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solidcraft-upstream/docs/book/src/guide/updates.md
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bherbruckandClaude Opus 5.5 d4a7b3abf3 Update now: download, verify and install a release in one click (#1118)
Where SolidCraft can replace itself safely, the Update window gets Update now:
- AppImage: the new AppImage is downloaded next to the old one, verified and renamed over
  it; Restart now starts it as SolidCraft exits.
- Windows MSI: the verified .msi starts (msiexec /i … /passive) once SolidCraft has closed,
  after the usual questions about unsaved designs.
- Windows portable zip / standalone exe: the running solidcraft.exe is renamed to .old, the
  new one takes its name (solidcraft-cli.exe too), Restart now; .old goes at the next start.
- macOS: the verified .dmg is opened (the app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized, so it isn't
  replaced behind the user's back).
- Flatpak, Snap, deb, rpm, tar.gz: never replaced; the window shows the command.

Every package's SHA-256 must match the release's SHA256SUMS.txt (HTTPS, same release); a
mismatch deletes the download and changes nothing. With PUBLIC_KEY set in update/install.rs,
SHA256SUMS.txt.minisig must also verify (minisign-verify, MIT) with a trusted comment naming
the release. release.yml signs the list when the UPDATE_SIGNING_KEY secret exists and fails
when the app expects signatures but the secret is missing; docs/releasing.md has the steps.

Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-10-14 11:05:40 -04:00

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6.1 KiB
Markdown

# Updates and privacy
SolidCraft tells you when a newer release is out. It never updates itself without asking, and
the check sends nothing about you or your designs.
## What you see
When a newer stable release exists, an **Update** button appears in the title bar next to
**Report a bug**. It opens a small window with the new version, its release notes and three
choices:
- **Download** opens the file that fits your installation (see the table below) in your
browser, or the release page when there isn't one.
- **Skip this version** hides the button until an even newer release comes out.
- **Remind me later** hides it for three days.
**Preferences ▸ General ▸ Updates** has **Check for updates automatically** (on by default) and
**Check now**, which checks right away and shows the window even for a version you skipped.
## Updating in one click
Where SolidCraft can replace itself safely, the window also has **Update now**:
| Installed as | Update now does |
|---|---|
| AppImage | Downloads the new AppImage next to the old one, verifies it, renames it over the old file and offers **Restart now** |
| Windows installer (`.msi`) | **Install (closes SolidCraft)**: downloads and verifies the `.msi`, closes SolidCraft (asking about unsaved designs first) and starts the installer |
| Windows portable `.zip` or `.exe` | Downloads and verifies the package, swaps in the new `solidcraft.exe` (and `solidcraft-cli.exe`) and offers **Restart now**; the old file is removed at the next start |
| macOS | **Download and open**: downloads and verifies the `.dmg` and opens it; drag SolidCraft to Applications to replace the old copy |
| Flatpak, Snap, `.deb`, `.rpm`, `.tar.gz` | Nothing: your package manager updates these (the window shows the command), or you unpack the new archive |
Every download is verified before anything changes: its SHA-256 must match the release's
`SHA256SUMS.txt`, fetched over HTTPS from the same release, and, once the project signs its
releases, that list must carry a valid signature by SolidCraft's release key that names the
release (see [releasing](https://github.com/bherbruck/solidcraft/blob/main/docs/releasing.md#update-signing)).
A download that doesn't verify is deleted and the installed copy is left as it was; **Download**
still gets the package for a manual install. On macOS SolidCraft opens the disk image rather than
replacing the app itself, because the app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized: replacing it in the
background would install code macOS can't vouch for without you seeing it.
Update now needs write access to the installed file: an AppImage in a folder you can't write to
fails with a message, and **Download** is the way to update it.
## What is sent
One HTTPS request, at start and at most once a day while SolidCraft runs:
```text
GET https://api.github.com/repos/bherbruck/solidcraft/releases/latest
User-Agent: SolidCraft-update-check
Accept: application/vnd.github+json
X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28
```
**Update now** then downloads `SHA256SUMS.txt` (and its signature) and the one package from the
release's own `github.com/bherbruck/solidcraft/releases/download/…` links, with the same
User-Agent. That's all: no version number, no machine or user identifier, no usage data, no cookies. GitHub
sees the request like any other visit to the API (your IP address, the time); see
[GitHub's privacy statement](https://docs.github.com/site-policy/privacy-policies/github-general-privacy-statement).
SolidCraft compares the answer with its own version on your computer.
- Offline, or GitHub doesn't answer within 15 seconds: nothing is shown, and the check is tried
again an hour later.
- GitHub's rate limit for anonymous requests (60 an hour per address) is respected: when GitHub
says to wait, SolidCraft waits that long, Check now included.
- Turning off **Check for updates automatically** stops the checks; only **Check now** asks.
- Setting the environment variable `SOLIDCRAFT_UPDATE_CHECK=0` turns all checks off, for
example on managed machines.
Builds you compile yourself, the Flatpak and the browser app (which updates itself) never check.
## Which file Download gets
Releases attach the main packages under fixed names (see [releasing](https://github.com/bherbruck/solidcraft/blob/main/docs/releasing.md)),
and SolidCraft picks the one matching how it was installed:
| Installed as | Detected by | Download | How to update |
|---|---|---|---|
| AppImage | `APPIMAGE` is set | `solidcraft-linux-<arch>.AppImage` | Replace the old AppImage with the new one |
| Flatpak | `FLATPAK_ID` is set | doesn't check (see below) | `flatpak update ai.storyteller.solidcraft` |
| Snap from the Snap Store | `SNAP` is set | release page | `sudo snap refresh solidcraft` (snapd also refreshes by itself) |
| Snap from a downloaded file | `SNAP_REVISION` starts with `x` | `solidcraft-linux-<arch>.snap` | `sudo snap install --dangerous ./solidcraft-linux-<arch>.snap` |
| `.deb` | under `/usr`, dpkg knows `solidcraft` | `solidcraft-linux-<arch>.deb` | `sudo apt install ./solidcraft-linux-<arch>.deb` |
| `.rpm` | under `/usr`, an rpm database exists | `solidcraft-linux-<arch>.rpm` | `sudo dnf install ./solidcraft-linux-<arch>.rpm` |
| `.tar.gz` | anywhere else on Linux | `solidcraft-<version>-linux-<arch>.tar.gz` | Unpack over the old copy |
| Windows installer | under Program Files | `solidcraft-windows-<arch>.msi` | Run the installer |
| Windows portable | `solidcraft-cli.exe` beside it | `solidcraft-windows-<arch>-portable.zip` | Unzip over the old copy |
| Windows `.exe` | anywhere else on Windows | `SolidCraft-<version>-windows-x64.exe` | Replace the old `.exe` |
| macOS | inside `SolidCraft.app` | `solidcraft-macos-universal.dmg` | Drag the new app to Applications |
The window shows the command for Snap, `.deb` and `.rpm` installations, with a Copy button. The
Flatpak has no network permission and Flatpak itself (or your software center) offers its
updates, so it never checks. Release builds compare versions as [semver](https://semver.org): a nightly build counts
as the release it was built after, so it's offered only a newer stable release, and release
candidates are offered their final release.