01 Getting Started and Installation

Getting Started & Installation

This guide walks you through setting up, configuring, and launching WishPilot on your machine.

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1. System Prerequisites

Before running or building WishPilot, verify that your machine meets the minimum hardware and software requirements:

Component	Minimum Specification	Recommended Specification
Operating System	Windows 10 (64-bit) Build 19041+	Windows 11 (64-bit) Latest Build
CPU	Dual-core 2.0 GHz Intel / AMD	Quad-core 2.5 GHz+ (e.g. Intel Core i5/i7 or AMD Ryzen 5/7)
Memory (RAM)	4 GB	8 GB or higher
Storage	300 MB free space	1 GB free space (for builds & cache)
Audio Input	Standard internal microphone	Dedicated USB/3.5mm headset or external boom microphone
Internet Connection	Broadband connection	Low-latency broadband (<50ms ping to API endpoints)

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2. Option A: Running the Standalone Executable (Recommended for Candidates)

If you downloaded the official release package, you do not need Node.js, Python, or build tools installed on your system.

1. Download WishPilot-Windows-1.0.0.exe from the GitHub Releases page.
2. Double-click the executable to launch.
3. WishPilot opens in Studio Dashboard mode on your primary monitor.
4. All settings, session data, and API keys are stored locally on your machine in application local storage.

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3. Option B: Building from Source (For Developers & Contributors)

If you are modifying the codebase or running a customized local build:

Step 1: Install Developer Tools

• Install Node.js (v18.x or v20.x LTS): https://nodejs.org
• Ensure npm (v9.x or higher) is available:

  node -v
  npm -v

• Install Git: https://git-scm.com

Step 2: Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/vishwjeet27/wishpilot.git
cd wishpilot

Step 3: Install Dependencies

Install all required runtime and development dependencies:

npm install

Step 4: Run in Local Development Mode

To launch the app with live hot module reloading (HMR) and Vite dev server:

npm run electron:dev

(This starts the Vite server on http://localhost:5173 and launches Electron connected to the dev port).

Step 5: Build Production Executables

To build the optimized frontend bundle:

npm run build

To create a standalone portable Windows single-file executable (.exe):

npm run dist:exe

Output will be generated in: release/windows/WishPilot-Windows-1.0.0.exe

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4. Initial Configuration Walkthrough

When launching WishPilot for the first time, follow these four simple steps:

Step 1: Configure Your API Key

1. In the Studio Dashboard, click on the Models & Audio tab in the left sidebar.
2. Under AI Provider Configuration, select your preferred provider (e.g. Groq Cloud).
3. Paste your API key into the input field.
   • Tip: Free Groq Cloud keys can be obtained instantly at console.groq.com/keys.
4. Click Save Settings.
5. Click Ping Test to verify sub-200ms round-trip connection to the API provider.

Step 2: Test Microphone & Speech Transcription

1. Go to the Live Test Lab tab.
2. Click Start Microphone (or press Ctrl + Shift + M).
3. Speak a test question into your microphone (e.g., "What is the difference between optimistic and pessimistic locking?").
4. Verify that the waveform animates and the transcript appears in the live buffer within ~300ms.
5. Click Answer This (or press Ctrl + Shift + A) to verify answer streaming.

Step 3: Set Up Your Candidate Profile & Target Role

1. Click on the Sessions & Roles tab.
2. Select your interview domain from the 3x3 category grid (e.g., IT & Software Development, Finance & Banking, or Product Management).
3. Enter your target company name (e.g., Stripe, Google, Goldman Sachs).
4. Enter your target role title or click one of the pre-configured Quick Roles pills.
5. In the Resume & JD tab, paste your resume text (or upload your resume PDF).

Step 4: Launch the Floating HUD

1. Click Launch Stealth HUD in the top header or press the global shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + H
2. The HUD will appear as a translucent, floating, always-on-top window.
3. You are now fully configured and ready for practice sessions.