Native Windows
The support boundary for certified native Windows x64 installs, connectors, enforcement, telemetry, and operations.
DefenseClaw has a native, per-user Windows x64 (amd64) distribution. It installs a
local gateway, native hook launcher, CLI, TUI, scanners, and managed Python
runtime. The certified connector scope is deliberately narrow: Codex,
Claude Code, and Amp.
WSL is not supported
This guide is for DefenseClaw, the agent, and its configuration running in the same native Windows user session. Do not install DefenseClaw in WSL, point a native agent at a WSL installation, or mix native and WSL connector homes.
Support language
| Status | Meaning in this guide |
|---|---|
| Supported | Implemented and covered by the required native Windows x64 test or release contract. |
| Limited | Supported only on the stated surface, with optional configuration, an extra dependency, or a narrower guarantee. |
| Not certified | Code exists, but the native Windows release contract does not qualify it. Do not treat it as supported. |
| Unsupported | Rejected, unavailable, or outside the native Windows product contract. |
| Not applicable | A platform-specific concept is intentionally absent from the Windows design. |
Certified connector scope
| Connector | Setup name | Native Windows x64 | Enforcement topology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codex | codex | Supported | Native hooks to the loopback gateway; native OTLP is observation-only. |
| Claude Code | claudecode | Supported | Native hooks to the loopback gateway; native OTLP is observation-only. |
| Amp | amp | Supported | Owner-only TypeScript system-policy plugin to the loopback gateway; tool.call gates execution and tool.result gates model-bound output. Amp has no documented native OTLP. |
| Cursor, Windsurf, Gemini CLI, Copilot CLI, Antigravity, OpenCode, Hermes | — | Not certified | Their setup code is not a Windows support commitment. |
| OpenHands, OmniGent, OpenClaw, ZeptoClaw | — | Unsupported | Their required sandbox, terminal, or proxy topology is not hosted by native Windows DefenseClaw. |
All three supported connectors remain connected directly to their normal upstream service. DefenseClaw does not insert a model proxy on Windows. It can only protect and observe events the installed agent emits through its documented hooks, plugin callbacks, and native telemetry surfaces.
Install and maintain
Requirements, authenticated release Setup, repair, upgrade qualification, recovery, and uninstall.
Connectors and enforcement
Exact Codex, Claude Code, and Amp events, observe/action behavior, fail modes, and enable/disable controls.
Capabilities and commands
Windows-specific capability and complete public command-family matrices.
Telemetry and security
Native OTLP, local audit, scoped credentials, loopback boundaries, release provenance, and recovery guarantees.
Paths and troubleshooting
Filesystem reference, safe diagnostics, terminal guidance, and verification checklists.
Certified architecture
The normal installation is one current-user application:
DefenseClawSetup-x64.exeinstalls product-owned files and an embedded runtime below the current user's Programs directory.- Connector setup registers
defenseclaw-hook.exein Codex or Claude Code, or installs Amp's owner-only TypeScript policy plugin at%USERPROFILE%\.config\amp\plugins\defenseclaw.ts. - The hook or plugin sends supported lifecycle events to an authenticated gateway API on loopback. Action mode can return a decision only where that agent event supports one.
- Native OTLP from Codex or Claude Code enters a connector-scoped loopback receiver. It adds telemetry; it is never an enforcement path. Amp has no documented native-OTLP surface, so DefenseClaw generates its telemetry from the five plugin callbacks.
- The gateway evaluates policy and persists mandatory local audit data. Any outbound observability destination is an additional, explicit choice.
See Telemetry and security for the authentication, redaction, and local-storage boundaries.
What is outside the support boundary
| Item | Status | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| WSL installation or a mixed native/WSL connector | Unsupported | Native and WSL executables, profiles, and hook paths are different trust domains. |
| Windows x86 | Unsupported | Setup requires an amd64 process and payload. |
| Windows ARM64, including x64 emulation | Not certified | Setup rejects it rather than relying on emulation. |
| Machine-wide Setup or MSI | Unsupported | The public package accepts INSTALLSCOPE=user only. |
| Elevated, service, session-zero, or background Setup | Unsupported | State-changing Setup actions require the signed-in, non-elevated interactive user. |
| Windows model-proxy connectors | Unsupported | The native Windows gateway is hook/plugin-only. |
| A remote agent-to-DefenseClaw gateway topology | Not certified | The certified connector path is same-user native hooks to loopback. Remote observability destinations are separate. |
OpenShell sandbox and sandbox commands | Unsupported | The Windows release does not host the Linux sandbox lifecycle. |
systemd, launchd, Unix sockets, and POSIX hook shells | Not applicable | Windows uses native processes and Windows process identity. Codex and Claude Code use a native hook executable; Amp loads its TypeScript system plugin directly without a shell or WSL. |
| General enterprise hook guardian | Unsupported | The public per-user package does not install an elevated guardian or system service. A narrow Claude Code administrator-managed policy path is documented separately. |
| Docker Desktop WSL2 backend for bundled local stacks | Not certified | The optional certified local-stack path uses Linux containers on the Hyper-V backend. |
No roadmap is implied by these classifications.
If you are migrating
From macOS or Linux, expect a per-user Setup EXE instead of a shell installer,
HKCU PATH and Run registration instead of a service manager, native process
identity instead of PID-only signaling, and a native hook executable or Amp
system plugin instead of Bash hooks. Sandbox and proxy connector features do
not move with you.
From WSL, perform a fresh native install. Install Codex, Claude Code, or Amp natively for the same Windows user, then run native connector setup. Do not copy a WSL data directory, hook scripts, plugins, tokens, virtual environment, gateway binary, or connector configuration into the Windows profile.
Continue with Install and maintain, then use the post-install checklist.