Desktop Application Updates

Overview

The Centinela desktop application includes a built-in auto-update system that ensures you always have access to the latest features, improvements, and security patches. Updates are delivered seamlessly through GitHub releases with cryptographic signature verification.

The updater uses Tauri’s official plugin (@tauri-apps/plugin-updater) and checks for updates from the GitHub repository at https://github.com/CspmIT/mas-agua-front/releases.

How Auto-Updates Work

Update Architecture

The update system follows a secure, user-friendly workflow:

Security Model

Updates are secured using cryptographic signatures:

Each update bundle is signed with a private key during the build process
The desktop application verifies signatures using the embedded public key
Invalid or tampered updates are automatically rejected

Never disable signature verification. This protects against malicious updates and ensures you only install authentic software from the official repository.

The public key used for verification (embedded in tauri.conf.json:43):

dW50cnVzdGVkIGNvbW1lbnQ6IG1pbmlzaWduIHB1YmxpYyBrZXk6IENFOUE0OEYyMDA5NDkyNEQKUldSTmtwUUE4a2lhenBraVNOd2cwOU1ZbkxWdVJTU0lEbUZiTkp0VTFRenhtdndVZ1VwUlQ4OG0K

Update Process

When a new version is available, the update process follows these steps:

Update Detection

The application checks for updates by querying:

https://github.com/CspmIT/mas-agua-front/releases/latest/download/latest.json

This manifest contains version information and download URLs for all platform-specific bundles.

User Notification

If a newer version is found, a dialog appears: Update notification example

The user can choose:

Actualizar (Update): Proceed with the update immediately
Más tarde (Later): Dismiss and update later

Download Progress

If the user approves, the update downloads with real-time progress:

Actualizando aplicación
Descargando actualización...
[████████████████░░░░] 75%

The progress bar shows download completion percentage.

Installation

Once downloaded and verified, the update is installed automatically:

Instalando actualización
La aplicación se reiniciará automáticamente…

Automatic Relaunch

The application automatically restarts to complete the update. Your session state and configuration are preserved.

The entire update process typically takes 1-3 minutes, depending on your internet connection speed.

Update Implementation

The update system is implemented in /home/daytona/workspace/source/src/hooks/useUpdater.js:1 using the check() and downloadAndInstall() APIs:

Checking for Updates

import { check } from '@tauri-apps/plugin-updater'

const update = await check()

if (update) {
  // New version available
  console.log(`Update available: ${update.version}`)
}

Download with Progress Tracking

The downloadAndInstall() method emits events during the download:

case 'Started':
  contentLength = event.data.contentLength
  // Total bytes to download
  console.log(`Downloading ${contentLength} bytes`)

Error Handling

The updater includes robust error handling:

try {
  await update.downloadAndInstall(eventHandler)
  await relaunch()  // Restart the app
} catch (error) {
  console.error('Updater error:', error)
  showUpdateError(
    'No se pudo completar la actualización. '
    + 'Verificá tu conexión e intentá nuevamente.'
  )
}

If the download doesn’t start within 20 seconds, the updater automatically times out and shows an error. This prevents the UI from hanging on network issues.

Manual Update Check

By default, the application checks for updates:

On application startup
Periodically while running (implementation-dependent)

To manually check for updates:

Open the application menu
Navigate to Help > Check for Updates
The updater will query GitHub and notify you of any available updates

Manual update checks use the same secure verification process as automatic checks.

Update Configuration

The update system is configured in src-tauri/tauri.conf.json:38-44:

"updater": {
  "active": true,
  "endpoints": [
    "https://github.com/CspmIT/mas-agua-front/releases/latest/download/latest.json"
  ],
  "dialog": true,
  "pubkey": "dW50cnVzdGVkIGNvbW1lbnQ6..."
}

Configuration Options

Option	Value	Description
`active`	`true`	Enables the auto-update system
`endpoints`	Array	URLs to check for update manifests
`dialog`	`true`	Shows built-in update dialog (in addition to custom UI)
`pubkey`	String	Public key for signature verification

Platform-Specific Updates

The updater automatically downloads the correct bundle for your platform:

Windows
macOS
Linux

Bundle Type: .msi.zipThe updater downloads and extracts the MSI installer, then runs it silently with elevated privileges if needed.Location: Updates are staged in:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\com.masagua.desktop\updates

Bundle Type: .app.tar.gzThe updater downloads the tarball, verifies the signature, extracts the new app bundle, and replaces the existing one.Location: Updates are staged in:

~/Library/Application Support/com.masagua.desktop/updates

Bundle Type: .AppImage.tar.gzThe updater downloads and extracts the new AppImage, making it executable.Location: Updates are staged in:

~/.local/share/com.masagua.desktop/updates

Troubleshooting Updates

Update Check Fails

If the application can’t check for updates: Possible Causes

No internet connection
GitHub is unreachable
Firewall blocking HTTPS requests
Proxy configuration issues

Solution

Verify Internet Connection

Ensure you can access https://github.com in your browser.

Check Firewall

Allow the application to make outbound HTTPS connections to github.com.

Proxy Configuration

If behind a corporate proxy, configure system proxy settings. Tauri respects system proxy configuration.

Download Fails or Times Out

If the update download fails:

Check Available Disk Space: Ensure you have at least 500 MB free
Retry the Update: Use Help > Check for Updates to try again
Manual Download: Visit the Releases page and download/install manually

The updater has a 20-second timeout for download initiation. On slow connections, consider manual installation.

Signature Verification Fails

If you see a signature verification error:

DO NOT proceed with the installation. This indicates the update bundle may be corrupted or tampered with.

Steps to resolve:

Wait and try again later (GitHub may have had upload issues)
Report the issue to the development team
Download and verify the installer manually from GitHub releases

Application Won’t Relaunch

If the application fails to restart after update: Windows

# Manually launch from Start Menu or:
cd "C:\Program Files\Mas Agua"
.\"Mas Agua.exe"

macOS

open /Applications/Mas\ Agua.app

Linux

mas-agua  # If installed via DEB/RPM
# or
./mas-agua_1.0.4_amd64.AppImage  # For AppImage

Update Rollback

Currently, the updater does not support automatic rollback. If you experience issues after an update:

Uninstall Current Version

Follow the uninstallation instructions for your platform.

Download Previous Version

Visit the Releases page and select the previous version.

Reinstall

Install the previous version following the installation guide.

Report the Issue

File a bug report on GitHub with details about what went wrong with the update.

Release Channels

Currently, the updater only supports the stable release channel. All updates come from official GitHub releases. Future versions may support:

Beta Channel: Early access to new features
LTS Channel: Long-term support versions with extended maintenance

Building Update Bundles

For developers who need to create custom update bundles:

Prerequisites

Install the Tauri CLI with updater support:

cargo install tauri-cli --version "^2.0"

Generate Signing Keys

cd src-tauri
tauri signer generate -w ~/.tauri/masagua.key

This creates a public/private key pair for signing updates.

Build with Updater Artifacts

The tauri.conf.json:15 configuration enables updater artifact generation:

"createUpdaterArtifacts": true

Build the application:

npm run tauri build

This generates:

Platform-specific installers (.msi, .deb, .dmg, etc.)
Update bundles (.msi.zip, .app.tar.gz, .AppImage.tar.gz)
Signature files (.sig)
Update manifest (latest.json)

Publish to GitHub Releases

Create a Release

Create a new release on GitHub with a semantic version tag (e.g., v1.0.5).

Upload Artifacts

Upload all generated bundles, signatures, and the latest.json manifest.

Publish

Mark the release as published. The updater will detect it on the next check.

The latest.json manifest is automatically generated by Tauri CLI and includes version info, download URLs, and signatures for all platforms.

Best Practices

For Users

Keep Auto-Updates Enabled: Ensure you receive security patches promptly
Update Promptly: Apply updates when notified to benefit from bug fixes
Stable Internet: Ensure a stable connection before initiating updates
Don’t Interrupt: Allow updates to complete without interrupting the process

For Administrators

Test Updates: Test new versions in a staging environment before deploying
Staged Rollout: For large deployments, update systems in phases
Monitor Logs: Check update logs if issues arise
Backup Configurations: Although configs are preserved, maintain backups

FAQ

Q: How often does the app check for updates? A: The application checks for updates on startup and may check periodically during runtime. Q: Can I disable auto-updates? A: Currently, auto-updates cannot be disabled through the UI. This ensures all users receive critical security updates. Q: Do updates require administrator privileges? A: On Windows and macOS, updates may require elevated privileges to replace application files. On Linux, it depends on the installation method (system-wide vs. user-local). Q: Will my settings be preserved after an update? A: Yes, all user data, preferences, and configurations are stored separately and persist through updates. Q: Can I update offline? A: No, updates require an internet connection to download. However, you can download installers manually and install offline. Q: What happens if an update fails? A: The current version remains installed and functional. You can retry the update or install manually.

Next Steps

Review the Installation Guide for initial setup
Explore Desktop Application Overview for feature details
Learn about Dashboard Configuration to customize your monitoring experience

Get Started

Core Features

User Management

Configuration

Desktop Application

Deployment

Desktop Application Updates

Overview

How Auto-Updates Work

Update Architecture

Security Model

Update Process

Update Implementation

Checking for Updates

Download with Progress Tracking

Error Handling

Manual Update Check

Update Configuration

Configuration Options

Platform-Specific Updates

Troubleshooting Updates

Update Check Fails

Download Fails or Times Out

Signature Verification Fails

Application Won’t Relaunch

Update Rollback

Release Channels

Building Update Bundles

Prerequisites

Generate Signing Keys

Build with Updater Artifacts

Publish to GitHub Releases

Best Practices

For Users

For Administrators

FAQ

Next Steps

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

Core Features

User Management

Configuration

Desktop Application

Deployment

Documentation Index

​Overview

​How Auto-Updates Work

​Update Architecture

​Security Model

​Update Process

​Update Implementation

​Checking for Updates

​Download with Progress Tracking

​Error Handling

​Manual Update Check

​Update Configuration

​Configuration Options

​Platform-Specific Updates

​Troubleshooting Updates

​Update Check Fails

​Download Fails or Times Out

​Signature Verification Fails

​Application Won’t Relaunch

​Update Rollback

​Release Channels

​Building Update Bundles

​Prerequisites

​Generate Signing Keys

​Build with Updater Artifacts

​Publish to GitHub Releases

​Best Practices

​For Users

​For Administrators

​FAQ

​Next Steps

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

How Auto-Updates Work

Update Architecture

Security Model

Update Process

Update Implementation

Checking for Updates

Download with Progress Tracking

Error Handling

Manual Update Check

Update Configuration

Configuration Options

Platform-Specific Updates

Troubleshooting Updates

Update Check Fails

Download Fails or Times Out

Signature Verification Fails

Application Won’t Relaunch

Update Rollback

Release Channels

Building Update Bundles

Prerequisites

Generate Signing Keys

Build with Updater Artifacts

Publish to GitHub Releases

Best Practices

For Users

For Administrators

FAQ

Next Steps