How to Install Zulip on Windows 11

Zulip is a powerful, open-source team chat application designed for businesses and other large organizations. It provides seamless communication and collaboration features for your team. To start using Zulip on your Windows 11 PC, follow these simple steps:

Prerequisites

Before you begin the installation process, ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

• Windows 11 operating system
• Python 3.8+ installed
• Git installed
• A stable internet connection

Step 1 - Install Virtual Environment

Zulip requires a virtual environment to be created before installation. In this step, we will create a virtual environment for Zulip.

1. Open a Command Prompt window as an administrator.
2. Type the following command to install Virtual Environment:

pip install virtualenv

3. Create a new virtual environment named "zulip-venv" by entering the following command:

virtualenv zulip-venv

4. Activate the virtual environment by entering the following command:

zulip-venv\Scripts\activate

5. Your command prompt should now display the virtual environment name in parentheses like this: (zulip-venv).

Step 2 - Clone the Zulip Repository

1. Open your web browser and navigate to https://github.com/zulip/zulip.
2. Click on the "Code" button and then click on "Download ZIP".
3. Extract the downloaded ZIP file to any desired location on your computer.
4. Open a command prompt window and navigate to the extracted folder using the "cd" command.

Step 3 - Install Zulip Dependencies

1. In the command prompt window, run the following command:

python -m pip install -U -r requirements.txt

2. Wait for the dependencies to install. This may take a few minutes depending on your internet speed.

Step 4 - Configure Zulip

1. Inside the extracted folder, locate the file named zulip.conf.defaults.
2. Rename this file to zulip.conf.
3. Open the zulip.conf file in a text editor of your choice.
4. Update the fields in the file according to your infrastructure settings.
5. Save and close the file.

Step 5 - Run Zulip

1. In the command prompt window, navigate to the root folder of the extracted repository.
2. Run the following command to start the Zulip server:

python manage.py runserver

3. Once the server is running, open a web browser and navigate to http://127.0.0.1:8000 to access the Zulip web interface.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured Zulip on your Windows 11 PC. Start collaborating with your team members using this powerful communication tool!

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!

Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!