crowd-funder-for-time-pwa/docs/electron-auto-updates.md

Electron Auto-Updates Configuration

Author: Matthew Raymer
Date: 2025-07-12
Status: DISABLED - Manual Updates Only

Overview

TimeSafari's Electron application currently has auto-updates disabled due to hosting on Gitea instead of GitHub. This document explains the current configuration and provides guidance for future update mechanisms.

Current Status

Auto-Updates Disabled

Auto-updates are currently disabled for the following reasons:

1. Repository Hosting: The project is hosted on Gitea (https://gitea.anomalistdesign.com/trent_larson/crowd-funder-for-time-pwa) rather than GitHub
2. Provider Limitations: electron-updater primarily supports GitHub, S3, and other major cloud providers
3. 404 Errors: Attempting to use GitHub auto-updates with a Gitea repository causes 404 errors

Configuration Changes Made

1. Repository URL Updated: Changed from https://github.com/trentlarson/crowd-master to the correct Gitea URL
2. Publish Configuration Removed: Removed GitHub provider from electron-builder.config.json
3. Auto-Updater Disabled: Commented out auto-updater code in electron/src/index.ts

Error Resolution

The original error:

HttpError: 404 
"method: GET url: https://github.com/trentlarson/crowd-master/releases.atom"

This occurred because:

• The app was trying to check for updates on GitHub
• The repository doesn't exist on GitHub
• The auto-updater was configured for GitHub releases

Future Update Options

Option 1: Manual Distribution

• Build and distribute packages manually
• Users download and install new versions manually
• No automatic update checking

Option 2: Custom Update Server

• Implement a custom update server compatible with electron-updater
• Host update files on a web server
• Configure custom update endpoints

Option 3: GitHub Migration

• Move repository to GitHub
• Set up GitHub releases
• Re-enable auto-updates

Option 4: Alternative Update Providers

• Use S3 or other supported providers
• Implement custom update mechanism
• Use third-party update services

Current Build Process

Development Builds

npm run build:electron:dev

Production Builds

npm run build:electron:prod

Package Distribution

# Windows
npm run build:electron:windows:prod

# macOS
npm run build:electron:mac:prod

# Linux
npm run build:electron:linux:prod

Manual Update Process

1. Build New Version: Use appropriate build script
2. Test Package: Verify the built package works correctly
3. Distribute: Share the package with users
4. User Installation: Users manually download and install

Security Considerations

Disabled Auto-Updates

• No automatic security updates
• Users must manually update for security patches
• Consider implementing update notifications

Package Verification

• Verify package integrity before distribution
• Use code signing for packages
• Implement checksum verification

Monitoring and Maintenance

Version Tracking

• Track application versions manually
• Document changes between versions
• Maintain changelog for users

User Communication

• Notify users of available updates
• Provide clear update instructions
• Document breaking changes

Recommendations

Short Term

1. Continue with manual distribution
2. Implement update notifications in-app
3. Provide clear update instructions

Long Term

1. Evaluate hosting platform options
2. Consider implementing custom update server
3. Plan for automated update mechanism

Configuration Files

electron-builder.config.json

{
  "appId": "app.timesafari.desktop",
  "productName": "TimeSafari",
  // publish configuration removed
}

electron/src/index.ts

// Auto-updater disabled
// import { autoUpdater } from 'electron-updater';

// Auto-updates disabled - not supported on Gitea hosting
// if (!electronIsDev && !process.env.APPIMAGE) {
//   try {
//     autoUpdater.checkForUpdatesAndNotify();
//   } catch (error) {
//     console.log('Update check failed (suppressed):', error);
//   }
// }

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. 404 Errors: Ensure repository URL is correct
2. Build Failures: Check build configuration
3. Package Issues: Verify package contents

Debug Mode

# Enable debug logging
DEBUG=* npm run build:electron:dev

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Status: Auto-updates disabled
Last Updated: 2025-07-12
Version: 1.0
Maintainer: Matthew Raymer