Update packaging PKGBUILD template for alpha.8

.github/workflows/aur-publish.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+name: Publish to AUR
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - "v*"
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag:
+        description: "Tag to publish to AUR (e.g. v0.1.0-alpha.8)"
+        required: true
+        type: string
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  aur-publish:
+    name: Publish deskify-bin
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    container: archlinux:latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          pacman -Syu --noconfirm
+          pacman -S --noconfirm --needed base-devel git openssh curl
+          useradd -m -u 1000 builder || true
+
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}
+
+      - name: Generate PKGBUILD (deskify-bin)
+        run: bash packaging/generate-pkgbuild-bin.sh "${{ inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}"
+
+      - name: Generate .SRCINFO
+        run: |
+          rm -rf /home/builder/work
+          mkdir -p /home/builder/work
+          cp -R . /home/builder/work
+          chown -R builder:builder /home/builder/work
+          su - builder -c "cd /home/builder/work/packaging && makepkg --printsrcinfo > .SRCINFO"
+          cp /home/builder/work/packaging/.SRCINFO packaging/.SRCINFO
+
+      - name: Configure SSH for AUR
+        env:
+          AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+        run: |
+          test -n "${AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY}" || { echo "Missing secret: AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY" >&2; exit 1; }
+          mkdir -p ~/.ssh
+          chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+          printf "%s\n" "${AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY}" > ~/.ssh/aur
+          chmod 600 ~/.ssh/aur
+          touch ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+          chmod 600 ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+          # Ensure host key is present for non-interactive git/ssh.
+          ssh-keyscan -t rsa,ecdsa,ed25519 aur.archlinux.org >> ~/.ssh/known_hosts 2>/dev/null
+          cat >> ~/.ssh/config <<'EOF'
+          Host aur.archlinux.org
+            User aur
+            IdentityFile ~/.ssh/aur
+            IdentitiesOnly yes
+          EOF
+
+      - name: Publish to AUR (deskify-bin)
+        env:
+          AUR_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.AUR_USERNAME }}
+          AUR_EMAIL: ${{ secrets.AUR_EMAIL }}
+        run: |
+          export GIT_SSH_COMMAND="ssh -i ~/.ssh/aur -o IdentitiesOnly=yes -o UserKnownHostsFile=$HOME/.ssh/known_hosts -o StrictHostKeyChecking=yes"
+
+          git config --global user.name "${AUR_USERNAME:-deskify-bot}"
+          git config --global user.email "${AUR_EMAIL:-noreply@example.invalid}"
+
+          rm -rf /tmp/aur-repo
+          git clone ssh://aur@aur.archlinux.org/deskify-bin.git /tmp/aur-repo
+
+          cp packaging/PKGBUILD /tmp/aur-repo/PKGBUILD
+          cp packaging/.SRCINFO /tmp/aur-repo/.SRCINFO
+
+          cd /tmp/aur-repo
+          if git diff --quiet; then
+            echo "No changes to publish."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          git add PKGBUILD .SRCINFO
+          git commit -m "Update deskify-bin to ${{ inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}"
+          git push

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,32 @@ and this project follows early MVP/alpha versioning with tags like `v0.1.0-alpha
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v0.1.0-alpha.6] - 2026-02-23
+
+### Added
+- `chromium` compatibility backend via `--backend chromium` using an installed Chromium-based browser in app mode (no local Tauri build for generated apps)
+- `build` / `update` flags for Chromium backend selection and runtime control:
+  - `--backend <tauri|chromium>`
+  - `--browser-bin <PATH>`
+  - `--profile-scope <isolated|shared>`
+- Chromium app install flow with XDG `.desktop` launchers and per-app metadata (`X-Deskify-Backend=chromium`)
+- Optional isolated Chromium profiles under `~/.local/share/deskify/profiles/<id>`
+- `doctor` now reports whether a Chromium-based browser is available in `PATH`
+
+### Changed
+- `update <id>` now keeps the internal app ID stable even when the display name changes
+- `list` now derives the internal ID from the `.desktop` filename (works for both Tauri and Chromium backends)
+- `remove` now also cleans up Chromium profile directories (when present)
+- `update` keeps Chromium isolated profiles by default to preserve sessions/cookies during reinstall
+
+### Fixed
+- Tauri wrapper generation now consistently uses the existing internal ID for generated app identifiers (prevents accidental ID drift during updates)
+- `.desktop` command generation for Chromium backend now escapes arguments (URLs / user agents with spaces or special characters)
+
+### Documentation
+- README now documents backend modes (`tauri` vs `chromium`) and recommends `--backend chromium` for sites that fail in the system WebView backend
+- Added Chromium backend usage examples (`--browser-bin`, `--profile-scope`) and updated compatibility notes
+
 ### Added
 - `build --no-decorations` option to create frameless windows (`decorations: false`) for kiosk/dashboard-style setups
 - README screenshots for KDE/Arch showing launcher integration, running app window, and `deskify list` workflow

Cargo.lock

@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "directories",
  "image",
  "regex",
+ "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "tempfile",
  "ureq",
@@ -1334,6 +1335,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "9a8e94ea7f378bd32cbbd37198a4a91436180c5bb472411e48b5ec2e2124ae9e"
 dependencies = [
  "serde_core",
+ "serde_derive",
 ]
 
 [[package]]

Cargo.toml

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ clap = { version = "4.5.60", features = ["derive"] }
 directories = "6.0.0"
 image = "0.25.9"
 regex = "1.12.3"
+serde = { version = "1.0.218", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1.0.149"
 tempfile = "3.25.0"
 ureq = "2.9"

README.md

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Language-Rust-orange?style=flat-square" alt="Written in Rust" />
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Powered_by-Tauri_v2-grey?style=flat-square" alt="Tauri v2" />
   <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Status-Alpha-yellow?style=flat-square" alt="Alpha status" />
+  <img src="https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/spalencsar/deskify?label=Latest%20Release&style=flat-square" alt="Latest release" />
+  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-green?style=flat-square" alt="MIT license" />
 </p>
 
 <p align="center">
@@ -25,6 +27,34 @@
 
 ---
 
+## Quick Start
+
+Two tracks, depending on what you want:
+
+### Option A: Chromium mode (fastest, best compatibility)
+
+Requirements: any Chromium-based browser installed (`chromium`, `google-chrome`, `brave`, etc.)
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
+curl -L -o ~/.local/bin/deskify \
+  https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/latest/download/deskify-linux-x86_64
+chmod +x ~/.local/bin/deskify
+
+# If `deskify` is not found, ensure ~/.local/bin is in PATH (common on Ubuntu/Debian):
+command -v deskify >/dev/null || { echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc; }
+
+deskify build --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --backend chromium
+```
+
+### Option B: Native Tauri mode (system WebView, no Chromium dependency)
+
+Follow the full install section below (Tauri/WebKitGTK prerequisites), then:
+
+```bash
+deskify build --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat"
+```
+
 ## Why Deskify Exists
 
 Web apps are now core tools, but Linux desktops still treat them like second-class citizens.
@@ -91,8 +121,10 @@ flowchart TD
 
 - Requires Tauri/Linux system dependencies to be installed locally before `deskify build`
 - Generated app build success can vary by distro/system setup (WebKitGTK/Tauri prerequisites)
+- Some modern sites fail or degrade in the system WebView backend (`tauri`) due to engine/runtime differences
 - No official cross-platform support (Windows/macOS) yet
 - GitHub Releases / binary automation for `deskify` itself may lag behind source updates during early MVP
+- DRM/protected-media services may not work reliably in the system WebView backend even if they work in a full browser (depends on WebView/DRM support)
 
 ## Where Deskify Is Going
 
@@ -115,7 +147,7 @@ flowchart TD
     A --> C[App config files]
     A --> D[Icons + .desktop entries]
     C --> E[apps/chatgpt.json]
-    C --> F[apps/netflix.json]
+    C --> F[apps/home-assistant.json]
     B --> G[Load app config at launch]
     G --> H[Open site in system webview]
     D --> I[Linux app menu integration]
@@ -143,6 +175,35 @@ The table above covers the technical tradeoffs in more detail. In practice, `des
 
 ## 🚀 Installation
 
+### Option A: Install a prebuilt binary (recommended)
+
+Deskify provides Linux release binaries. Download the latest release and install it into `~/.local/bin`:
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
+curl -L -o ~/.local/bin/deskify \
+  https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/latest/download/deskify-linux-x86_64
+chmod +x ~/.local/bin/deskify
+deskify --help
+```
+
+Notes:
+
+- The `tauri` backend still requires Tauri/WebKitGTK system dependencies to build wrappers locally.
+- The `chromium` backend does not require Tauri prerequisites (but it requires an installed Chromium-based browser).
+
+### Arch Linux (AUR)
+
+An AUR package is available (prebuilt binary package):
+
+```bash
+yay -S deskify-bin
+```
+
+⚠️ The AUR package tracks **alpha** tags (`v0.1.0-alpha.N`). Expect occasional breaking changes during early development.
+
+### Option B: Build from source (Tauri mode)
+
 ### 1. System Dependencies
 Because `deskify` compiles Tauri applications natively on your machine, you need the standard Tauri prerequisites installed before using it.
 
@@ -210,11 +271,25 @@ Once the build finishes, `ChatGPT` will instantly appear in your system Applicat
 
 `deskify` derives a safe internal ID from the app name (for example, `ChatGPT` becomes `chatgpt`).
 
+### Backend Modes (`--backend`)
+
+Deskify supports two backend modes:
+
+- `tauri` (default): Uses the system WebView (`webkit2gtk` on Linux). Produces small wrappers and strong Linux desktop integration, but some sites may fail due to engine compatibility.
+- `chromium`: Uses an already installed Chromium-based browser (`chromium`, `google-chrome`, `brave`, etc.) in app mode. Better site compatibility and no local Tauri build, but depends on a browser installed on the system.
+
+If a site does not work in the default `tauri` backend, try `--backend chromium`.
+
+Quick decision rule:
+
+- Start with the default `tauri` backend for small wrappers and native Linux integration.
+- If the site fails to load, behaves incorrectly, or needs a newer browser engine, rebuild/update with `--backend chromium`.
+
 #### Advanced Build Options
 ```bash
 deskify build \
-  --url "https://netflix.com" \
-  --name "Netflix" \
+  --url "https://example.com/dashboard" \
+  --name "Dashboard" \
   --fullscreen \
   --user-agent "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) Chrome/120.0.0.0 Safari/537.36" \
   --dark-mode \
@@ -239,6 +314,32 @@ Preview the generated Tauri config without building/installing:
 deskify build --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --print-config
 ```
 
+Chromium compatibility mode (no local Tauri build):
+
+```bash
+deskify build --url "https://mail.proton.me" --name "Proton Mail" --backend chromium
+```
+
+Chromium with shared browser profile (uses existing browser profile/session model):
+
+```bash
+deskify build \
+  --url "https://app.slack.com" \
+  --name "Slack" \
+  --backend chromium \
+  --profile-scope shared
+```
+
+Chromium with explicit browser binary:
+
+```bash
+deskify build \
+  --url "https://github.com" \
+  --name "GitHub" \
+  --backend chromium \
+  --browser-bin /usr/bin/brave-browser
+```
+
 Preview planned actions only (dry run):
 
 ```bash
@@ -251,20 +352,42 @@ deskify build --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --dry-run
 * `--user-agent <UA>`: Useful to bypass webview restrictions on certain platforms.
 * `--dark-mode`: Forces the Tauri webview into a dark theme.
 * `--width <PX>` / `--height <PX>`: Sets the startup resolution.
+* `--backend <tauri|chromium>`: Choose system WebView (`tauri`) or Chromium app mode (`chromium`).
+* `--browser-bin <PATH>`: Use a specific Chromium-based browser binary (Chromium backend only).
+* `--profile-scope <isolated|shared>`: Chromium backend profile behavior (`isolated` creates a per-app profile under `~/.local/share/deskify/profiles/`).
 * `--print-config`: Prints the generated `tauri.conf.json` and exits.
 * `--dry-run`: Shows planned actions without building/installing.
 
+Note for Chromium backend:
+
+- `--no-decorations` is best-effort and may be ignored by the browser/window manager.
+- `--width` and `--height` are applied together (`--window-size`) only when both are provided.
+- Deskify auto-detects a Chromium-based browser from `PATH`, but some distros ship Chromium-based browser commands (Chrome/Chromium/Brave, etc.) as wrapper scripts or use different binary names/paths (for example on BigLinux). If launches fail, set `--browser-bin` to a real browser binary.
+
+Troubleshooting (find the real browser binary):
+
+```bash
+command -v chrome chromium google-chrome google-chrome-stable brave-browser 2>/dev/null
+ls -la /usr/bin/chrome /usr/bin/chromium /usr/bin/google-chrome /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable 2>/dev/null
+```
+
 ### Managing Apps (`list` & `remove`)
 You can view all applications generated by `deskify`:
 ```bash
 deskify list
 ```
+
+Verbose list (includes URL/backend when metadata is available):
+
+```bash
+deskify list --verbose
+```
 *Output:*
 
 ```text
 Installed Deskify Apps:
-- ChatGPT (Internal ID: chatgpt)
-- Netflix (Internal ID: netflix)
+- ChatGPT (Internal ID: chatgpt, Backend: tauri)
+- Proton Mail (Internal ID: proton-mail, Backend: chromium)
 ```
 
 To entirely uninstall an app (including the binary, desktop entry, and icons):
@@ -282,7 +405,9 @@ Rebuild and reinstall an existing app ID without manually running `remove` + `bu
 deskify update chat --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --no-decorations
 ```
 
-Alpha note: `update` currently requires `--url` because Deskify does not persist app URLs/config metadata yet.
+Deskify persists app metadata under `~/.local/share/deskify/apps/<id>.json`. With persisted metadata, `update` can be used without `--url`.
+If an older app has no metadata yet, provide `--url` once (or rebuild once) to migrate it.
+`update <id>` keeps the existing internal ID stable even if you change the display name.
 
 You can also preview an update:
 
@@ -291,6 +416,12 @@ deskify update chat --url "https://chat.com" --dry-run
 deskify update chat --url "https://chat.com" --print-config
 ```
 
+Switch an existing app to Chromium compatibility mode while keeping the same internal ID:
+
+```bash
+deskify update chat --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --backend chromium
+```
+
 ### Diagnostics (`doctor`)
 
 Check local prerequisites and common environment issues (Rust/Cargo, `cargo tauri`, `pkg-config`, directories):
@@ -299,6 +430,8 @@ Check local prerequisites and common environment issues (Rust/Cargo, `cargo taur
 deskify doctor
 ```
 
+`doctor` also checks whether a Chromium-based browser is available in `PATH` for `--backend chromium`.
+
 ---
 
 ## 🧪 Manual Smoke Test Checklist (Before a Public Release)
@@ -323,10 +456,9 @@ Expected: clean validation error and no unintended file deletion.
 ## 🏷️ Versioning & GitHub Releases (MVP)
 
 - Recommended tag format during MVP: `v0.1.0-alpha.N`
-- Start with **source-first** releases (repository + tags)
-- Add automated binary releases later via GitHub Actions
+- GitHub Releases publish a Linux `deskify` CLI binary on tags (`v*`)
 
-For the current public alpha, use `v0.1.0-alpha.2` (and continue with `v0.1.0-alpha.N` for follow-up releases).
+For the latest alpha, see GitHub Releases (and continue with `v0.1.0-alpha.N` for follow-up releases).
 
 ---
 

packaging/PKGBUILD

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+pkgname=deskify-bin
+pkgver=0.1.0.alpha.8
+pkgrel=1
+pkgdesc="Turn websites into Linux desktop apps (prebuilt binary package)"
+arch=('x86_64')
+url="https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify"
+license=('MIT')
+depends=('glibc')
+optdepends=('chromium: for --backend chromium')
+provides=('deskify')
+conflicts=('deskify')
+
+_tag="v0.1.0-alpha.8"
+source=("deskify::https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/download/${_tag}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
+        "LICENSE::https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spalencsar/deskify/${_tag}/LICENSE")
+
+sha256sums=('7ab62ff193c2666983c72844c13f368a0ecc1fcd6da40fe95f544c9999e05f30'
+            'd4e53458cd2dd461f234186497b6d9b21566c477737a4d31fa6f018ef610486f')
+
+package() {
+  install -Dm755 "${srcdir}/deskify" "${pkgdir}/usr/bin/deskify"
+  install -Dm644 "${srcdir}/LICENSE" "${pkgdir}/usr/share/licenses/${pkgname}/LICENSE"
+}

packaging/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+## AUR package template (manual + CI)
+
+This folder contains a minimal `PKGBUILD` template for a future AUR package:
+
+- `deskify-bin` (prebuilt GitHub Releases binary)
+
+Notes:
+
+- Update `_tag` and `pkgver` when you publish a new release tag.
+- Update `sha256sums` to match the release asset + LICENSE for that tag.
+
+### Local build test
+
+```bash
+cd packaging
+makepkg -sf
+```
+
+To compute sha256 sums for a tag:
+
+```bash
+TAG="v0.1.0-alpha.7"
+curl -fL -o /tmp/deskify-linux-x86_64 "https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/download/${TAG}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
+curl -fL -o /tmp/LICENSE "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spalencsar/deskify/${TAG}/LICENSE"
+sha256sum /tmp/deskify-linux-x86_64 /tmp/LICENSE
+```
+
+### Manual AUR publish (first time)
+
+1. Create an AUR account and submit the `deskify-bin` package once via the AUR web UI.
+2. Configure SSH for AUR and test connectivity.
+3. Clone the AUR repo, copy `PKGBUILD` and `.SRCINFO`, then push.
+
+Example:
+
+```bash
+ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/aur -C "deskify-aur"
+# Add ~/.ssh/aur.pub to: aur.archlinux.org -> My Account -> SSH Keys
+
+cat >> ~/.ssh/config <<'EOF'
+Host aur.archlinux.org
+  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/aur
+  User aur
+EOF
+
+ssh -T aur@aur.archlinux.org
+
+git clone ssh://aur@aur.archlinux.org/deskify-bin.git
+cd deskify-bin
+
+cp /path/to/deskify/packaging/PKGBUILD .
+makepkg --printsrcinfo > .SRCINFO
+
+git add PKGBUILD .SRCINFO
+git commit -m "Initial release: deskify-bin"
+git push
+```
+
+### CI publish on tags
+
+This repo includes a workflow that publishes `deskify-bin` on tag pushes (`v*`):
+
+- `.github/workflows/aur-publish.yml`
+
+Required GitHub secrets:
+
+- `AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY` (private key content for the AUR account)
+- `AUR_USERNAME` (optional, used for git commits)
+- `AUR_EMAIL` (optional, used for git commits)

packaging/generate-pkgbuild-bin.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+TAG="${1:-}"
+if [[ -z "${TAG}" ]]; then
+  TAG="$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)"
+fi
+
+if [[ "${TAG}" != v* ]]; then
+  echo "Error: expected tag like v0.1.0-alpha.7, got: ${TAG}" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+VERSION="${TAG#v}"
+
+# Arch PKGBUILD pkgver must not contain '-'. Use dots instead.
+PKGVER="${VERSION//-/.}"
+
+ASSET_URL="https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/download/${TAG}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
+LICENSE_URL="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spalencsar/deskify/${TAG}/LICENSE"
+
+tmp_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
+trap 'rm -rf "${tmp_dir}"' EXIT
+
+asset_path="${tmp_dir}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
+license_path="${tmp_dir}/LICENSE"
+
+wait_seconds="${WAIT_FOR_ASSET_SECONDS:-300}"
+interval_seconds="${WAIT_FOR_ASSET_INTERVAL_SECONDS:-5}"
+deadline=$((SECONDS + wait_seconds))
+
+while ! curl -fsI "${ASSET_URL}" >/dev/null 2>&1; do
+  if (( SECONDS >= deadline )); then
+    echo "Error: release asset not available yet: ${ASSET_URL}" >&2
+    echo "Tip: the GitHub Release workflow may still be building. Re-run the AUR workflow once the asset exists." >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  sleep "${interval_seconds}"
+done
+
+curl -fL -o "${asset_path}" "${ASSET_URL}"
+curl -fL -o "${license_path}" "${LICENSE_URL}"
+
+ASSET_SHA256="$(sha256sum "${asset_path}" | awk '{print $1}')"
+LICENSE_SHA256="$(sha256sum "${license_path}" | awk '{print $1}')"
+
+cat > packaging/PKGBUILD <<EOF
+pkgname=deskify-bin
+pkgver=${PKGVER}
+pkgrel=1
+pkgdesc="Turn websites into Linux desktop apps (prebuilt binary package)"
+arch=('x86_64')
+url="https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify"
+license=('MIT')
+depends=('glibc')
+optdepends=('chromium: for --backend chromium')
+provides=('deskify')
+conflicts=('deskify')
+
+_tag="${TAG}"
+source=("deskify::https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/download/\${_tag}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
+        "LICENSE::https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spalencsar/deskify/\${_tag}/LICENSE")
+
+sha256sums=('${ASSET_SHA256}'
+            '${LICENSE_SHA256}')
+
+package() {
+  install -Dm755 "\${srcdir}/deskify" "\${pkgdir}/usr/bin/deskify"
+  install -Dm644 "\${srcdir}/LICENSE" "\${pkgdir}/usr/share/licenses/\${pkgname}/LICENSE"
+}
+EOF
+
+echo "Wrote packaging/PKGBUILD for ${TAG}"