Installation
Install and run the Vaelis portable distribution.
#How you actually use Vaelis
| Method | When to use it | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Use the website | Normal users and beginners | Visit the deployed Vaelis website and open the editor. No local server or Node.js setup is required. |
| Install the PWA | You want an app-like shortcut/offline-capable experience supported by the deployment | Use the browser’s install/add-to-home-screen option when the site exposes it. The PWA is still the same web application; installation does not require running a local development server. |
| Self-host | You want to host Vaelis yourself—for example on your own web server, CodeSpaces/Codespaces, VS Code local development server, Vercel, or another static host | Use the local/server method below. This is an optional deployment/development method, not a prerequisite for ordinary use. |
#Self-hosting / local development
The method below is only for people who want to host the engine themselves. The supplied distribution is a static web application, so it can be served by a simple HTTP server. This is useful when developing the engine, modifying its source, testing local files, or deploying your own copy.
#Option A — simple local server
python3 -m http.server 5000Run that command from the folder containing the Vaelis distribution, then open http://localhost:5000/. The browser must access the files through HTTP; opening the HTML file directly with file:// can break module/WASM/network behavior.
#Option B — CodeSpaces / VS Code
Use a development server or forwarded port that serves the project directory over HTTP/HTTPS. The important requirement is not the editor you use—it is that the browser receives the static Vaelis files from a web origin.
#Option C — static hosting
Upload the distribution to a static host that serves JavaScript modules, JSON, WASM, assets, and the included routes. The supplied vercel.json contains route handling for Vercel-style hosting.
#Technical requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Browser | A modern browser capable of ES modules, WebAssembly, Canvas/WebGL as used by the runtime, and the browser APIs used by the editor. |
| Node.js | Not required to simply use the deployed editor or to serve the static client with Python. |
| Local HTTP server | Only required when you choose to self-host/preview locally. |
| Android APK export | Uses the separate build-server workflow described in the Android export documentation; the browser editor itself does not require an Android SDK. |
#Standalone builds
A standalone Vaelis game export contains index.html, main.js and runtime/index.js, built entirely client-side by the editor’s Export window. This export has no editor code in it and can be hosted anywhere that serves static files.