PrathamGhaywat · May 9, 2026 · May 9, 2026 · May 9, 2026 · May 10, 2026 · May 10, 2026
diff --git a/docs/src/app/web-engines/page.mdx b/docs/src/app/web-engines/page.mdx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ zero-native has one app/runtime API and selectable web engine backends. The defa
     </tr>
     <tr>
       <td>Windows</td>
-      <td>In progress</td>
+      <td>WebView2</td>
       <td>In progress</td>
     </tr>
   </tbody>
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ The intended parity contract is the same Zig app model, same runtime services, s
 
 System mode has no bundled browser dependency. It uses the OS web engine, so rendering and web platform support follow the user's installed OS.
 
+On Windows the system engine uses the WebView2 Runtime (included with Windows 11, available on Windows 10 via the evergreen runtime). The build looks for `<WebView2.h>` at `third_party/webview2-sdk/build/native/include` by default; pass `-Dwebview2-sdk-dir` to use a different path.
+
 ## Chromium (CEF)
 
 Set the app engine once:
@@ -108,6 +110,10 @@ Core maintainers can build CEF from source with `tools/cef/build-from-source.sh`
       <td><code>-Dcef-auto-install=true</code></td>
       <td>Temporarily opt into running <code>zero-native cef install</code> during Chromium builds when CEF is missing.</td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+      <td><code>-Dwebview2-sdk-dir=path</code></td>
+      <td>Windows only. Path to the WebView2 SDK root directory containing <code>build/native/include</code>. When omitted, defaults to <code>third_party/webview2-sdk</code>.</td>
+    </tr>
   </tbody>
 </table>
 

diff --git a/docs/src/app/windows-build/layout.tsx b/docs/src/app/windows-build/layout.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import { pageMetadata } from "@/lib/page-metadata";
+
+export const metadata = pageMetadata("windows-build");
+
+export default function Layout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
+  return children;
+}
diff --git a/docs/src/app/windows-build/page.mdx b/docs/src/app/windows-build/page.mdx
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+# Windows Build
+
+zero-native supports Windows via the WebView2 Runtime. The system engine uses WebView2.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- Windows 10 or later with the [WebView2 Runtime](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/) (included with Windows 11)
+- [Zig](https://ziglang.org/download/) 0.16.0 or later
+
+## Building
+
+```sh
+zig build run -Dplatform=windows
+```
+
+This installs frontend dependencies, builds assets, compiles the binary, and runs the app.
+
+## WebView2 SDK
+
+The generated project looks for the WebView2 SDK at `third_party/webview2-sdk/` by default. You need to vendor the SDK there (one-time setup per project).
+
+### Acquiring the SDK
+
+The WebView2 SDK is distributed as a NuGet package. Download and extract it with PowerShell:
+
+```bash
+Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://www.nuget.org/api/v2/package/Microsoft.Web.WebView2/1.0.3351.48 -OutFile webview2.zip
+New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path third_party/webview2-sdk -Force
+Expand-Archive -Path webview2.zip -DestinationPath third_party/webview2-sdk
+Remove-Item webview2.zip
+```
+
+`WebView2.h` includes `EventToken.h` (a standard Windows SDK header not shipped in the NuGet). Create it at `third_party/webview2-sdk/build/native/include/EventToken.h`:
+
+```c
+#ifndef _EVENTTOKEN_H_
+#define _EVENTTOKEN_H_
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+typedef struct EventRegistrationToken {
+    __int64 value;
+} EventRegistrationToken;
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif
+```
+
+> This file is normally provided by the Windows SDK. The workaround above is only needed when vendoring the NuGet without Visual Studio or the standalone Windows SDK installed.
+
+Once vendored, no extra flags are needed:
+
+```sh
+zig build run -Dplatform=windows
+```
+
+To use a different SDK path instead of the default, pass `-Dwebview2-sdk-dir`:
+
+```sh
+zig build run -Dplatform=windows -Dwebview2-sdk-dir=path/to/sdk
+```
+
+## App Manifest
+
+The generated `app.zon` includes `"windows"` in `.platforms` and a `.windows` window configuration:
+
+```zig
+.platforms = .{ "macos", "linux", "windows" },
+.windows = .{
+    .{ .label = "main", .title = "My App", .width = 720, .height = 480, .restore_state = true },
+},
+```
+
+## Packaging
+
+```sh
+zig build package -Dplatform=windows -Dpackage-target=windows
+```
+
+Creates a self-contained directory with the binary and assets under `zig-out/package/`. The binary resolves assets relative to its own location inside the package, so the package can be moved as a whole.
+
+To override the frontend directory at runtime, set `ZERO_NATIVE_FRONTEND_DIR`:
+
+```sh
+set ZERO_NATIVE_FRONTEND_DIR=C:\path\to\dist
+testing22.exe
+```
+
+## Diagnostics
+
+```sh
+zero-native doctor --manifest app.zon --web-engine system
+```
diff --git a/docs/src/lib/docs-navigation.ts b/docs/src/lib/docs-navigation.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export const navSections: NavSection[] = [
     title: "Core Concepts",
     items: [
       { name: "Web Engines", href: "/web-engines" },
+      { name: "Windows Build", href: "/windows-build" },
       { name: "Windows", href: "/windows" },
       { name: "Bridge", href: "/bridge" },
       { name: "Builtin Commands", href: "/bridge/builtin-commands" },

diff --git a/docs/src/lib/page-titles.ts b/docs/src/lib/page-titles.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export const PAGE_TITLES: Record<string, string> = {
   extensions: "Extensions",
   embed: "Embedded App",
   "web-engines": "Web Engines",
+  "windows-build": "Windows Build",
   packages: "Package Distribution",
 };
 

diff --git a/examples/hello/app.zon b/examples/hello/app.zon
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     .display_name = "Hello",
     .version = "0.1.0",
     .icons = .{ "assets/icon.icns" },
-    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux" },
+    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux", "windows" },
     .permissions = .{},
     .capabilities = .{ "webview" },
     .security = .{

diff --git a/examples/next/app.zon b/examples/next/app.zon
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     .display_name = "Next Example",
     .version = "0.1.0",
     .icons = .{ "assets/icon.icns" },
-    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux" },
+    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux", "windows" },
     .permissions = .{},
     .capabilities = .{ "webview" },
     .frontend = .{

diff --git a/examples/react/app.zon b/examples/react/app.zon
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     .display_name = "React Example",
     .version = "0.1.0",
     .icons = .{ "assets/icon.icns" },
-    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux" },
+    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux", "windows" },
     .permissions = .{},
     .capabilities = .{ "webview" },
     .frontend = .{

diff --git a/examples/svelte/app.zon b/examples/svelte/app.zon
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     .display_name = "Svelte Example",
     .version = "0.1.0",
     .icons = .{ "assets/icon.icns" },
-    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux" },
+    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux", "windows" },
     .permissions = .{},
     .capabilities = .{ "webview" },
     .frontend = .{

diff --git a/examples/vue/app.zon b/examples/vue/app.zon
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     .display_name = "Vue Example",
     .version = "0.1.0",
     .icons = .{ "assets/icon.icns" },
-    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux" },
+    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux", "windows" },
     .permissions = .{},
     .capabilities = .{ "webview" },
     .frontend = .{

diff --git a/examples/webview/app.zon b/examples/webview/app.zon
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     .display_name = "WebView Example",
     .version = "0.1.0",
     .icons = .{ "assets/icon.icns" },
-    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux" },
+    .platforms = .{ "macos", "linux", "windows" },
     .permissions = .{ "window" },
     .capabilities = .{ "webview", "js_bridge" },
     .bridge = .{

diff --git a/src/frontend/root.zig b/src/frontend/root.zig
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@ pub fn sourceFromEnv(env_map: *std.process.Environ.Map, config: Config) platform
     if (env_map.get(config.dev_url_env)) |url| {
         if (url.len > 0) return platform.WebViewSource.url(url);
     }
+    if (env_map.get("ZERO_NATIVE_FRONTEND_DIR")) |dir| {
+        if (dir.len > 0) {
+            return platform.WebViewSource.assets(.{
+                .root_path = dir,
+                .entry = config.entry,
+                .origin = config.origin,
+                .spa_fallback = config.spa_fallback,
+            });
+        }
+    }
     return productionSource(config);
 }
 

diff --git a/src/platform/root.zig b/src/platform/root.zig
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ pub const Platform = struct {
 };
 
 pub const Backend = enum {
-    @"null",
+    null,
     macos,
     linux,
     windows,
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ pub const NullPlatform = struct {
     requested_frames: u32 = 1,
     loaded_source: ?WebViewSource = null,
     security_policy: security.Policy = .{},
-    window_sources: [max_windows]?WebViewSource = [_]?WebViewSource{null} ** max_windows,
+    window_sources: [max_windows]?WebViewSource = @splat(null),
     windows: [max_windows]WindowInfo = undefined,
     window_count: usize = 0,
     bridge_response: [16 * 1024]u8 = undefined,

diff --git a/src/platform/windows/cef_host.cpp b/src/platform/windows/cef_host.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 // Windows Chromium currently shares the Win32 host surface with the system backend.
 // CEF-specific browser creation is isolated behind this translation unit so the
 // build can link the CEF runtime and evolve without changing the Zig ABI.
+// When building CEF, we skip the WebView2-specific initialization code.
+#define ZERO_NATIVE_CEF_BUILD
 #include "webview2_host.cpp"