electron-updater from private repo gitlab.com

.gitlab-ci

variables:
  VERSION_ID: '1.0.$CI_PIPELINE_ID'

stages:
  - build
  
build:
  image: slauta93/electron-builder-win
  stage: build
  artifacts:
    paths:
      - $CI_PROJECT_DIR/dist/*.*
  script:
    - sed "s/0.0.0/${VERSION_ID}/g" package.json > _package.json && mv _package.json package.json
    - npm install && npm run build

README.md

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.

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. Setting you Gitlab-CI and edit package.json build scripts fron your platforms

3. Pushing new code, and install last build

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

main.js

// Inital app
const electron = require("electron");
const updater = require("electron-updater");
const autoUpdater = updater.autoUpdater;

...

///////////////////
// Auto upadater //
///////////////////
autoUpdater.requestHeaders = { "PRIVATE-TOKEN": "Personal access Token" };
autoUpdater.autoDownload = true;

autoUpdater.setFeedURL({
    provider: "generic",
    url: "https://gitlab.com/_example_repo_/-/jobs/artifacts/master/raw/dist?job=build"
});

autoUpdater.on('checking-for-update', function () {
    sendStatusToWindow('Checking for update...');
});

autoUpdater.on('update-available', function (info) {
    sendStatusToWindow('Update available.');
});

autoUpdater.on('update-not-available', function (info) {
    sendStatusToWindow('Update not available.');
});

autoUpdater.on('error', function (err) {
    sendStatusToWindow('Error in auto-updater.');
});

autoUpdater.on('download-progress', function (progressObj) {
    let log_message = "Download speed: " + progressObj.bytesPerSecond;
    log_message = log_message + ' - Downloaded ' + parseInt(progressObj.percent) + '%';
    log_message = log_message + ' (' + progressObj.transferred + "/" + progressObj.total + ')';
    sendStatusToWindow(log_message);
});

autoUpdater.on('update-downloaded', function (info) {
    sendStatusToWindow('Update downloaded; will install in 1 seconds');
});

autoUpdater.on('update-downloaded', function (info) {
    setTimeout(function () {
        autoUpdater.quitAndInstall();
    }, 1000);
});

autoUpdater.checkForUpdates();

function sendStatusToWindow(message) {
    console.log(message);
}
...

package.json

{
  "name": "electron-updater-gitlab",
  "version": "0.0.0",
  "main": "main.js",
  "scripts": {
    "start": "electron .",
    "pack": "node_modules/.bin/electron-builder --dir",
    "build": "node_modules/.bin/electron-builder --win",
    "postinstall": "",
    "install": "node-gyp install",
  },
  "build": {
    "appId": "com.electron.app",
    "publish": [
      {
        "provider": "generic",
        "url": "https://gitlab.com"
      }
    ],
    "win": {
      "target": [
        "nsis"
      ],
      "verifyUpdateCodeSignature": false
    },
    "mac": {
      "category": "public.app-category.productivity",
      "identity": "Mac Developer: username (XXXXXXXX)",
      "target": [
        "dmg"
      ]
    },
    "linux": {
      "target": [
        "AppImage"
      ]
    }
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "electron-updater": "^2.7.2"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "electron": "1.6.11",
    "electron-builder": "^19.16.2"
  }
}

Hey I noticed that Gitlab changed something with their access and I now have to use the Gitlab API to access the correct info.

autoUpdater.setFeedURL({
    provider: "generic",
    url: "http://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/your project id/jobs/artifacts/master/raw/dist/?job=build"
});

Note that your project id is not the name of your project, it is located under the name of your project on the project details page.

I got it working using https://docs.gitlab.com/ce/api/jobs.html#download-a-single-artifact-file-from-specific-tag-or-branch

Ended up looking like this:

...

autoUpdater.requestHeaders = { "Private-Token":  "Personal access Token };
autoUpdater.autoDownload = true;

autoUpdater.setFeedURL({
  provider: "generic",
  channel: "latest",
  url: "http://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/_PROJECT_ID_/jobs/artifacts/master/raw/dist?job=build"
});

...

any updates with artifact URL on private repo? looks like
https://gitlab.com/_example_repo_/-/jobs/artifacts/master/download/dist?job=build
and
https://gitlab.com/_example_repo_/-/jobs/artifacts/master/browse/dist?job=build
is still working.

And looks like the PRIVATE-TOKEN header only works if we use it via API like this:
curl --output artifacts.zip --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/1/jobs/42/artifacts"

Can the electron-updater just unzip the downloaded files if we use the API?

This worked for me, it is important to keep in mind that the normal download Gitlab urls will not work for Electron Updater, but the API ones will.

I have created a fork that I think takes it into account, I don't know how to make a pull request in Gist... so I'll just leave it there

It did not work, someone has an updated tutorial?

Attention! This code is deprecated.

This approach doesn't work well because the gitlab token often expires.
This approach is not safe for your code.

Please use the approaches described in the article Updating Applications

Attention! This code is deprecated.

This approach doesn't work well because the gitlab token often expires. This approach is not safe for your code.

Please use the approaches described in the article Updating Applications

Why it's not safe? I don't have any options. I don't wanna use a server for deployments.