Dawn Launcher is a modern, lightweight desktop Minecraft Java launcher built with Electron, React, TypeScript, and TailwindCSS.

More than just a visual mockup, Dawn Launcher is a fully functional foundation featuring account management, Minecraft instance isolation, automated Java detection, built-in mod loaders, Modrinth/CurseForge integration, and a dedicated plugin system.

Before you can run Dawn Launcher, you need to install a couple of basic tools on your computer:

1. Node.js (Version 22 or newer)
   • Download and install it from nodejs.org.
   • Important: After installing, always prefer to restart your computer.
2. Java
   • Minecraft 1.18+ requires Java 17 or newer.
   • Minecraft 1.20.5+ requires Java 21 or newer.
   • (Note: Dawn Launcher has built-in Java detection to help you find your installed versions!)
   • (Java: We reccommend using Adoptium (Eclipse Temurin) as it provides better performance. You can get it Here
3. Internet Connection
   • An internet connection is required for the first launch of the game, downloading of mods and signing in via Microsoft login.

1. Open the Terminal/cmd application on your computer.
2. Download the Project folder and navigate to the project folder:

   cd path/to/your/dawn-launcher-folder
   

3. **Download the project dependencies:**
*(This tells your computer to grab all the required code packages to make the app work).*
```bash
npm install

4. Start the Launcher:

npm run dev

The Dawn Launcher desktop window should now pop up on your screen!

Once the app is open, here is how to get into the game:

1. Add an Account:

• Go to the Accounts tab.
• Choose Offline if you want to use an account that doesn't communicate with Mojang's authentication servers.
• Choose Microsoft to log in via your Microsoft account with a valid Minecraft license or XBOX Game Pass for PC/Ultimate

2. Create an Instance (A Game Profile):

• Go to the Instances tab and click New.
• Pick your desired Minecraft version.
• Pick your Loader (Vanilla, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, or Quilt).
• Allocate your RAM (e.g., 4096MB).

3. Launch the Game:

• Head back to the Home tab.
• Select your Account and your new Instance.
• Click Play!

⚠️ Note: The very first time you click Play, it might take a few minutes. The launcher has to download Minecraft's core files, assets, and libraries directly from Microsoft's servers.

To use real Minecraft accounts, you need to provide an Azure Public Client ID.

1. Open Settings in the launcher.
2. Find Microsoft Client ID.
3. Paste your ID and click Save. (Alternatively, set your environment variable: DAWN_MICROSOFT_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id)

Searching Modrinth works instantly out of the box. To search CurseForge, you need an API key.

1. Open Settings in the launcher.
2. Find CurseForge API Key.
3. Paste your key and click Save. (Alternatively, set your environment variable: CURSEFORGE_API_KEY=your-api-key)

• Home: Your main dashboard to select your account, instance, and launch the game.
• Instances: Create, edit, duplicate, import, export, and delete your Minecraft profiles.
• Mods & Modpacks: Search, install, and manage mods. Fully supports Modrinth .mrpack files.
• Resource Packs & Shaders: Easily manage visual upgrades for your selected instance.
• Accounts: Switch between Offline testing accounts and official Microsoft accounts.
• Settings: Tweak your theme, RAM allocation, Java paths, and API keys.
• Console: View live background logs and Minecraft output for easy troubleshooting.
• Gallery: View screenshots taken within your selected instance.

"npm is not recognized" Node.js wasn't installed correctly, or you didn't restart your terminal after installing it. Reinstall Node.js, close your terminal completely, open a new one, and try again.

The App won't open / "Electron uninstall" error Sometimes the desktop window tool (Electron) fails to download properly. Run these commands to fix it:

npm run repair:electron
npm run dev

(Windows Users: If your project folder is inside a OneDrive folder, OneDrive's auto-sync might be blocking the files. Move the entire Dawn Launcher folder to a normal directory like C:\Projects\DawnLauncher and try again).

"Java is missing" Ensure you have Java 17 or 21 installed on your PC. Then open Dawn Launcher, go to Settings > Java, and click Scan.

If you want to package the app into a final, shareable installer (like a .exe or .dmg):

Verify all files are intact:

npm run verify

Compile the code:

npm run build

Create the final desktop installer:

npm run dist

Your final packaged app will appear inside the release folder!

as an Installer EXE.