GNO Desktop Beta Rollout

Rollout checklist for the first public GNO Desktop Beta app.

Current status

What exists in-repo today:

  • app shell scaffold: desktop/electrobun-shell/
  • app-level singleton/deep-link/file-association direction documented
  • in-app onboarding, connectors, import preview, navigation, file lifecycle, and recovery slices

What is still external / missing:

  • Apple signing identity
  • notarization credentials
  • installer packaging decision and artifact pipeline
  • update feed host + release-channel metadata host

This means desktop distribution is not yet a push-button release. This doc is the handoff/checklist for getting there without tribal knowledge.

Beta channel checklist

Before cutting a desktop beta:

  1. bun run lint:check
  2. bun run typecheck
  3. bun test
  4. bun run docs:verify
  5. verify shell scaffold assumptions still match desktop/electrobun-shell/README.md
  6. confirm app-level tabs, file lifecycle, recovery, connectors, and import flows on target macOS

Signing prerequisites

Required before shipping a signed macOS beta:

  • Apple Developer team and signing certificate
  • notarization API key / app-specific credentials
  • bundle identifier confirmation
  • release storage location for signed artifacts

Update strategy

Current recommendation:

  • use a managed beta channel first
  • release notes and update instructions must explain:
    • where the app stores user data
    • whether the update is in-place or reinstall
    • rollback path if the beta is rejected

Until auto-update infra exists, updates should be treated as:

  • support-guided reinstall with explicit version notes

Rollback checklist

If a beta must be rolled back:

  1. stop promoting the broken artifact
  2. re-link the previous known-good artifact in the beta channel location
  3. notify testers which version to reinstall
  4. record affected flows, logs, and support bundle examples

Support handoff

When a tester reports a desktop beta issue, ask for:

  • exact app version
  • install source / channel
  • what file or deep link they opened
  • exported support bundle once that feature lands
  • whether the issue reproduces in plain gno serve

Ownership boundary

GNO repo owns:

  • rollout checklist
  • support workflow
  • shell config placeholders
  • user-facing install/update docs

External credentials / infra own:

  • signing
  • notarization
  • artifact hosting
  • update feed hosting