ARES Launcher is a utility designed to make installing, running, and managing self‑contained ARES instances simple and reliable.
Visit the Releases page and download the latest launcher zip for your operating system. Builds are available for Windows, Linux, and macOS (arm64).
After downloading, extract the zip to any folder. Inside, you will find the launcher executable.
Double‑click ARESLauncher.exe to start the launcher. Windows SmartScreen may display a warning-select More info → Run anyway to continue.
Double click the downloaded .dmg file to mount the volume. Then drag the ARESLauncher application into the Applications directory.
Upon starting the launcher you will be greeted with a security exception. You will just need to follow these simple steps to start it. Running Unknown Apps
The launcher currently isn't packaged as a native .desktop bundle. After extracting, you can run it from a terminal:
./ARESLauncherYou may need to set executable permissions:
chmod +x ARESLauncherOn startup, the launcher displays a simple UI with two tabs and an Install button. Click Install and the launcher will:
- Download the correct ARES binaries for your system
- Create a local database
- Configure the instance automatically
During installation you may see a certificate prompt. Approve the certificate-it's required for ARES’s built‑in web servers and for secure communication between the ARES service and UI.
After installation, click Start. The launcher will:
- Start both the ARES service and UI
- Open your browser to the ARES UI URL
It may take several seconds for the server to finish booting, so the page may appear unavailable briefly.
You can safely close the launcher window-it continues running in the background and can be accessed from the system tray. To fully exit, right‑click the tray icon and choose Exit. Stopping the launcher does not stop ARES; stopping ARES must be done explicitly.
If you launch the app while an ARES instance is already running, you’ll be prompted to choose how to resolve the conflict:
- Take Over – assign the running processes to the launcher
- Kill Processes – terminate the existing instance
- Ignore – leave the existing instance running
The process names used for detection are configurable but generally should not be touched unless you know what you're doing.
The Configuration tab allows you to customize launcher behavior.
Set where ARES binaries should be stored. Most ARES releases bundle the UI and service together, so their binary paths should usually be the same. By default, binaries are placed in a subfolder of the launcher’s directory.
Advanced options allow further customization:
- Database Provider – The default is SQLite, stored locally, but you can supply a custom SQLite path or switch providers using a valid connection string. Supported providers include SQLite, PostgreSQL, and MSSQL.
- Service/UI Endpoints – Adjust ports or addresses if they conflict with other services.
When a new ARES release is published with a higher version number, the launcher will notify you on startup. Selecting Update will:
- Clear old binary directories
- Download and extract the new release bundle
- Apply any database migrations
Always back up your database before updating ARES.
The launcher does not automatically update itself. If you encounter a launcher‑specific issue, check its Releases page for a newer version.
By default, the launcher uses the official repository:
https://github.com/AFRL-ARES/ARES
You can add custom GitHub‑hosted repositories under Available Repositories, then select one as the Current Repository.
Your custom repository must:
- Provide proper release bundles
- Follow the expected structure so the launcher knows what to download
If switching repositories while an instance is already installed, update the binary path and database path to prevent conflicts.
If the custom repository is private, you can supply a GitHub token with read access to fetch releases.