This repo contains the bare minimum code to have an auto-updating Electron app using electron-updater with releases stored on a plain HTTP server.

This example uses localhost as the release server.

1. For macOS, you will need a code-signing certificate.

   Install Xcode (from the App Store), then follow these instructions to make sure you have a "Mac Developer" certificate. If you'd like to export the certificate (for automated building, for instance) you can. You would then follow these instructions.

2. Install necessary dependencies with:

    yarn
   

   or

    npm install
   

3. Build your app with:

    node_modules/.bin/build --win --mac --x64 --ia32
   

4. Copy the files in the dist/ directory to your webserver. Here's how to do it on a Linux system:

    mkdir -p wwwroot
    cp dist/*.json wwwroot/
    cp dist/*.yml wwwroot/
    cp dist/mac/*.zip wwwroot/
    cp dist/mac/*.dmg wwwroot/
    cp dist/*.exe wwwroot/
   

5. Serve wwwroot over HTTP:

    node_modules/.bin/http-server wwwroot/ -p 8080
   

6. Download and install the app from http://127.0.0.1:8080

7. Update the version in package.json.

8. Do steps 3 and 4 again.

9. Open the installed version of the app and see that it updates itself.