Skip to main content

Squirrel.Windows

The top-level squirrelWindows key contains a set of options instructing electron-builder on how it should build Squirrel.Windows.

Squirrel.Windows target is maintained, but deprecated. Please use nsis instead.

To use Squirrel.Windows please install electron-builder-squirrel-windows dependency. To build for Squirrel.Windows on macOS or Linux, please install mono (brew install mono / apt install mono-devel). Mono is started by absolute path, from its default install locations or toolsets.executables.mono, never from PATH.

The Squirrel vendor binaries (Squirrel.exe, SyncReleases.exe, nuget.exe, …) are downloaded from the checksummed squirrel.windows bundle; rcedit comes from the winCodeSign bundle. Pin a version or supply your own bundle via toolsets.squirrel.

Your app must be able to handle Squirrel.Windows startup events that occur during install and uninstall. See electron-squirrel-startup.

msi: true makes Squirrel.Windows build an MSI as well. Squirrel.Windows builds it around Setup.exe before electron-builder signs Setup.exe, so the installer inside that MSI is unsigned: the build warns, and fails with forceCodeSigning. For a signed MSI, use the msi target instead.

Configuration​

Interface: SquirrelWindowsOptions

Extends​

Properties​

artifactName?​

readonly optional artifactName?: string | null

The artifact file name template.

Inherited from​

TargetSpecificOptions.artifactName

iconUrl?​

readonly optional iconUrl?: string | null

A URL to an ICO file to use as the application icon (displayed in Control Panel > Programs and Features). Defaults to the Electron icon.

Please note — local icon file url is not accepted, must be https/http.

If you don't plan to build windows installer, you can omit it. If your project repository is public on GitHub, it will be https://github.com/${u}/${p}/blob/master/build/icon.ico?raw=true by default.

loadingGif?​

readonly optional loadingGif?: string | null

The path to a .gif file to display during install. build/install-spinner.gif will be used if exists (it is a recommended way to set) (otherwise default).

msi?​

readonly optional msi?: boolean

Whether to create an MSI installer. Defaults to false (MSI is not created).

Squirrel.Windows builds the MSI around Setup.exe before electron-builder signs Setup.exe, so the installer inside the MSI is unsigned: the build warns, and fails with forceCodeSigning. For a signed MSI use the msi target instead.

publish?​

optional publish?: Publish

Inherited from​

TargetSpecificOptions.publish

remoteReleases?​

readonly optional remoteReleases?: string | boolean | null

A URL to your existing updates. Or true to automatically set to your GitHub repository. If given, these will be downloaded to create delta updates.

remoteToken?​

readonly optional remoteToken?: string | null

Authentication token for remote updates

useAppIdAsId?​

readonly optional useAppIdAsId?: boolean

Use appId to identify package instead of name.