App build process

Required software

For app build you will need the following software installed:

• node.js (20.*)
• npm (>= 10.*)
• python (>= 2.5.0 && < 3.12.0)
• electron (in version used by Publii), electron-packager, node-gyp and gulp node.js modules installed globally

Only for Windows:

• npm install --global --production windows-build-tools

Only for macOS:

• Install XCode

Build process

1. In the root project directory run:

npm install
cd app
npm install
cd ..
npm run dev

2. When the files are compiled run:

npm run prepare-editor

3. Now you can run the Publii app:

npm run build

Please remember to have running the dev command in the second terminal process:

npm run dev

keytar, sharp and node-expat node modules compilation

If you get errors regarding improper version of some node modules according to your node.js version, run the following command in the directory of these modules:

• app/node_modules/keytar
• app/node_modules/sharp
• app/node_modules/better-sqlite3

node-gyp rebuild --target=ELECTRON_VERSION --arch=x64 --dist-url=https://electronjs.org/headers

ELECTRON_VERSION - replace with current version of the Electron used in the app.

Alternatively you can use electron-rebuild if installed globally under the app/ directory

Known issues

Not refresh the app in these views

• Post editor

After refreshing the app under development mode in the above views, the app will crash.

Permission issues

If you have problems with the E_ACCESS, you can try to add in the npm commands the following params: --unsafe-perm=true --allow-root.