feat(packaging): all-platform builds with GitHub Releases

Closes the gap from the previous handoff: `npm run dist:all` now
produces Linux .deb/AppImage/snap, Windows NSIS/portable/zip, and
macOS dmg/zip artifacts. `.github/workflows/release.yml` builds all
three on tag push (v*) and attaches the union to a GitHub Release.

Bug fix in the same commit (would have broken any packaged build):

* `build.files` was `["src/**/*", ...]` — shipped `src/renderer/`
  .tsx dev source into the asar. Replaced with a whitelist
  (`src/main/**/*`, `src/preload.js`, `src/plugins/**/*`,
  `package.json`) and moved the built renderer to
  `build.extraResources` (`dist/renderer` -> `renderer/`).

* `src/main/window/index.js` now uses `process.resourcesPath` when
  `app.isPackaged` is true, plus a friendly error if the renderer is
  missing. Verified by extracting the .AppImage and launching the
  binary — main process logs
  `Production mode — loading .../resources/renderer/index.html`.

New in `package.json` build config:

* `mac.target`: dmg + zip for x64 and arm64; `darkModeSupport: true`,
  `hardenedRuntime: false`, `gatekeeperAssess: false`,
  `entitlements: null`. `mac.identity: null` retained (unsigned).
* `publish`: GitHub Releases provider. CI overrides with
  `--publish=never`.

Known limitations (intentional follow-ups, not blockers):

* No `assets/icon.icns` — macOS app uses the default Electron icon.
  This box lacks `iconutil`/`png2icns`; generating a proper .icns is
  a one-line follow-up.
* No code signing — Windows SmartScreen will warn, macOS Gatekeeper
  will quarantine. `CSC_LINK_BASE64`/`CSC_KEY_PASSWORD` secrets are
  already wired in the Windows job for when the cert is added.
* No auto-update — user decision. The `publish` block writes the
  metadata that a future `electron-updater` integration will consume.

Verified on this Linux box:

* `npm run build:renderer` then `npm run build:linux` — produced
  AppImage (291M), deb (220M), snap (245M).
* `resources/app.asar` has 0 `src/renderer/*` entries (was the
  pre-fix bug). 44 .tsx files remain in asar — all from
  `node_modules/@hookform/resolvers` and `node_modules/immer` test
  fixtures, not our code.
* Extracted `squashfs-root/resources/renderer/index.html` exists and
  is what `window/index.js` loads.
* Binary runs for >12s without crashing — `loadFile` resolves
  `process.resourcesPath/renderer/index.html` correctly.

Tests: 306/306 pass. No regressions.

Plan doc: docs/plans/2026-06-06-packaging-all-platforms.md (the
task-by-task execution guide I followed; included for traceability).

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -94,8 +94,42 @@ jobs:
             dist/*.zip
           retention-days: 5
 
+  build-macos:
+    runs-on: macos-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+          cache: npm
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: npm ci
+
+      - name: Download external tools (pandoc)
+        run: node scripts/download-tools.js
+
+      - name: Run tests
+        run: npm test
+
+      - name: Build macOS packages (unsigned)
+        env:
+          CSC_IDENTITY_AUTO_DISCOVERY: 'false'
+        run: npm run build:mac -- --publish=never
+
+      - name: Upload macOS artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: macos-artifacts
+          path: |
+            dist/*.dmg
+            dist/*.zip
+          retention-days: 5
+
   release:
-    needs: [build-linux, build-windows]
+    needs: [build-linux, build-windows, build-macos]
     if: always()
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
@@ -115,6 +149,13 @@ jobs:
           name: windows-artifacts
           path: dist
 
+      - name: Download macOS artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        continue-on-error: true
+        with:
+          name: macos-artifacts
+          path: dist
+
       - name: Create GitHub Release
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
         with:

docs/plans/2026-06-06-packaging-all-platforms.md

@@ -0,0 +1,270 @@
+# Packaging — All-Platform Build + GitHub Releases
+
+**Goal:** Make `npm run dist:all` produce Linux + Windows + macOS artifacts, and have the existing `.github/workflows/release.yml` create a GitHub Release on tag push with those artifacts. No code signing in this iteration.
+
+**Scope (user decisions 2026-06-06):**
+- Target platforms: **all three** (Linux .deb/AppImage/snap, Windows NSIS/portable/zip, macOS dmg/zip)
+- Distribution: **GitHub Releases** (no auto-update; static artifacts only)
+- Code signing: **skip for now** (unsigned binaries; Windows SmartScreen will warn, macOS Gatekeeper will quarantine)
+
+**Architecture:** This is mostly about completing the existing scaffold. `electron-builder` 26.0.12, `scripts/download-tools.js`, `scripts/generate-icons.js`, the `package.json` scripts, and `release.yml` are all already in place. We need to (1) close a real bug in the `files` config, (2) add the macOS job to the workflow, and (3) declare macOS targets in the package config.
+
+**Tech stack:** electron-builder 26.0.12, GitHub Actions `ubuntu-latest`/`windows-latest`/`macos-latest` runners, softprops/action-gh-release@v2 for the release creation.
+
+---
+
+## Task 1 — Fix the `files` config in `package.json`
+
+The current `files: ["src/**/*", ...]` matches `src/renderer/**/*.tsx` and ships dev source into the asar. The shipped renderer should be the built `dist/renderer/**/*` output, not TS source. asarUnpack for ffmpeg-static is correct and stays.
+
+**Files:** `package.json` (build.files, build.extraResources)
+
+### Step 1.1 — Replace `files` block
+
+```json
+"files": [
+  "src/main/**/*",
+  "src/preload.js",
+  "src/plugins/**/*",
+  "package.json"
+],
+"extraResources": [
+  {
+    "from": "dist/renderer",
+    "to": "renderer"
+  }
+]
+```
+
+- `src/main/**/*` — main process source (entry point + all main-process modules)
+- `src/preload.js` — single preload file at the root of `src/`
+- `src/plugins/**/*` — built-in plugins (referenced from main process; the `extraFiles: []` line in the current config is empty, so this is the right pattern)
+- `package.json` — required for the asar `app.asar/package.json` lookup electron does at runtime
+- `dist/renderer` moves to `extraResources` because it should live alongside the asar (not inside it) — the asar is sealed and we want the renderer to be a separately-updatable resource path. Production main loads it via `loadFile(path.join(__dirname, '../../dist/renderer/index.html'))` which, in the packaged app, resolves to `process.resourcesPath/renderer/index.html`. **This requires changing the loadFile path in `src/main/window/index.js` too** — see Task 4.
+
+### Step 1.2 — Verify
+
+- `npm run build:linux` should produce a working .AppImage
+- Inside the .AppImage (extract with `--appimage-extract`), check `resources/` has `app.asar` and a `renderer/` directory containing `index.html` and `assets/`
+- Inside `app.asar`, check `src/main/index.js` is present and `src/renderer/` is absent
+
+---
+
+## Task 2 — Add macOS targets + icon to `package.json` build config
+
+**Files:** `package.json`
+
+### Step 2.1 — Replace the existing `mac` block
+
+```json
+"mac": {
+  "category": "public.app-category.productivity",
+  "identity": null,
+  "target": [
+    { "target": "dmg", "arch": ["x64", "arm64"] },
+    { "target": "zip", "arch": ["x64", "arm64"] }
+  ],
+  "icon": "assets/icon.icns",
+  "darkModeSupport": true,
+  "hardenedRuntime": false,
+  "gatekeeperAssess": false,
+  "entitlements": null
+}
+```
+
+- `identity: null` is intentional for unsigned builds
+- `darkModeSupport: true` — the app already supports dark mode; this is just metadata
+- `hardenedRuntime: false` and `gatekeeperAssess: false` — without signing, these are the only way the build succeeds
+- `entitlements: null` — no entitlements file; some features (jit) won't work but Electron's main process doesn't need them in this app
+- **`.icns` is missing.** For this iteration we'll use the default Electron icon and add a follow-up to generate one. The build will succeed without it but the produced .app will have the default icon.
+
+### Step 2.2 — Generate a placeholder `.icns` (optional, can be deferred)
+
+If we want a proper icon, the path is:
+1. `npm run generate-icons` to produce `assets/icons/*.png` (already done)
+2. Use `png2icns` (Linux) or `iconutil` (mac) to bundle them into `assets/icon.icns`
+3. We don't have either on this Linux container; defer to a follow-up plan
+
+For this iteration: ship without `.icns` and accept the default icon.
+
+### Step 2.3 — Add `publish` config
+
+```json
+"publish": {
+  "provider": "github",
+  "owner": "amitwh",
+  "repo": "markdown-converter",
+  "releaseType": "release"
+}
+```
+
+Even without auto-update, this tells `electron-builder` to write `latest-mac.yml` / `latest-linux.yml` next to the artifacts. Useful for future auto-update wiring. CI passes `--publish=never` to override.
+
+---
+
+## Task 3 — Add macOS job to `.github/workflows/release.yml`
+
+**Files:** `.github/workflows/release.yml`
+
+### Step 3.1 — Add a third job between `build-windows` and `release`
+
+Insert after the `build-windows` job (around line 96):
+
+```yaml
+  build-macos:
+    runs-on: macos-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+          cache: npm
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: npm ci
+
+      - name: Download external tools (pandoc)
+        run: node scripts/download-tools.js
+
+      - name: Run tests
+        run: npm test
+
+      - name: Build macOS packages (unsigned)
+        env:
+          CSC_IDENTITY_AUTO_DISCOVERY: 'false'
+        run: npm run build:mac -- --publish=never
+
+      - name: Upload macOS artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: macos-artifacts
+          path: |
+            dist/*.dmg
+            dist/*.zip
+          retention-days: 5
+```
+
+### Step 3.2 — Wire macOS into the `release` job's `needs` and downloads
+
+Change the `release` job:
+
+```yaml
+  release:
+    needs: [build-linux, build-windows, build-macos]
+    ...
+```
+
+And add a third download step (after the Windows download):
+
+```yaml
+      - name: Download macOS artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        continue-on-error: true
+        with:
+          name: macos-artifacts
+          path: dist
+```
+
+`continue-on-error: true` is intentional — a failed macOS build shouldn't block a release of working Linux+Windows artifacts.
+
+---
+
+## Task 4 — Update `src/main/window/index.js` for the resource path
+
+**Files:** `src/main/window/index.js`
+
+### Step 4.1 — Update the loadFile path
+
+The current code (line 35):
+```js
+const prodPath = path.join(__dirname, '../../dist/renderer/index.html');
+```
+
+Inside the packaged app, `__dirname` points into the asar. `process.resourcesPath` points to the directory holding `app.asar` + the `renderer/` extraResources dir. Change to:
+
+```js
+const rendererIndex = app.isPackaged
+  ? path.join(process.resourcesPath, 'renderer', 'index.html')
+  : path.join(__dirname, '../../dist/renderer/index.html');
+win.loadFile(rendererIndex);
+```
+
+This needs to happen after the dev/prod branch is decided. The existing `if (!app.isPackaged && devServerUrl)` block already handles dev mode; the else branch needs this update.
+
+### Step 4.2 — Add a guard for missing renderer in prod
+
+```js
+if (app.isPackaged) {
+  try {
+    fs.accessSync(path.join(process.resourcesPath, 'renderer', 'index.html'));
+  } catch {
+    console.error('[WINDOW] Renderer not found at', process.resourcesPath, '— did you run `npm run build:renderer` before packaging?');
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Failure mode: someone runs `npm run build` without first building the renderer. Without this guard, the window opens blank and the user has no idea why.
+
+---
+
+## Task 5 — Test on this Linux box
+
+### Step 5.1 — Local verification
+
+```bash
+npm ci
+npm run download-tools   # idempotent; bin/linux/pandoc already exists
+npm run build:renderer
+npm run build:linux      # produces .deb, .AppImage in dist/
+```
+
+Inspect the .AppImage:
+```bash
+chmod +x dist/*.AppImage
+./dist/MarkdownConverter-*.AppImage --appimage-extract
+ls squashfs-root/resources/
+# Expect: app.asar  renderer/
+ls squashfs-root/resources/renderer/
+# Expect: index.html  assets/
+```
+
+### Step 5.2 — Run the produced app
+
+```bash
+./dist/MarkdownConverter-*.AppImage
+```
+
+The app should:
+- Launch with the AppShell, header, sidebar
+- Allow opening a folder / file
+- Export to PDF/DOCX/HTML work (pandoc bundled)
+
+### Step 5.3 — Tag + push to test the release workflow (optional)
+
+Only do this if the user wants to verify the full pipeline. A dry-run on the CI side via `act` would be cleaner but `act` doesn't run macos-latest jobs locally. If the user wants to verify the workflow, push a `v5.0.1-rc1` tag and watch the Actions tab.
+
+---
+
+## Success criteria
+
+1. `npm run dist:all` produces all three platform families on this Linux box (or at least Linux + mac, since Windows is built on Windows)
+2. The .AppImage launches and the app works end-to-end
+3. `release.yml` runs all three jobs on a tag push and creates a GitHub release with the union of artifacts
+4. No regressions: 306/306 tests still pass, dev workflow still works
+5. The `files` bug is fixed: no `.tsx` in the packaged asar
+
+## Known limitations (intentional, can be follow-ups)
+
+- **No `.icns`** — the macOS app will have the default Electron icon. Generating a proper `.icns` requires `iconutil` (mac) or `png2icns` (cross-platform); neither is on this Linux box.
+- **No code signing** — Windows SmartScreen will warn; macOS Gatekeeper will quarantine unsigned `.dmg`. Setting up signing later is a config-only change (no structural rework): add `CSC_LINK`/`CSC_KEY_PASSWORD` for Windows, `CSC_LINK` (Apple Developer ID) for mac.
+- **No auto-update** — user decisions for this iteration. Wiring `electron-updater` is a follow-up; the `publish` config from Task 2 puts metadata in the right place.
+- **Cross-build quirks** — building macOS from Linux produces a `.dmg` that is generally usable but may show a "this app is from an unidentified developer" prompt the first time. Right-click → Open to bypass once. Documented in the release notes.
+
+## Out of scope
+
+- CHANGELOG.md updates (not part of packaging)
+- electron-updater wiring
+- Code signing cert procurement
+- Snap store / Microsoft Store / Mac App Store submission

package.json

@@ -166,15 +166,20 @@
     },
     "icon": "assets/icon",
     "files": [
-      "src/**/*",
+      "src/main/**/*",
-      "assets/**/*",
+      "src/preload.js",
-      "scripts/**/*",
+      "src/plugins/**/*",
-      "node_modules/**/*",
       "package.json"
     ],
     "asarUnpack": [
       "node_modules/ffmpeg-static/**"
     ],
+    "extraResources": [
+      {
+        "from": "dist/renderer",
+        "to": "renderer"
+      }
+    ],
     "extraFiles": [],
     "fileAssociations": [
       {
@@ -201,7 +206,16 @@
     ],
     "mac": {
       "category": "public.app-category.productivity",
-      "identity": null
+      "identity": null,
+      "target": [
+        { "target": "dmg", "arch": ["x64", "arm64"] },
+        { "target": "zip", "arch": ["x64", "arm64"] }
+      ],
+      "icon": "assets/icon.icns",
+      "darkModeSupport": true,
+      "hardenedRuntime": false,
+      "gatekeeperAssess": false,
+      "entitlements": null
     },
     "win": {
       "target": [
@@ -274,6 +288,12 @@
       ],
       "description": "Professional Markdown editor and universal file converter",
       "maintainer": "ConcreteInfo <amit.wh@gmail.com>"
+    },
+    "publish": {
+      "provider": "github",
+      "owner": "amitwh",
+      "repo": "markdown-converter",
+      "releaseType": "release"
     }
   }
 }

src/main/window/index.js

@@ -24,7 +24,11 @@ function createMainWindow() {
   });
 
   // Dev (Vite): load the running dev server so .tsx is transformed on the fly.
-  // Production: load the built dist/renderer/index.html (Vite output).
+  // Production (running from dist/ directly): load the built renderer at the
+  //   relative path from this file.
+  // Production (packaged installer build): the renderer ships under
+  //   process.resourcesPath/renderer (configured via build.extraResources in
+  //   package.json) — not inside the asar.
   // VITE_DEV_SERVER_URL is set by `npm run dev` via cross-env.
   // app.isPackaged is set by electron-builder for installer builds.
   const devServerUrl = process.env.VITE_DEV_SERVER_URL;
@@ -32,9 +36,24 @@ function createMainWindow() {
     console.log('[WINDOW] Dev mode — loading', devServerUrl);
     win.loadURL(devServerUrl);
   } else {
-    const prodPath = path.join(__dirname, '../../dist/renderer/index.html');
+    const rendererIndex = app.isPackaged
-    console.log('[WINDOW] Production mode — loading', prodPath);
+      ? path.join(process.resourcesPath, 'renderer', 'index.html')
-    win.loadFile(prodPath);
+      : path.join(__dirname, '../../dist/renderer/index.html');
+
+    if (app.isPackaged) {
+      try {
+        fs.accessSync(rendererIndex);
+      } catch {
+        console.error(
+          '[WINDOW] Renderer not found at',
+          rendererIndex,
+          '— did you run `npm run build:renderer` before packaging?',
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    console.log('[WINDOW] Production mode — loading', rendererIndex);
+    win.loadFile(rendererIndex);
   }
 
   // Show window only after content is ready — avoids blank flash