From cab43b8d061e6c778bec9be756e1d4e46da9b50c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Bernd Rodler <brvncde@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2026 12:57:13 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] feat(electron): auto-update via electron-updater + GitHub
 Releases

Phase 1 step 7 of VNCprodbuild. electron/main.ts calls
autoUpdater.checkForUpdatesAndNotify() once the app is ready, only for
packaged builds (app.isPackaged) - dev/test runs have no latest.yml and
would just log a noisy 404 on every launch. electron-builder.config.js gets
a matching `publish` block pointing at this repo's own GitHub Releases
(brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus) - the skill's recommendation over standing up
a new distribution channel, since the repo is already private. Flagged as
the "light decision" the skill calls it, not blocking.

Deliberately defensive: no code signing yet (step 9), so update
verification can fail on macOS in particular. Wrapped in try/catch +
autoUpdater's "error" event so a failed check is logged and swallowed, never
fatal - this is background maintenance, not something the user should be
blocked on.

Verified with a --dir packaged build: checkForUpdatesAndNotify() throws
ENOENT for app-update.yml (expected - that file is only emitted by a full
`electron-builder build`, not --dir) and the error handling swallows it
cleanly; the standalone server still boots and serves the app normally.
npm run test:electron still green (4/4) - autoUpdater is a no-op in the
unpacked dev/test path this suite exercises.
---
 electron-builder.config.js | 16 ++++++++++++++--
 electron/main.ts           | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 43 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/electron-builder.config.js b/electron-builder.config.js
index 4638e607..da98fb9e 100644
--- a/electron-builder.config.js
+++ b/electron-builder.config.js
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 // Phase 1 of the VNCprodbuild rollout (~/.claude/skills/VNCprodbuild/SKILL.md):
 //   step 1 - base config, no targets (superseded by this file)
 //   step 6 - this file: real packaging targets + branding icon (below)
-//   step 7 - electron-updater wiring (GitHub Releases feed) - adds a
-//            `publish` block on top of this file in a later commit.
+//   step 7 - this file's `publish` block + electron/main.ts's
+//            setupAutoUpdater() - electron-updater against GitHub Releases.
 //   step 9 - still open: code signing / notarization (Apple Developer ID,
 //            optional Windows cert) - both are human-owned purchases, not
 //            configured here. Builds below ship UNSIGNED.
@@ -79,4 +79,16 @@ module.exports = {
     ],
     category: "Network;Email;",
   },
+  // electron-updater feed (see electron/main.ts's setupAutoUpdater()).
+  // GitHub Releases, not a new distribution channel - the skill's
+  // recommendation since this repo is already private and this needs no
+  // extra infrastructure. "Light decision" per VNCprodbuild step 7, not
+  // blocking, but flagged: switching later (e.g. to a self-hosted update
+  // server) would mean revisiting this block and the `provider` electron-
+  // updater talks to.
+  publish: {
+    provider: "github",
+    owner: "brvncde-dotcom",
+    repo: "vncmail-plus",
+  },
 };
diff --git a/electron/main.ts b/electron/main.ts
index a62a252d..b051f198 100644
--- a/electron/main.ts
+++ b/electron/main.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 // deliberately the same server, not a reimplementation - lib/jmap/client.ts
 // and every app/api/** route behave identically to the web deployment.
 import { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, Notification } from "electron";
+import { autoUpdater } from "electron-updater";
 import { spawn, type ChildProcess } from "node:child_process";
 import { createServer } from "node:net";
 import { get as httpGet } from "node:http";
@@ -156,8 +157,36 @@ ipcMain.handle(
   },
 );
 
+// --- Auto-update -------------------------------------------------------
+// GitHub Releases as the update feed (electron-builder.config.js's
+// `publish` block) - the skill's recommendation over standing up a new
+// distribution channel, since the repo is already private. "Light
+// decision" per VNCprodbuild step 7, not re-litigated here.
+//
+// Deliberately best-effort: there's no code signing yet (step 9), so on
+// macOS in particular an update download/install can fail signature
+// verification. A failed check must never take the app down - it's
+// background maintenance, not something the user is blocked on.
+function setupAutoUpdater(): void {
+  if (!app.isPackaged) {
+    // Unpacked dev/test runs (npm run electron:dev, the Playwright smoke
+    // test) have no latest.yml alongside them - checking would just log a
+    // noisy 404 against GitHub Releases for every dev run.
+    return;
+  }
+  autoUpdater.autoDownload = true;
+  autoUpdater.autoInstallOnAppQuit = true;
+  autoUpdater.on("error", (error) => {
+    console.error("[electron] auto-update error:", error);
+  });
+  autoUpdater.checkForUpdatesAndNotify().catch((error) => {
+    console.error("[electron] checkForUpdatesAndNotify failed:", error);
+  });
+}
+
 app.whenReady().then(() => {
   void createMainWindow();
+  setupAutoUpdater();
 });
 
 app.on("window-all-closed", () => {