Running the wails first time--Need help

[arunkumar413]

Hi Team,

I just stumbled about wails project while researching about rust based tauri alternatives. I just created a wails react project and ran the command wails dev. The app opens in the browser but when I enter the name and click on greet the browser console throws the below error:

react-dom_client.js?v=a9bc2249:3649 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'main')
    at Greet (App.js:6:22)
    at greet (App.jsx:13:9)

Here is the output of the wails doctor command.

                                                                                                                                                                                        
# Wails
Version         | v2.12.0
Package Manager | apt    


# System
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
| OS           | Ubuntu                                                                                                                     |
| Version      | 24.04                                                                                                                      |
| ID           | ubuntu                                                                                                                     |
| Branding     |                                                                                                                            |
| Go Version   | go1.22.2                                                                                                                   |
| Platform     | linux                                                                                                                      |
| Architecture | amd64                                                                                                                      |
| CPU          | AMD Ryzen 5 3500U with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx                                                                              |
| GPU          | Picasso/Raven 2 [Radeon Vega Series / Radeon Vega Mobile Series] (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]) - Driver: amdgpu |
| Memory       | 6GB                                                                                                                        |
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

# Dependencies
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
| Dependency | Package Name    | Status    | Version                 |
| *docker    | docker.io       | Available | 27.5.1-0ubuntu3~24.04.2 |
| gcc        | build-essential | Installed | 12.10ubuntu1            |
| libgtk-3   | libgtk-3-dev    | Installed | 3.24.41-4ubuntu1.3      |
| libwebkit  | Unknown         | Not Found |                         |
| npm        | npm             | Installed | 11.11.0                 |
| *nsis      | nsis            | Available | 3.09-4ubuntu1           |
| pkg-config | pkg-config      | Installed | 1.8.1-2build1           |
|                                                                    |
└───────────────────── * - Optional Dependency ──────────────────────┘

# Diagnosis
Optional package(s) installation details: 
  - docker: sudo apt install docker.io
  - nsis: sudo apt install nsis

 WARNING  Your system has missing dependencies!
Fatal:
Required dependencies missing: libwebkit

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The below screenshot show the installed libwebkit dependency

It seems that the backend go logic is not plumbed correctly. Does the command wails dev install the go dependencies as well? Could you please let me know how to open the app in the native UI and also in the browser for development.

Thanks,
Arun

[hexvalid]

Your doctor output points to the Ubuntu 24.04 WebKit dependency issue documented by Wails. With Wails v2 on this distribution, install the WebKit 4.1 development package and pass the corresponding build tag:

sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev

Then run this from the project root:

wails dev -tags webkit2_41 -browser

The native window should open once the Go application compiles and starts. For browser development, use the Wails dev-server URL printed in the terminal, normally http://localhost:34115. The -browser flag opens that address for you.

The Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'main') error is consistent with the generated wrapper trying to access window.go.main when the Wails bindings are unavailable. One thing to check is whether you opened Vite's frontend URL directly: use the Wails dev-server URL so the browser gets the backend integration as well.

wails dev builds the Go application and generates the JavaScript bindings; Go resolves the module dependencies during the build. The native Ubuntu development packages still need to be installed separately.

References: Ubuntu 24.04 / WebKit installation note and Wails dev command, browser URL and build tags.

If the native window still does not open, please share the full output of wails dev -tags webkit2_41; it will show whether compilation or application startup is failing.