Build and release

Anvil Desktop is an Electron app with native dependencies. Build and release work should respect that reality instead of treating it like a static website with delusions of grandeur.

Local development

Install dependencies from the root of anvil-app:

pnpm install

Start the Electron app:

pnpm dev

Run common checks:

pnpm test
pnpm lint
pnpm build

Native modules such as better-sqlite3 and node-pty may require rebuilds after Node, Electron, or platform changes.

Workspace packages

Path	Purpose
src	Main Electron runtime, preload bridge, shared contracts, and renderer app.
mobile	Expo companion app.
raycast/anvil	Raycast extension for local control.
video	Remotion video project.
prompts	Prompt templates used by LLM workflows.
resources	App icons and helper resources.
scripts	Build, packaging, signing, notarization, and external-control scripts.

Distribution

Production packaging uses electron-builder. The repo includes scripts for internal unsigned builds and signed/notarized macOS builds.

Typical release concerns:

• native module rebuilds
• app identity and branding
• app icons and packaged resources
• macOS signing and notarization secrets
• Windows and Linux packaging targets
• update and distribution strategy
• release notes and verification evidence

The unsigned internal path and the signed/notarized path are different release modes. Do not treat a local DMG that opens on one machine as release validation.

Mobile companion checks

Companion app work is scoped under mobile.

Common commands:

pnpm --dir mobile start
pnpm --dir mobile ios
pnpm --dir mobile android
pnpm --dir mobile typecheck
pnpm --dir mobile lint

Companion features should be tested against the desktop pairing and approval surfaces they control.

Release evidence

For a release candidate, keep:

• commit or tag
• build command
• platform target
• signing/notarization status
• smoke test result
• critical workflow checks
• known limitations
• rollback or rebuild notes

Release notes should tell maintainers what changed and how it was verified. They do not need to pretend every build was a spiritual event.