, and add it to the application.

Troubleshooting:

• The speaker encountered an issue where the npm run preview command failed to automatically open the application in the browser. As a workaround, the speaker had to manually copy and paste the command that the preview script was supposed to execute into the terminal. This is identified as a bug to be fixed.

Real-World Application: CRM Dashboard

The speaker shares an example of a CRM dashboard built by a subscriber using the hosted version of Open Source Bolt. The subscriber used their own API key and experimented with different models, finding that Sonnet 3.5 worked best for their needs. The speaker acknowledges that the dashboard is still early and buggy but highlights the potential of the platform.

Conclusion

The video provides a detailed walkthrough of setting up Open Source Bolt on Windows, highlighting the ongoing development and community contributions to the project. While the setup process can be challenging, especially on older machines, the speaker offers troubleshooting tips and emphasizes the potential of the platform for building various applications. The speaker encourages viewers to contribute to the project and provide feedback.