![logo](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/megahertz/electron-simple-updater/master/logo.png) # electron-simple-updater [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/megahertz/electron-simple-updater.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/megahertz/electron-simple-updater) [![npm version](https://badge.fury.io/js/electron-simple-updater.svg)](https://badge.fury.io/js/electron-simple-updater) ## Description This module allows to automatically update your application. You only need to install this module and write two lines of code! To publish your updates you just need a simple file hosting, it does not require a dedicated server. Supported OS: - Mac, ([Squirrel.Mac](https://github.com/Squirrel/Squirrel.Mac)) - Windows ([Squirrel.Windows](https://github.com/Squirrel/Squirrel.Windows)) - Linux (for [AppImage](http://appimage.org/) format) ## Differences between electron-simple-updater and built-in autoUpdater * Actually, autoUpdater is used inside. * Linux support. * It handles Squirrel.Windows install/update command line arguments. * It doesn't require a dedicated release server. * You need only 2 lines of code to make it work. ## Installation Install with [npm](https://npmjs.org/package/electron-simple-updater): npm install --save electron-simple-updater ## Usage ### Publish a new release 1. Insert a link to a hosting where you will store updates.json to main.js. You can find a sample of updates.json in [the example](example) ```js // Just place this code at the entry point of your application: const updater = require('src/index'); updater.init('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/megahertz/electron-simple-updater/master/example/updates.json'); ``` You can set this link in package.json:updater.url instead of init() argument. 2. Build your release using electron-builder or another tool. Note: Your application must be signed for automatic updates on macOS. This is a requirement of Squirrel.Mac. 3. Upload your release with update.json to a hosting. You can do it [manually](example/updates.json) or use [electron-simple-publisher](https://github.com/megahertz/electron-simple-publisher) to simplify this process. Note: Squirrel.Mac requires a properly prepared `release.json` file. A release in the property `url` must be zipped .app file. 4. That's it! Now your application will check for updates on start and download it automatically if an update is available. After app is restarted a new version will be loaded. But you can customize it to ask a user if he would like to install updates. See [the example](example) for details. ## API ### Options You can set options when calling init() method or in package.json:updater section. Name | Default | Description --------------------|-------------------------|------------ autoDownload | true | Automatically download an update when it's found in updates.json channel | 'prod' | An application which is built for channel like 'beta' will receive updates only from this channel checkUpdateOnStart | true | Check for updates immediately when init() is called disabled | false | Disable update feature. This option is set to true automatically for applications built for Mac App Store or Windows Store logger | console | You can pass [electron-log](https://github.com/megahertz/electron-log), [winston](https://github.com/winstonjs/winston) or another logger with the following interface: { debug(), info(), warn() }. Set it to false if you would like to disable a logging feature version | app.getVersion() | Current app version. In most cases, you should not pass this options manually, it is read by electron from version at package.json url* | undefined | The only required parameter. This is a URL to [updates.json](https://github.com/megahertz/electron-simple-updater/blob/master/example/updates.json) file. You can use templates '{platform}', '{arch}' and '{channel}' in a file name. ### Method #### init(options) Initialize a package. By default it finish the process if is run by Squirrel.Windows installer. #### setFeedURL(url) *deprecated* Sets the url and initialize the electron-simple-updater. Instead of built-in auto-updater init(), this method receives a URL to updates.json. #### getFeedURL() *deprecated* Return the current updates.json URL. #### checkForUpdates() Asks the server whether there is an update. url must be set before this call. Instead of built-in auto-updater, this method does not start downloading if autoDownload options is set to false. #### downloadUpdate() Start downloading update manually. You can use this method if autoDownload option is set to false #### quitAndInstall() Restarts the app and installs the update after it has been downloaded. It should only be called after update-downloaded has been emitted. #### setOptions(name, value) Set one or a few options. Pass an object as the name for multiple set. ### Properties (read only) These properties are mapped to options * **build** * **channel** * **version** * **buildId** - this string contains a build, a channel and version ### Events **meta** object of some events is a data from updates.json #### error(err) Emitted when there is an error while updating. #### checking-for-update Emitted when start downloading update.json file. #### update-available(meta) Emitted when there is an available update. #### update-not-available Emitted when there is no available update. #### update-downloading(meta) Emitted when star downloading an update. #### update-downloaded(meta) Emitted when an update has been downloaded. #### squirrel-win-installer(event) Emitted when the app is run by Squirrel.Windows when installing. The SimpleUpdater creates/removes shortcuts and finishes the process by default. * **event.preventDefault** - set to true if you would like to customize this action * **event.squirrelAction** - squirrel-install, squirrel-updated, squirrel-uninstall, squirrel-obsolete ## Related - [electron-builder](https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder) - A complete solution to package and build an Electron app. Also it contains alternative implementation of update package. - [electron-simple-publisher](https://github.com/megahertz/electron-simple-publisher) - Simple way to publish releases for electron-simple-updater ## License Licensed under MIT. Logo was designed by [prolko](https://www.behance.net/prolko) base on the original [electron](https://github.com/electron/electron) logo.