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electron-builder

electron.build

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Spec score 7.8 #12 of 29 in Software Packaging Tools

What it is

electron-builder is a free, open-source tool for packaging Electron apps for distribution on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It creates installers, portable builds, and archives, with targets ranging from DMG, PKG, AppImage, and DEB to NSIS, MSI, ZIP, and other formats. Command-line packaging and silent installation are supported. The electron-updater package provides differential updates, staged rollouts, and documented providers including GitHub Releases, Amazon S3, DigitalOcean Spaces, Cloudflare R2, Keygen, and generic HTTP(S) servers. Update manifests may be signed with Ed25519 and checked against a public key embedded in the app. Configured credentials enable macOS notarization and Windows Authenticode signing; ASAR integrity hashes are enabled by default, and Electron Fuses can disable selected features at package time. GitHub Actions guidance covers CI/CD builds and publishing. In v27, publishing must be explicitly requested. One build constraint matters: macOS signing requires macOS, and native dependencies generally need compilation on the target platform unless prebuilt binaries are used.

Spec sheet

Purpose
electron-builder packages and builds Electron apps for distribution.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Auto-updates
The electron-updater package supports differential updates, staged rollouts, and multiple update providers.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Build constraint
macOS code signing works only on macOS, and native dependencies generally must be compiled on the target platform unless prebuilt binaries are used.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Build outputs
It produces installers, portable builds, and distribution-ready archives for macOS, Windows, and Linux.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
CI integration
The documentation provides GitHub Actions CI/CD guidance for building and publishing Electron apps.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Community support
The site directs users to GitHub Issues and npm for community and package resources.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Electron Forge integration
Forge maker packages create electron-builder targets, but publishing, auto-update, and code signing require electron-builder as the primary build tool.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Package integrity
ASAR integrity hashes are enabled by default, and Electron Fuses can disable selected Electron features at package time.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Publishing safety
Publishing must be explicitly requested in v27 using a CLI flag or configuration option.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Signing
The tool supports macOS notarization and Windows Authenticode signing when signing credentials are configured.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Update providers
Documented providers include GitHub Releases, Amazon S3, DigitalOcean Spaces, Cloudflare R2, Keygen, and generic HTTP(S) servers.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build
Update security
Update manifests can be optionally signed with Ed25519 and verified against a public key embedded in the app before downloads.Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build

Plans and prices

electron-builder Free No pricing or paid plans stated on the official pages reviewed Read 3 Oct 2026 · electron.build

Every electron-builder plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Builds installers, portable apps, and archives.
  • Supports differential updates and staged rollouts.
  • Update manifests can use Ed25519 signatures.
  • ASAR integrity hashes are enabled by default.
  • GitHub Actions CI/CD guidance is provided.

Limits

  • macOS code signing works only on macOS.
  • Native dependencies generally need target-platform compilation.
  • Signing requires configured credentials.

Who it suits

It suits Electron developers who need packaging, signing, or update workflows across desktop platforms. Teams should account for the target-platform build constraints and configured signing credentials.

Verdict

electron-builder covers packaging and update workflows for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with a broad set of output targets. Its build and signing constraints make platform planning part of the setup.

Where Specifiction places it

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