knotes/desktop-app/README.md

kNotes Desktop App

A cross-platform desktop version of kNotes that connects to your hosted API at https://notes.lhamacorp.com.

Prerequisites

• Node.js (version 16 or higher)
• npm (comes with Node.js)

Installation

1. Navigate to the desktop-app directory:

   cd desktop-app
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

Running in Development

To run the app in development mode:

npm start

Building for Distribution

Build for All Platforms (requires appropriate OS)

npm run build-all

Build for Specific Platforms

Windows:

npm run build-win

macOS:

npm run build-mac

Linux:

npm run build-linux

Build Output

Built applications will be available in the dist/ directory:

• Windows: .exe installer and portable app
• macOS: .dmg installer and .app file
• Linux: .AppImage portable executable

Features

• 🖥️ Native desktop app experience
• 🌐 Connects to your hosted kNotes API
• 🌙 Dark/Light theme support
• ⌨️ Keyboard shortcuts:
  • Ctrl/Cmd + N - New Note
  • Ctrl/Cmd + H - Home
  • Ctrl/Cmd + Q - Quit
• 📱 Responsive interface
• 💾 Auto-save functionality
• 🔄 Real-time conflict detection
• 🔄 Automatic Updates - App updates automatically when frontend changes

Architecture

The desktop app is built with:

• Electron - Cross-platform desktop framework
• Vanilla JavaScript - No additional framework dependencies
• Native HTML/CSS - Clean, fast interface

The app acts as a desktop wrapper around your existing frontend, making HTTP requests to your deployed API at https://notes.lhamacorp.com/api/notes.

Automatic Updates

The desktop app includes automatic update functionality:

How It Works

1. Frontend Changes Detected - When you push changes to the main branch that affect src/main/resources/static/, GitHub Actions automatically builds new desktop app versions
2. GitHub Releases Created - New versions are published to GitHub Releases with cross-platform binaries
3. Automatic Notifications - Desktop app checks for updates every time it starts and notifies users when updates are available
4. Background Downloads - Updates download automatically in the background
5. One-Click Installation - Users can restart to apply updates with a single click

Manual Update Check

Users can also manually check for updates via: File Menu → Check for Updates

Update Process

• ✅ Non-disruptive background downloads
• ✅ User chooses when to restart and apply updates
• ✅ Automatic rollback protection
• ✅ Secure signature verification

Development Notes

• The app loads home.html by default
• All API calls are routed to the hosted backend
• Theme preferences are stored locally using localStorage
• The app includes security best practices (disabled node integration, context isolation)

Troubleshooting

1. App won't start: Make sure Node.js and npm are installed correctly
2. Build fails: Check that you have the necessary build tools for your platform
3. API connection issues: Verify that https://notes.lhamacorp.com is accessible from your network

Security

The desktop app follows Electron security best practices:

• Node integration is disabled
• Context isolation is enabled
• External links open in the default browser
• Web security is enforced