Stirling-PDF/.github/workflows/README-tauri.md

Tauri Build Workflows

This directory contains GitHub Actions workflows for building Tauri desktop applications for Stirling-PDF.

Workflows

1. tauri-build.yml - Production Build Workflow

Purpose: Build Tauri applications for all platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux) and optionally create releases.

Triggers:

• Manual dispatch with options for test mode and platform selection
• Pull requests affecting Tauri-related files
• Pushes to main branch affecting Tauri-related files

Platforms:

• Windows: x86_64 (exe and msi)
• macOS: Apple Silicon (aarch64) and Intel (x86_64) (dmg)
• Linux: x86_64 (deb and AppImage)

Features:

• Builds Java backend with custom JRE using JLink
• Creates self-contained applications (no Java installation required)
• Installs all dependencies
• Creates signed artifacts (if signing keys are configured)
• Validates all artifacts are created successfully
• Can create GitHub releases (when not in test mode)
• Optimized runtime with only required Java modules

2. tauri-test.yml - Test Workflow

Purpose: Test Tauri builds without creating releases - perfect for validating changes.

Triggers:

• Manual dispatch with platform selection
• Pull requests affecting Tauri-related files

Features:

• Allows testing specific platforms or all platforms
• Validates build artifacts are created with custom JRE
• Checks artifact sizes and runtime optimization
• Reports results without creating releases
• Caches JLink runtime for faster subsequent builds

Usage

Testing Before Merge

1. Test All Platforms:

   # Go to Actions tab in GitHub
   # Run "Test Tauri Build" workflow
   # Select "all" for platform
   

2. Test Specific Platform:

   # Go to Actions tab in GitHub  
   # Run "Test Tauri Build" workflow
   # Select specific platform (windows/macos/linux)
   

Production Builds

1. Test Mode (recommended for PRs):

   # Go to Actions tab in GitHub
   # Run "Build Tauri Applications" workflow
   # Set test_mode: true
   

2. Release Mode:

   # Go to Actions tab in GitHub
   # Run "Build Tauri Applications" workflow  
   # Set test_mode: false
   # This will create a GitHub release
   

Configuration

Required Secrets (Optional)

For signed builds, configure these secrets in your repository:

• TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY: Private key for signing Tauri applications
• TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD: Password for the signing private key

File Structure

The workflows expect this structure:

├── frontend/
│   ├── src-tauri/
│   │   ├── Cargo.toml
│   │   ├── tauri.conf.json
│   │   └── src/
│   ├── package.json
│   └── src/
├── gradlew
└── stirling-pdf/
    └── build/libs/

Validation

Both workflows include comprehensive validation:

1. Build Validation: Ensures all expected artifacts are created
2. Size Validation: Checks artifacts aren't suspiciously small
3. Platform Validation: Verifies platform-specific requirements
4. Integration Testing: Tests that Java backend builds correctly

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Missing Dependencies:

   • Ubuntu: Ensure system dependencies are installed
   • macOS: Check Rust toolchain targets
   • Windows: Verify MSVC tools are available

2. Java Backend Build Fails:

   • Check Gradle permissions (chmod +x ./gradlew)
   • Verify JDK 21 is properly configured

3. Artifact Size Issues:

   • Small artifacts usually indicate build failures
   • Check that backend JAR is properly copied to Tauri resources

4. Signing Issues:

   • Ensure signing secrets are configured if needed
   • Check that signing keys are valid

Debugging

1. Check Logs: Each step provides detailed logging
2. Artifact Inspection: Download artifacts to verify contents
3. Local Testing: Test builds locally before running workflows

JLink Integration Benefits

The workflows now use JLink to create custom Java runtimes:

Self-Contained Applications

• No Java Required: Users don't need Java installed
• Consistent Runtime: Same Java version across all deployments
• Smaller Size: Only includes needed Java modules (~30-50MB vs full JRE)

Security & Performance

• Minimal Attack Surface: Only required modules included
• Faster Startup: Optimized runtime with stripped debug info
• Better Compression: JLink level 2 compression reduces size

Module Analysis

• Automatic Detection: Uses jdeps to analyze JAR dependencies
• Fallback Safety: Predefined module list if analysis fails
• Platform Optimized: Different modules per platform if needed

Integration with Existing Workflows

These workflows are designed to complement the existing build system:

• Uses same JDK and Gradle setup as build.yml
• Follows same security practices as multiOSReleases.yml
• Compatible with existing release processes
• Integrates JLink logic from build-tauri-jlink.sh/bat scripts

Next Steps

1. Test the workflows on your branch
2. Verify all platforms build successfully
3. Check artifact quality and sizes
4. Configure signing if needed
5. Merge when all tests pass