App build process

Required software

For app build you will need the following software installed:

• node.js (10.*)
• npm (>= 6.*)
• python (>= 2.5.0 && < 3.0.0)
• 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

In the root project directory run:

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

When the files are compiled run:

gulp prepare-editor-css

Then create the app/dist/vendor catalog and copy the following catalogs to this newly created vendor catalog:

• app/src/helpers/vendor/jquery
• app/src/helpers/vendor/tinymce

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

It will allows you to refresh the app with changes without app restart - just click Ctrl+R shortcut to refresh the app.

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/node-expat
• app/node_modules/better-sqlite3

node-gyp rebuild --target=ELECTRON_VERSION --arch=x64 --dist-url=https://atom.io/download/electron

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

Sharp on macOS

Before creating installer copy app/node_modules/sharp/vendor/lib catalog to the Publii.app generated with npm run packager:osx - without it, the sharp library won't work.

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.