App It Windows

app-it-windows - Make a project launchable on Windows (beta)

Windows beta: scaffolded, untested on real hardware, maintainer wanted.

The macOS app-it lane is proven. This Windows sibling mirrors the contract with Windows primitives, but every runtime behavior that needs a real Windows desktop must be marked deferred: this needs a Windows maintainer - see docs/WINDOWS.md.

Non-Negotiables

1. Run templates/inspect.ps1 first and read the output before editing.
2. Trust disk over docs. Verify project type, scripts, ports, and desktop signals from files.
3. Build everything a Mac or CI can build; never claim Windows runtime behavior works unless it was verified on real Windows hardware.
4. Prefer the WPF + WebView2 host. Edge --app= is a fallback, not the default.
5. Keep Windows visibly beta in every report and user-facing summary.
6. Copy shipped templates and customize through scripts\app-it.config.json. Do not re-derive launcher patterns.
7. Verify build/lint/config checks, then list hardware-only checks as deferred.

Reference Map

Open only what the inspection or chosen path needs:

• references/maintainer-contract.md - what a Mac can produce, what must be deferred, and the exact Windows-maintainer phrase.
• references/inspection-and-strategies.md - project inspection, toolchain probes, strategy tree, W-Native, W-Edge, W-Static, W-Multi, B, and D.
• references/generated-files.md - template roster, allowed target files, config JSON, package scripts, and Start Menu destination.
• references/wrapper-host.md - WebView2 host, lifecycle, Job Object ownership, single-instance behavior, and wrapper argument contract.
• references/verification.md - buildable checks, Windows-only checks, and deferred rows.
• references/report-template.md - exact beta report format.

Templates

Templates live next to this file in templates/. Copy them into the target project and keep their contracts intact:

templates/
  wrapper-windows/
  desktop-build.ps1
  desktop-install.ps1
  desktop-quit.ps1
  inspect.ps1
  run-template.ps1
  run-template-edge.ps1
  desktop-icons.ps1
  placeholder-icon-gen.ps1
  PSScriptAnalyzerSettings.psd1
  app-it.config.example.json

The comments inside templates encode Windows traps: PATH augmentation, WebView2/.NET prerequisites, free-port probing, Job Object ownership, Start Menu shortcuts, SmartScreen, and icon-cache behavior. Read the matching reference before changing launcher internals.

Workflow

1. Inspect

Run the bundled probe from the target project root:

pwsh -File path\to\plugins\app-it-windows\skills\app-it-windows\templates\inspect.ps1

Read references/inspection-and-strategies.md before deciding project shape, ports, existing desktop tooling, names, icons, or strategy.

2. Decide

For each user-facing app:

Existing Electron/Tauri/NW.js Windows target?
  yes -> Strategy B
  no  -> native desktop requirement beyond web shell?
           yes -> Strategy D
           no  -> .NET 8 buildable and WebView2 expected?
                    no  -> W-Edge fallback
                    yes -> static built bundle, no server?
                             yes -> W-Static
                             no  -> cohabiting frontend + backend?
                                      yes -> W-Multi
                                      no  -> W-Native (default)

WebView2 is Chromium, so File System Access and other Chromium APIs are reasons to prefer the WPF host, not reasons for a polyfill.

3. Build

Touch as little project surface as possible. Copy the selected templates, write scripts\app-it.config.json, add desktop:* package scripts, and generate the .ico/published output when tooling is present.

Read references/generated-files.md before editing scripts/config/docs, and references/wrapper-host.md before changing the host or PowerShell lifecycle.

4. Verify

On macOS, only claim buildable evidence: .NET publish when available, PowerShell lint when available, manifest/config parse, and placeholder icon round-trip in Windows CI. Everything involving a real window, Taskbar identity, tray Quit, Start Menu icon cache, SmartScreen, DPI, or Job Object tree reaping stays deferred with the maintainer phrase.

Read references/verification.md before reporting results.

5. Report

Use references/report-template.md inline and in docs\desktop-launcher.app-it-report.md. Keep beta wording visible, separate build/lint evidence from runtime unknowns, and append decision history.

Stage files only when the local convention or user request asks for it. Do not commit unless asked.

Quick Defaults

• Install destination: %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\app-it\.
• Runtime state: %LOCALAPPDATA%\app-it\<slug>\.
• Bundle ID/key prefix: com.user.<slug>.
• Default strategy: W-Native when .NET 8 can build and WebView2 is expected.
• Fallback: W-Edge only when host prerequisites are unavailable.
• Icon sizes: 16, 32, 48, 64, 128, 256.
• First-run signing stance: unsigned; SmartScreen click-through documented.

Stop Signs

Stop and mark deferred or blocked when only Windows hardware can decide, when the required build toolchain is missing and no fallback fits, when a port cannot be made env-driven, when a template needed for the selected strategy is absent, or when the requested claim would imply real Windows runtime verification that has not happened.