desktop-packaging

Desktop Packaging

Get a working Electron or Tauri app into users' hands on all three platforms. Full signing commands and config are in REFERENCE.md.

Tooling Choice

• Electron Forge: integrated, recommended for new Electron projects.
• electron-builder: more config surface, flexible target formats.
• Tauri: tauri build; ~5–10 MB vs Electron's ~120 MB; requires Rust toolchain.
• Prefer Tauri for bundle size; Electron when an existing Node codebase makes migration expensive.

Signing & Notarization

• macOS: codesign → xcrun notarytool submit → xcrun stapler staple; hardened runtime required; 10.15+ blocks unsigned apps.
• Windows: signtool with an RFC 3161 timestamp; EV cert avoids SmartScreen, OV builds reputation over ~30 days.
• Linux: AppImage (widest reach), deb, RPM, Flatpak (Flathub, sandboxed).
• Config keys and full commands: see REFERENCE.md.

Auto-Update

• Electron (electron-updater): release server or S3 with latest.yml; delta updates reduce size.
• Tauri: updater.endpoints in tauri.conf.json; sign bundles with a separate Ed25519 key.
• Serve over HTTPS; validate signatures before applying.

OAuth Deep Links

Register myapp:// so the OS routes OAuth callbacks to the app:

• macOS: CFBundleURLTypes in Info.plist.
• Windows: registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\myapp.
• Linux: .desktop file with MimeType=x-scheme-handler/myapp.
• Electron: app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('myapp'). Tauri: allowlist.protocol.open = true.

CI Pipeline

push to main   →  unsigned build + smoke test
tag vX.Y.Z     →  sign + package per platform + upload artifacts
GitHub Release →  attach artifacts; updater server detects new version

Use matrix builds: macOS, Windows, and Ubuntu runners.

Guardrails

• Never commit signing certificates or PFX files — use CI secret managers.
• Always test the packaged binary (not dev mode) on a clean OS before releasing.
• Pin the Electron version; patch upgrades can change Chromium APIs.
• Audit bundle size before each release (webpack-bundle-analyzer, rollup-plugin-visualizer).