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How to Setup Leapp on Windows with WSL

Problem​

You want to set up local AWS credentials but the primary documentation refers to MacOS and Homebrew. Leapp and Geodesic are supported in Windows using WSL. Please see the Solution below.

Solution​

  1. Install latest version of Docker Desktop, Leapp, AWS CLI, WSL (Ubuntu 22)

  1. Optional but useful to debug, install the AWS CLI in WSL

  2. Start Docker Desktop

  3. Launch Leapp UI and connect to Chained Role session

Please see How to Log into AWS, skipping all requirement steps. After you've connected to your identity profile via the Chained Role session, continue with the remaining steps here.

  1. Find your home directory for Windows.

Most likely this is C:\Users\YOUR_NAME. Open WSL and run the following:

explorer.exe .
  1. Copy .aws from Windows Home to WSL home

In Powershell copy .\.aws\ to the your local WSL home path found above.

For example:

PS C:\Users\dan> cp -r .\.aws\ \\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu-22.04\home\dan
  1. Open WSL and verify your identity
dan@WSL:~$ aws sts get-caller-identity --profile acme-identity
{
    "UserId": "xyz:acme-identity",
    "Account": "123",
    "Arn": "arn:aws:sts::111111111111:assumed-role/acme-core-gbl-identity-devops/acme-identity"
}

  1. Clone and navigate to infrastructure directory

  2. Build your Geodesic image:

make all
  1. Done!

In Geodesic you should see the green checkmark next to your profile. You can also verify with aws sts:

 ⧉  acme
 √ : [acme-identity] (HOST) infrastructure ⨠ aws sts get-caller-identity
{
    "UserId": "AROAXYKJQXXXXXXXXXXXX:acme-identity",
    "Account": "111111111111",
    "Arn": "arn:aws:sts::111111111111:assumed-role/acme-core-gbl-identity-devops/acme-identity"
}

FAQ​

Can we configure Leapp to write credentials to the WSL home directory?​

No, Leapp does not support changing the ~/.aws directory path. Please see this issue.

However thanks to the Leapp open source community, we have a workaround!

One way to do it:

  1. Install Leapp in Windows
  2. Open WSL
  3. In WSL backup your ~/.aws
  4. In WSL create symlink from /mnt/c/Users/<username>/.aws to ~/.aws

Example:

# It is ok, if the command returns cp: cannot stat '.aws': No such file or directory
cp -av ~/.aws ~/.aws.bak

ln -s /mnt/c/Users/<username>/.aws ~/.aws

Then WSL will follow chosen session in Windows Leapp. One caveat is that Leapp CLI doesn't work in WSL.

Leapp fails to launch with AWS CLI Error​

After I downloaded Leapp, I see this error when trying to start the app:

Error: An error occurred getting AWS CLI..

You must first install the AWS CLI. See AWS CLI - Getting Started or run this command in PowerShell:

msiexec.exe /i https://awscli.amazonaws.com/AWSCLIV2.msi

Restart PowerShell and then verify that the AWS CLI installed successfully:

PS C:\Users\dan> aws --version
aws-cli/2.15.31 Python/3.11.8 Windows/10 exe/AMD64 prompt/off

Now restart Leapp.

Initializing Docker API Proxy Failed​

When trying to start Docker Desktop I am getting this error:

Something went wrong.
Starting services: initializing Docker API Proxy: open \.\pipe\docker_engine: Access is denied.

See this issue: docker/for-win/issues/13663.

Run wsl --update and restart Docker Desktop.

.local/bin is not in my PATH​

When I try to run make all, I get this error:

Inadequate permissions to install to /usr/local/bin. Installing to /home/dan/.local/bin.
# Installing acme from acme/infrastructure:latest...
# Installed acme to /home/dan/.local/bin/acme
hash
# WARNING: It appears /home/dan/.local/bin is not on your PATH. Please add it.
make: *** [Makefile:56: install] Error 1

Add your .local/bin to your PATH

export PATH=$PATH:/home/<YOUR USERNAME>/.local/bin

Now try to run make all again