Files
openclaw/apps/linux/README.md
Peter Steinberger b35fc165ee feat(linux): extend companion self-update to macOS/Windows test builds (#109244)
Platform-aware install kinds: Linux AppImage and macOS self-install in place;
Windows defers — the update downloads and verifies in the background, then the
NSIS installer runs only from the user-confirmed restart (Tauri's installer
launch exits the process, so it must never fire behind a silent auto-check).
Linux system packages stay notify-only.

The release workflow gains dispatch-gated unsigned macOS/Windows test bundles
signed with the same minisign key, and a separate desktop-test update channel:
latest.json stays Linux-only on every release, while an opt-in fixed
'desktop-test' prerelease hosts latest-desktop-test.json (monotonic version
guard) so Linux-only releases can never strand distributed test builds. Build
jobs check out the SHA the validation job resolved, closing the tag-move race.
2026-07-16 10:55:19 -07:00

83 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown

# OpenClaw for Linux
The Linux companion is a Tauri v2 desktop shell for OpenClaw Gateways. It discovers nearby Gateways over Bonjour, installs the CLI when needed, delegates local Gateway service management to `openclaw gateway`, opens the selected Gateway's Control UI, and stays available in the system tray.
## Linux prerequisites
Debian and Ubuntu development packages:
```bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev build-essential curl wget file \
libxdo-dev libssl-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev
```
Install a current stable Rust toolchain with `rustup`.
## Develop and build
The frontend is static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It has no package install or build step.
```bash
cd apps/linux/src-tauri
cargo run
cargo build
```
The app uses `OPENCLAW_DESKTOP_CLI` when set. Otherwise it checks `~/.openclaw/bin/openclaw`, then `openclaw` on `PATH`.
On first run, release builds automatically install the stable CLI channel, while development builds ask for a release channel and preselect Development. After the CLI install, the app opens the local dashboard once with onboarding mode enabled. Reconnects and later app launches use the normal dashboard URL.
## Updates
The companion checks the latest GitHub release shortly after launch and from **Check for Updates** in the tray menu. AppImage installs download and verify the signed update in place, then wait for **Restart to update**. Package-managed installs such as `.deb` stay owned by the system package manager and link to the release download page instead of replacing installed files. The macOS and Windows test builds use a separate opt-in desktop-test update channel; macOS self-updates like the AppImage build, while Windows downloads the update first and runs its installer only after **Restart to update**.
## Canvas bridge
The running app gives the headless `openclaw node run` host a single Canvas WebView. The bundled `linux-canvas` plugin advertises `canvas.*` only while the app socket exists. The app listens at `$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/openclaw-canvas.sock` (or `/tmp/openclaw-canvas-$UID.sock`) with mode `0600`; a headless Linux node without the app does not advertise Canvas.
The plugin-generated A2UI renderer in `extensions/canvas/src/host/a2ui/` remains the source of truth. The app embeds its committed, synced OpenClawKit mirror from `apps/shared/OpenClawKit/Sources/OpenClawKit/Resources/CanvasA2UI/`. Run `node scripts/sync-native-a2ui.mjs --check` from the repository root after changing those assets.
## Installer resource
`tauri.conf.json` bundles the repository's canonical `scripts/install-cli.sh` directly as `install-cli.sh`. The app never keeps a forked copy. Stable, beta, and dev installs select `latest`, `beta`, and a managed Git `main` checkout respectively, always under `~/.openclaw`.
## Icons
The icon sources of truth live next to the PNGs: `icons/icon.svg` (transparent
claw mark, used by the tray) and `icons/icon-tile.svg` (claw mark on the dark
brand tile, used for the app and package icons). Regenerate the committed PNGs
with librsvg:
```bash
cd apps/linux/src-tauri/icons
rsvg-convert -w 32 --keep-aspect-ratio icon.svg -o 32x32.png
magick 32x32.png -background none -gravity center -extent 32x32 PNG32:32x32.png
rsvg-convert -w 128 -h 128 icon-tile.svg -o 128x128.png
rsvg-convert -w 256 -h 256 icon-tile.svg -o 128x128@2x.png
rsvg-convert -w 512 -h 512 icon-tile.svg -o icon.png
magick icon.png -define icon:auto-resize=256,128,64,48,32,16 icon.ico
```
## Packaging
Build a `.deb` and AppImage locally (the same command CI runs):
```bash
cd apps/linux/src-tauri
pnpm dlx @tauri-apps/cli@2.11.4 build --bundles deb,appimage
```
Bundles land in `target/release/bundle/{deb,appimage}/`. The `Linux App` CI
workflow uploads them as the `openclaw-linux-companion` artifact on pull
requests touching `apps/linux/**` and on manual dispatch.
## Releases
The `Linux App Release` workflow (manual dispatch, release operators) builds
the bundles from an existing stable release tag (prerelease tags are
rejected: their semver suffix breaks Debian upgrade ordering) and attaches them to that tag's
GitHub release with a `SHA256SUMS.linux-app.txt` checksum file. It refuses
tags whose commit is not reachable from `main`: Linux bundles ship for
main-based releases only.