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app packaging
also DMG, MSI, MSIX, AppImage
The installer is the product the OS sees. A folder of files is not an install.
What is app packaging?
Packaging builds the artifact the OS installs: a signed app bundle in a DMG or PKG, an MSI or MSIX, an AppImage or deb. Each has its own update path and its own place for icons, file associations, and uninstall. asar or a similar archive hides source from a casual glance. It does not hide secrets, and it is not a signature.
Why does app packaging matter when vibe coding?
The release instruction is “zip the project and send it.” There is no uninstall, no file association, and the user runs it from Downloads forever. Secrets in the bundle ship with it.
How do you do app packaging?
One package per OS. Put metadata, icons, and associations in the package. Keep secrets out. Test install, update, and uninstall on a clean machine.
How do you ask a model for app packaging?
Package (app) as (DMG or MSI or AppImage). Include the icon, file associations, and an uninstaller. Do not zip the repo. Do not embed secrets in the bundle.
What goes wrong with app packaging?
A different app id in the package than the one the updater and the keychain expect. You shipped a second app.