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This guide covers how to build the Asta desktop app from source for development and production use.

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Prerequisites

1

Install Node.js 18+

The frontend requires Node.js 18 or later. Check your version:
node --version  # Should be v18.0.0 or higher
Download from nodejs.org if needed.
2

Install Rust Toolchain

Tauri requires Rust for native compilation. Install via rustup:
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
Verify installation:
rustc --version
cargo --version
3

Platform-Specific Dependencies

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macOS

Install Xcode Command Line Tools:
xcode-select --install

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Windows

Install the required build tools:
  1. Microsoft C++ Build Tools - Download from Visual Studio
  2. WebView2 - Usually pre-installed on Windows 10/11

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Linux

Install development dependencies (Debian/Ubuntu):
sudo apt update
sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev \
  build-essential \
  curl \
  wget \
  file \
  libxdo-dev \
  libssl-dev \
  libayatana-appindicator3-dev \
  librsvg2-dev

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Development Build

1

Navigate to App Directory

cd MACWinApp/asta-app
2

Install Dependencies

Install Node.js dependencies:
npm install
This installs:
  • React and React DOM
  • Tauri CLI and API
  • TypeScript and Vite
  • TailwindCSS
  • Tauri plugins (global-shortcut, autostart, http, opener)
3

Start Development Server

Run the app in development mode with hot-reload:
npm run tauri dev
This will:
  1. Start Vite dev server on http://localhost:1420
  2. Compile the Rust backend
  3. Launch the desktop app
  4. Enable hot-reload for frontend changes
The first build takes longer as Cargo compiles all dependencies. Subsequent builds use caching and are much faster.

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Development Commands

# Run dev server only (no Tauri window)
npm run dev

# Build frontend only
npm run build

# Preview production build
npm run preview

# Run Tauri CLI directly
npm run tauri -- --help

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Production Build

1

Build for Your Platform

Create an optimized production build:
npm run tauri build
This will:
  1. Run tsc && vite build to compile frontend
  2. Compile Rust in release mode with optimizations
  3. Generate platform-specific installers
2

Locate Build Artifacts

Built binaries and installers are placed in:
src-tauri/target/release/
Platform-specific bundles:

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macOS

src-tauri/target/release/bundle/dmg/
  └── Asta_1.4.2_aarch64.dmg    # Apple Silicon
  └── Asta_1.4.2_x86_64.dmg     # Intel

src-tauri/target/release/bundle/macos/
  └── Asta.app                   # Application bundle

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Windows

src-tauri/target/release/bundle/msi/
  └── Asta_1.4.2_x64_en-US.msi   # MSI installer

src-tauri/target/release/bundle/nsis/
  └── Asta_1.4.2_x64-setup.exe   # NSIS installer

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Cross-Platform Builds

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Building for macOS Architectures

To build for a specific architecture on macOS: 
# Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4)
npm run tauri build -- --target aarch64-apple-darwin

# Intel
npm run tauri build -- --target x86_64-apple-darwin
You must install the target first: 
rustup target add aarch64-apple-darwin
rustup target add x86_64-apple-darwin
Cross-compiling from Intel to Apple Silicon (or vice versa) on the same machine is supported by Rust and works seamlessly on macOS.

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Building Universal Binaries

For a universal macOS binary that runs on both architectures: 
npm run tauri build -- --target universal-apple-darwin

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Configuration

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Version Bumping

The app version is defined in two places and must be kept in sync:
  1. package.json (line 4):
{
  "version": "1.4.2"
}
  1. src-tauri/Cargo.toml (line 3):
[package]
version = "1.4.2"
  1. src-tauri/tauri.conf.json (line 4):
{
  "version": "1.4.2"
}
All three version numbers must match, or the build will fail or produce inconsistent results.

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Build Configuration

The Tauri build is configured in src-tauri/tauri.conf.json: 
{
  "build": {
    "beforeDevCommand": "npm run dev",
    "devUrl": "http://localhost:1420",
    "beforeBuildCommand": "npm run build",
    "frontendDist": "../dist"
  }
}

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Bundle Configuration

Control which installers are generated: 
{
  "bundle": {
    "active": true,
    "targets": "all",  // or ["dmg", "msi", "deb", "appimage"]
    "icon": [
      "icons/32x32.png",
      "icons/128x128.png",
      "icons/[email protected]",
      "icons/icon.icns",  // macOS
      "icons/icon.ico"    // Windows
    ]
  }
}

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Troubleshooting

Install the Tauri CLI:
npm install
The CLI is installed as a dev dependency via @tauri-apps/cli.
Update your Rust toolchain:
rustup update stable
Clear the build cache:
cd src-tauri
cargo clean
cd ..
npm run tauri build
Vite’s hot-reload should work automatically. If not:
  1. Stop the dev server (Ctrl+C)
  2. Clear Vite cache: rm -rf node_modules/.vite
  3. Restart: npm run tauri dev
This happens when the app isn’t code-signed. For development builds:
xattr -cr src-tauri/target/release/bundle/macos/Asta.app
For distribution, you need an Apple Developer certificate.
Windows SmartScreen may block unsigned installers. For development:
  • Right-click the MSI → Properties → Unblock
  • Or click “More info” → “Run anyway” during installation
For distribution, sign the installer with a code signing certificate.

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Next Steps

Release Process

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