Phase 8 transforms Nodegex from a manually-distributed application requiring full reinstalls into a professionally deployed desktop application with seamless auto-updates across Windows, macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon), and Linux.

Current Pain Points:

Manual code signing of 30+ files for each macOS build
Users must download and reinstall for every update, losing local preferences
No Linux universal distribution
No automated CI/CD pipeline
Rebranding from OpenNoodl to Nodegex not complete

End State:

Push a git tag → GitHub Actions builds all platforms → Users see "Update Available" → One-click update
User data (projects, preferences) persists across updates
Professional code signing handled automatically
Linux support via AppImage (universal) and .deb (Debian/Ubuntu)

Why This Matters

User Experience: Currently users must re-add all projects after every update. This is a deal-breaker for adoption.
Development Velocity: Manual signing and packaging takes hours per release. Automated CI/CD enables rapid iteration.
Community Growth: Linux users are a significant portion of the open-source developer community.
Professional Credibility: Auto-updates are expected in modern desktop applications.

Technical Analysis

Existing Infrastructure (What We Have)

Component	Status	Location
electron-updater	✅ Installed	`autoupdater.js`
Update UI	✅ Complete	`BaseWindow.tsx`, `TitleBar`
Notarization script	✅ Exists	`build/macos-notarize.js`
electron-builder config	⚠️ Incomplete	`package.json` build section
Publish config	❌ Missing	Needs GitHub Releases setup
CI/CD	❌ Missing	Needs GitHub Actions

The Mac Signing Problem Diagnosed

The 30+ manual signatures happen because electron-builder's automatic signing isn't configured correctly.

When properly configured, electron-builder signs in this order (automatically):

All binaries in asar.unpacked (dugite, desktop-trampoline)
Helper apps (GPU, Plugin, Renderer)
Frameworks (Electron, Squirrel, Mantle, ReactiveObjC)
Main executable
The .app bundle itself

Root Cause: Missing CSC_LINK or CSC_NAME environment variable. Without this, electron-builder skips signing entirely, then notarization fails.

The Fix:

# Option 1: Certificate file (for CI)
export CSC_LINK="path/to/certificate.p12"
export CSC_KEY_PASSWORD="certificate-password"

# Option 2: Keychain certificate (for local builds)
export CSC_NAME="Developer ID Application: Osborne Solutions (Y35J975HXR)"

User Data Persistence

This is already solved by Electron's architecture:

Platform	userData Location	Survives Updates?
Windows	`%APPDATA%/Nodegex`	✅ Yes
macOS	`~/Library/Application Support/Nodegex`	✅ Yes
Linux	`~/.config/Nodegex`	✅ Yes

The project list uses localStorage which is stored in userData. The reason Richard is losing data is because users are doing fresh installs (delete app, download new, install) rather than using the auto-update mechanism.

Once auto-update works, this problem disappears.

Task Breakdown

Task 7.1: Rebrand to Nodegex

Effort: 4-6 hours | Complexity: Low

Update all user-facing references from OpenNoodl/Noodl to Nodegex:

package.json productName, appId, description
Window titles and UI strings
Protocol handlers (nodegex://)
userData paths (with migration for existing users)
Documentation and comments

Task 7.2: Fix macOS Code Signing

Effort: 8-12 hours | Complexity: High

Configure electron-builder to sign automatically:

Verify certificate is in keychain correctly
Add CSC_NAME to build environment
Test that all 30+ files are signed automatically
Verify notarization succeeds
Test on both Intel and Apple Silicon

Task 7.3: Configure Auto-Update Publishing

Effort: 4-6 hours | Complexity: Medium

Add GitHub Releases as update source:

Add publish config to package.json
Configure update server URL
Test update detection and download
Test quit-and-install flow

Task 7.4: Linux Universal Distribution

Effort: 6-8 hours | Complexity: Medium

Add AppImage and .deb targets:

Configure AppImage with auto-update support
Configure .deb for Debian/Ubuntu
Handle native module compatibility
Test on Ubuntu 22.04/24.04

Task 7.5: GitHub Actions CI/CD

Effort: 12-16 hours | Complexity: High

Create automated build pipeline:

Matrix build for all platforms/architectures
Secure certificate storage via GitHub Secrets
Automatic GitHub Release creation
Version tagging workflow

Task 7.6: Windows Code Signing (Optional Enhancement)

Effort: 4-8 hours | Complexity: Medium

Add Windows code signing to eliminate SmartScreen warnings:

Obtain code signing certificate (EV or standard)
Configure in electron-builder
Add to CI/CD pipeline

Architecture Decisions

Update Distribution: GitHub Releases

Why GitHub Releases over other options:

Option	Pros	Cons
GitHub Releases	Free, integrated with repo, electron-updater native support	Public releases only
S3/CloudFront	Private releases, full control	Cost, complexity
Nuts/Hazel	More control	Self-hosted, maintenance
Electron Forge	Modern tooling	Migration effort

Decision: GitHub Releases - simplest path, zero cost, electron-builder native support.

Linux Format: AppImage + .deb

Why AppImage:

Single file, no installation required
Works on any Linux distribution
electron-updater supports AppImage auto-updates
No root required

Why .deb:

Native experience for Debian/Ubuntu users (60%+ of Linux desktop)
Integrates with system package manager
Desktop integration (menus, file associations)

Signing Certificate Storage

Local Development: Keychain (macOS) / Certificate Store (Windows) CI/CD: GitHub Secrets with base64-encoded certificates

Success Criteria

✅ User can receive update notification without losing projects
✅ macOS build requires zero manual signing steps
✅ Linux AppImage runs on Ubuntu 22.04+ without dependencies
✅ git tag v1.2.0 && git push --tags triggers full release
✅ All UI shows "Nodegex" branding
✅ Existing OpenNoodl users' data migrates automatically

Risk Assessment

Risk	Likelihood	Impact	Mitigation
Apple certificate issues	Medium	High	Document exact certificate setup steps
Native module compatibility	Medium	Medium	Test dugite/desktop-trampoline on all platforms
Auto-update breaks for some users	Low	High	Include manual download fallback
Linux dependency issues	Medium	Medium	Test on fresh VM installations

Timeline Estimate

Task	Effort	Dependencies
7.1 Rebrand	4-6h	None
7.2 macOS Signing	8-12h	7.1
7.3 Auto-Update Config	4-6h	7.1
7.4 Linux Distribution	6-8h	7.1
7.5 GitHub Actions	12-16h	7.2, 7.3, 7.4
7.6 Windows Signing	4-8h	7.5 (optional)

Total: 38-56 hours (excluding Windows signing)

README.md

Phase 8: Auto-Update & Cross-Platform Deployment Infrastructure

Executive Summary