electron-userland/electron-builder
Electron Builder
electron-builder is a cross-platform build automator and packaging tool for Electron applications. It bundles source code and dependencies into platform-specific installers, portable executables, and app store formats for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The project functions as a distribution pipeline that orchestrates the signing and notarization of binaries to ensure authenticity and bypass security warnings. It also serves as an auto-update orchestrator, preparing application packages and distribution channels to support automatic background software updates.
Its capability surface covers the compilation of native dependencies to match target runtimes, the automation of release publishing to remote hosting providers, and the use of containerized environments for cross-platform builds. It also provides tools for managing application contents via asset filtering and defining operating system file associations.
Features
- Application Packaging - Bundles application source code and dependencies into platform-specific installers and distribution artifacts.
- Cross-Platform Installers - Bundles source code and dependencies into native executable installers tailored for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Update Delivery Systems - Sets up the delivery system that allows installed Electron applications to automatically download and apply software updates.
- Electron Asset Extractors - Bundles source code and dependencies into standalone distribution packages for Electron applications.
- Artifact Distribution - Provides automated workflows to upload finished build artifacts and release notes to remote hosting providers and version control services.
- Cross-Platform Build Systems - Automates the compilation, signing, and packaging of software for multiple target operating systems.
- Electron Application Packagers - Bundles Electron source code and dependencies into platform-specific installers or standalone executables for end users.
- Native Compilation - Builds native application modules during the packaging process and strips development dependencies from the final bundle.
- Software Update Managers - Implements the logic for downloading and applying software updates to installed applications while preserving user configurations.
- Differential Update Packages - Creates binary patches containing only changed files to minimize the size of software updates for end users.
- Binary Distribution Tools - Generates and distributes pre-compiled application binaries and installers across multiple operating systems.
- Standalone Distribution Bundlers - Aggregates all application files, libraries, and assets into a single self-contained distribution package for standalone execution.
- Cross-Platform Code Signing - Orchestrates digital signing and notarization for binaries across Windows and macOS to prevent security warnings.
- Application Update Managers - Provides systems for checking, verifying, and applying software updates to keep the client application current.
- Application Signing - Applies digital signatures to executables and archives to ensure authenticity and bypass security warnings.
- Update Orchestrators - Prepares application packages and distribution channels to automate the retrieval and deployment of binary updates.
- Native Module Recompilers - Rebuilds C++ extensions against the target Electron runtime version to ensure binary compatibility across different platforms.
- Platform Packaging - Bundles software into formats that support multiple target operating systems and architectures within a single distribution pipeline.
- Code Signing - Applies cryptographic digital signatures to software packages to verify authenticity on development servers or machines.
- Digital Signature Libraries - Interfaces with system-level signing tools to apply cryptographic identities to binaries for security verification.
- Notarization Services - Submits binaries to the official Apple notarization service to prevent security warnings on macOS.
- Application Distribution - Automates the publishing of packaged binaries to remote hosting providers and official platform stores.
- Cross-Compilation Toolchains - Uses Docker images to provide toolchains and headers for generating binaries for different operating systems from a single host.
- Artifact Distribution Systems - Provides automated transfers of installers and metadata to remote cloud storage and release management systems via APIs.
- Installation Configuration - Customizes the installation experience through custom scripts, multi-language support, and uninstall logic.
- Packaging Inclusion Rules - Implements inclusion and exclusion patterns to determine which files are bundled into the final distribution package.
- Build Artifact Management - Manages the retrieval and versioning of completed installers and binaries for distribution.
- Build Artifact Transformation - Provides automated systems for uploading completed build binaries and metadata to external storage and release managers.
- Cross-Platform Build Containers - Uses containerized environments to compile and package applications for different target platforms from a single host.
- Containerized Build Environments - Uses isolated Docker containers to ensure reproducibility of the build process across different host systems.
- Release Automation - Automates the publishing and distribution of completed software packages to remote hosting services.
- Artifact Uploaders - Automates the upload of build binaries and release notes to remote hosting providers and version control services.
- OS File Associations - Registers custom protocol schemes and file extensions so the operating system opens associated files with the application.
- Build and Compilation Tools - Complete solution for packaging and distributing desktop applications.
- Deployment and DevOps - Tool for packaging and distributing Electron applications.
- Deployment Tools - Build tool with native support for portable application output.
- Desktop and Cross-Platform - Solution for packaging and distributing Electron apps.
- Desktop Development - Tooling for packaging and distributing Electron applications.
- Development Tools - Create installers for distribution.
Star history
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