Electron Build CLI for Electron Build Service

0.0.3 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript abandoned

This package, `electron-build` (version 0.0.3), provides a command-line interface (CLI) client for an external cloud-based "Electron Build Service" hosted at `www.electronbuild.com`. Its primary function is to allow developers to upload their web application (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to this service, which then packages it into installable Windows (`.exe`) or macOS (`.dmg`) applications without requiring local platform-specific build environments. The service aimed to offer cross-platform builds, offload heavy build processes, and provide simplified installers with custom icons and uninstallation support. However, its low version number and reliance on an external, unmaintained service are significant concerns.

Common errors

error Error: tunneling socket could not be established, cause=getaddrinfo ENOTFOUND www.electronbuild.com ↓

cause The CLI is unable to resolve the hostname or connect to the `electronbuild.com` service.

fix

This indicates the remote build service is down or inaccessible, making the tool unusable. There is no client-side fix.

error Error: connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:443 ↓

cause The CLI attempted to connect to the Electron Build Service but the connection was refused, possibly due to the service being offline or misconfigured.

fix

This is a server-side issue. The remote build service is likely down or no longer operational. There is no client-side fix.

error Error: Invalid username or password ↓

cause Authentication failed with the provided `--username` and `--password`.

fix

Verify that the username and password are correct for www.electronbuild.com. However, given the service's likely defunct status, this error might occur even with correct credentials if the authentication system is no longer active or reachable.

Warnings

breaking The core external service this CLI depends on, `www.electronbuild.com` (or `service.electron.build`), is unavailable or defunct. This renders the `electron-build` CLI effectively unusable as it cannot connect to its required backend for building applications. ↓

fix There is no direct fix for this package. Users needing to build Electron applications should use actively maintained alternatives like `electron-builder` or `@electron/build-tools` which provide local build capabilities or integrate with current build services.

gotcha The package is at version 0.0.3, indicating it was either an early prototype, never reached a stable release, or has been abandoned. This signifies a lack of ongoing development, support, and potential stability issues. ↓

fix Avoid using this package for new projects. For existing projects, migrate to actively maintained Electron build tools.

gotcha The CLI design requires passing username and password directly as command-line arguments. This is an insecure practice as credentials can be exposed in shell history, process lists, and logs. ↓

fix If the service were active, a more secure method (e.g., environment variables, config file, interactive prompt) should be preferred. Since the service is defunct, this is a moot point, but highlights a security oversight in its design.

Install

npm install electron-build

yarn add electron-build

pnpm add electron-build

Quickstart

Demonstrates global installation of the CLI and its primary use case: uploading a source folder for a build with authentication.

npm install electron-build -g

# Example: Uploading 'mySourceFolder' and packaging it as 'MyAppName'
# Replace YOUR_USERNAME and YOUR_PASSWORD with actual credentials for electronbuild.com
ebuild mySourceFolder --app MyAppName --username YOUR_USERNAME --password YOUR_PASSWORD

# To list existing applications and downloads (if the service were active):
# ebuild --list