wails-release/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-02-wails-release-action-design.md

# Wails Release Action — Design

**Date:** 2026-05-02
**Status:** Approved (pending implementation)

## Goal

A reusable Forgejo Action that, on a self-hosted macOS runner, builds a Wails
project, signs and notarizes it for distribution outside the Mac App Store,
and optionally uploads the resulting artifact to an S3-compatible bucket.

The action is consumed from other repositories via:

```yaml
- uses: leonmika/wails-release@v1
  with:
    # …inputs…
```

## Scope

**In scope**

- macOS only (`darwin/universal` artifact).
- Output: notarized, stapled `.app.zip` (a `ditto`-archived `.app` bundle).
- Build via Wails' standard build pipeline (`wails build`).
- Code signing using a Developer ID certificate supplied as a base64-encoded
  `.p12` plus password — imported into a temporary keychain at runtime.
- Notarization via Apple's `notarytool`, supporting both:
  - **App Store Connect API key** (`.p8` + key ID + issuer ID), and
  - **Apple ID + app-specific password + team ID**.
- Optional upload to AWS S3 *or* an S3-compatible endpoint (MinIO, R2, B2,
  Garage, etc.).
- No assumed keychain access. All signing material is supplied via env vars
  (action inputs) and removed at the end of the run.
- Configurable via inputs from any caller workflow.

**Out of scope**

- Windows code signing.
- Mac App Store distribution (`.pkg` for App Store).
- DMG creation. (Primary output is `.app.zip`; can be added later if needed.)
- Linux runners. The binary hard-exits on `runtime.GOOS != "darwin"`.
- Creating Forgejo releases or attaching artifacts to releases. The workflow
  can layer that on top using whatever release-management action it likes.
- Multi-architecture matrix output. We ship one universal binary.
- Long-term artifact retention or pruning of S3 objects.

## Architecture

The action is a **composite action that `go install`s a Go binary and runs
it.** The composite shell stays mechanical; the Go binary owns all
orchestration, error handling, and cleanup.

### Repository layout

```
wails-release/
├── action.yml                       # composite action, two steps
├── cmd/wails-release/main.go        # binary entry point
├── internal/
│   ├── config/        # parse INPUT_* env → typed Config; validate
│   ├── version/       # tag → strip-v / fall back to short SHA
│   ├── wails/         # detect/install Wails CLI; invoke `wails build`
│   ├── codesign/      # temp keychain create, P12 import, codesign, teardown
│   ├── notarize/      # notarytool submit --wait; api-key + apple-id paths
│   ├── archive/       # ditto-based .app → .app.zip
│   └── upload/        # S3 (SDK Go v2), endpoint-url, key templating
├── docs/superpowers/specs/
│   └── 2026-05-02-wails-release-action-design.md
├── go.mod
└── README.md
```

### action.yml (composite)

```yaml
name: Wails Release
description: Build, sign, notarize and (optionally) upload a Wails macOS app
inputs:
  working-directory:           { required: false, default: "." }
  app-name:                    { required: false }
  version:                     { required: false }
  wails-version:               { required: false }
  extra-build-flags:           { required: false }
  developer-id-cert-base64:    { required: true }
  developer-id-cert-password:  { required: true }
  notarization-method:         { required: false }   # api-key | apple-id | auto
  notarization-api-key-base64: { required: false }
  notarization-api-key-id:     { required: false }
  notarization-api-issuer-id:  { required: false }
  notarization-apple-id:       { required: false }
  notarization-apple-password: { required: false }
  notarization-team-id:        { required: false }
  s3-bucket:                   { required: false }
  s3-key:                      { required: false }
  s3-endpoint-url:             { required: false }
  s3-region:                   { required: false, default: "us-east-1" }
outputs:
  version:           { description: "Resolved version string" }
  app-name:          { description: "Resolved app name" }
  artifact-path:     { description: "Local absolute path to the .app.zip" }
  artifact-filename: { description: "Filename of the .app.zip" }
  s3-url:            { description: "s3://… URL if uploaded, else empty" }
runs:
  using: composite
  steps:
    - shell: bash
      env:
        INPUT_WORKING_DIRECTORY:           ${{ inputs.working-directory }}
        INPUT_APP_NAME:                    ${{ inputs.app-name }}
        INPUT_VERSION:                     ${{ inputs.version }}
        INPUT_WAILS_VERSION:               ${{ inputs.wails-version }}
        INPUT_EXTRA_BUILD_FLAGS:           ${{ inputs.extra-build-flags }}
        INPUT_DEVELOPER_ID_CERT_BASE64:    ${{ inputs.developer-id-cert-base64 }}
        INPUT_DEVELOPER_ID_CERT_PASSWORD:  ${{ inputs.developer-id-cert-password }}
        INPUT_NOTARIZATION_METHOD:         ${{ inputs.notarization-method }}
        INPUT_NOTARIZATION_API_KEY_BASE64: ${{ inputs.notarization-api-key-base64 }}
        INPUT_NOTARIZATION_API_KEY_ID:     ${{ inputs.notarization-api-key-id }}
        INPUT_NOTARIZATION_API_ISSUER_ID:  ${{ inputs.notarization-api-issuer-id }}
        INPUT_NOTARIZATION_APPLE_ID:       ${{ inputs.notarization-apple-id }}
        INPUT_NOTARIZATION_APPLE_PASSWORD: ${{ inputs.notarization-apple-password }}
        INPUT_NOTARIZATION_TEAM_ID:        ${{ inputs.notarization-team-id }}
        INPUT_S3_BUCKET:                   ${{ inputs.s3-bucket }}
        INPUT_S3_KEY:                      ${{ inputs.s3-key }}
        INPUT_S3_ENDPOINT_URL:             ${{ inputs.s3-endpoint-url }}
        INPUT_S3_REGION:                   ${{ inputs.s3-region }}
      run: |
        go install "${{ github.action_repository }}/cmd/wails-release@${{ github.action_ref }}"
        "$(go env GOPATH)/bin/wails-release"        
```

The install and the binary invocation are kept in a single step so we
don't depend on `$GOPATH/bin` being on `PATH` between steps. The binary
is invoked by absolute path resolved via `go env GOPATH`.

### Boundaries

Each `internal/*` package owns one phase, exposes a small interface, and
can be unit-tested without invoking real `codesign` / `notarytool` / S3.
External commands are reached via a `Runner` interface so tests assert
constructed `*exec.Cmd` arguments and inject fakes for higher-level
orchestration tests.

## Inputs

| Name | Required | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| `working-directory` | no | `.` | Where `wails.json` lives |
| `app-name` | no | from `wails.json` `name` | Override for filename |
| `version` | no | derived | Override; otherwise tag-then-SHA logic |
| `wails-version` | no | from project's `go.mod` | Override |
| `extra-build-flags` | no | `""` | Pass-through to `wails build` |
| `developer-id-cert-base64` | **yes** | — | base64-encoded `.p12` |
| `developer-id-cert-password` | **yes** | — | `.p12` password |
| `notarization-method` | no | `auto` | `api-key`, `apple-id`, or auto-detect |
| `notarization-api-key-base64` | conditional | — | `.p8` contents, base64 |
| `notarization-api-key-id` | conditional | — | |
| `notarization-api-issuer-id` | conditional | — | |
| `notarization-apple-id` | conditional | — | |
| `notarization-apple-password` | conditional | — | App-specific password |
| `notarization-team-id` | conditional | — | |
| `s3-bucket` | no | — | If unset → upload skipped |
| `s3-key` | conditional | — | Required if `s3-bucket` set; supports `{version}`, `{filename}` |
| `s3-endpoint-url` | no | — | For S3-compatible storage |
| `s3-region` | no | `us-east-1` | |

AWS credentials (`AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`, `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY`, optional
`AWS_SESSION_TOKEN`) are read from the standard env, **not** action inputs.
This matches the conventional split and lets the SDK's credential chain
work as designed.

### Validation rules (config package, before any side effects)

- Both cert inputs must be present.
- Notarization:
  - If `notarization-method` is `api-key` or `apple-id`, the named
    group's fields must all be present; missing fields → error listing
    them by name.
  - If `notarization-method` is empty or `auto`, exactly one group must
    be **fully** populated. Both populated → ambiguity error. Neither
    populated → missing-credentials error.
- If `s3-bucket` is set, `s3-key` must also be set.
- Resolve `version` early so it is available for `s3-key` substitution and
  the artifact filename.

### `extra-build-flags` parsing

The value is split with shell-style word rules (Go's
`github.com/google/shlex` or equivalent) so the workflow can write
quoted arguments naturally:

```yaml
extra-build-flags: -tags release -ldflags "-X main.commit=$SHA"
```

The split tokens are appended to the `wails build` argv after the
action's mandatory flags (`-platform darwin/universal -clean -trimpath`).

## Outputs

| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| `version` | Resolved version string (e.g. `1.2.3` or `a1b2c3d`) |
| `app-name` | Resolved app name |
| `artifact-path` | Absolute path to the `.app.zip` on the runner |
| `artifact-filename` | Just the filename, e.g. `MyApp-1.2.3.app.zip` |
| `s3-url` | `s3://bucket/key/...` if uploaded, else empty |

Outputs are written to `$GITHUB_OUTPUT` from the binary using the
`name=value` format.

## Version derivation

1. If `INPUT_VERSION` is non-empty → use verbatim.
2. Else if the workflow's git ref is a tag matching `^v(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)$` →
   use the captured group (strip the `v`).
3. Else → 7-character short SHA from `HEAD`.

Pre-release tags like `v1.2.3-rc1` do **not** match the regex and fall
through to short SHA. If that becomes a problem we can extend the regex
later — the rule is deliberately conservative for now.

## Wails CLI resolution

1. If `INPUT_WAILS_VERSION` is non-empty → use that.
2. Else read `github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2 vX.Y.Z` from the project's
   `go.mod` and use that.
3. Check whether the `wails` binary on `PATH` already matches; if yes, skip.
4. Else: `go install github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/cmd/wails@<version>`.

This avoids CLI / runtime drift, which has caused subtle issues in past
Wails releases.

## Runtime data flow

```
1. Load config         INPUT_* env → typed Config (validated)
                       Resolve version (input → tag → short SHA)
                       Resolve app name (input → wails.json)

2. Ensure Wails CLI    `wails -v` matches required version? skip
                       else `go install …/cmd/wails@<ver>`

3. Build               cd <working-directory>
                       wails build -platform darwin/universal -clean -trimpath <extra>
                       → build/bin/<AppName>.app

4. Codesign            Create temp keychain (random name, random password)
                       Import P12 (decoded from base64) into keychain
                       codesign --deep --force --options runtime --timestamp
                                --sign "Developer ID Application: …" <App>.app
                       Verify: codesign --verify --deep --strict <App>.app

5. Archive             ditto -c -k --keepParent <App>.app <AppName>-<version>.app.zip

6. Notarize            notarytool submit --wait
                         (api-key path: --key <p8> --key-id … --issuer …)
                         (apple-id path: --apple-id … --password … --team-id …)
                       On accepted: stapler staple <App>.app
                       Re-archive (ditto) so the zip contains the stapled bundle

7. Upload (optional)   If s3-bucket set:
                         Substitute {version}/{filename} in s3-key
                         PutObject via S3 SDK (BaseEndpoint if endpoint-url set)

8. Emit outputs        Write resolved values to $GITHUB_OUTPUT

9. Cleanup (always)    Delete temp keychain
                       Wipe decoded .p12 / .p8 files from disk
                       (deferred from creation; runs even on failure)
```

### Subtleties worth flagging

- **Stapling requires a re-archive.** `stapler staple` modifies the `.app`
  in place; the zip from step 5 was used only to ship to Apple. After
  stapling we re-zip so the artifact end-users download is fully
  offline-verifiable.
- **Notarization wait time is unbounded by the action.**
  `notarytool submit --wait` blocks until Apple returns; typically 1–10
  min, occasionally longer. The runner-side timeout governs this — we
  do not impose our own.

### Cleanup guarantees

Every resource (temp keychain, decoded credential files) is registered
with a deferred-cleanup stack at creation time. Even a panic in the
middle of notarization removes the keychain. Cleanup errors are logged
but never override the original error.

## Error handling

**Principle:** fail fast at the earliest phase that can detect the
problem. Surface a clear actionable message; never leak secrets to logs.

- **Validation errors (phase 1):** the config package rejects the run
  before any side effects with messages like:
  ```
  notarization-method=api-key requires notarization-api-key-base64,
  notarization-api-key-id, notarization-api-issuer-id (missing: api-key-id)
  ```
- **Phase failures:** each phase wraps lower-level errors with phase
  context (`fmt.Errorf("notarize: %w", err)`). The CLI exits non-zero
  with the wrapped chain. No retries; the whole pipeline reruns on
  workflow retry.
- **Secret hygiene:** the binary uses Forgejo Actions' `::add-mask::`
  directive at startup for every credential value (cert password, P12
  prefix, P8 key, Apple password) so accidental log output redacts.
  Decoded `.p12` / `.p8` files are written to a private subdir of
  `os.TempDir()` with `0600` perms and unconditionally deleted at exit.
- **Notarization rejection:** if `notarytool` returns `Invalid` or
  `Rejected`, the binary fetches the log via `notarytool log <id>` and
  prints it before exiting non-zero. This is the single most common
  end-user pain point with Apple's pipeline.
- **Cleanup ordering:** registered at creation time, run in reverse on
  exit. Cleanup errors are logged at warn level. The temp keychain
  teardown is `security delete-keychain <path>` plus removing it from
  the search list.

## Testing

### Unit tests

- `config` — table-driven tests of every validation rule (missing cert,
  mixed notarization groups, malformed `s3-key`, etc.). Pure-function,
  no I/O. The most important package to cover thoroughly because
  misconfiguration is the dominant failure mode.
- `version` — table-driven: `v1.2.3` → `1.2.3`, `v1.2.3-rc1` → fall back
  to SHA, no tag → SHA, malformed tag → SHA.
- `wails` — version comparison logic (is installed CLI ≥ required?). The
  `go install` invocation is behind an interface so tests use a fake.
- `codesign`, `notarize`, `archive` — each shells out, so tests target
  command construction (`Runner` interface produces `*exec.Cmd`; tests
  assert flags/args). Higher-level orchestration tests inject fake
  Runners. We do not run real `codesign`/`notarytool` in unit tests.
- `upload` — uses S3 SDK with an interface; tests use a fake satisfying
  `S3PutObjectAPI`. Verifies key templating, endpoint handling.

### Integration test

- One end-to-end test that runs the binary against a fixture project
  with stubs for every external command (PATH manipulation: a
  `testdata/bin/` containing fake `wails`, `codesign`, `notarytool`,
  `ditto`, `stapler` shell scripts that record their args and return
  success). Verifies the full pipeline orchestration including cleanup
  order. No real Apple infrastructure.

### Manual smoke test

- `testdata/sample-app/` — minimal Wails project. Documented in the
  README as: "to verify a real signing path before tagging a release of
  this action, run the binary locally against this fixture with your
  real credentials." Deliberately manual; no good way to make it
  hermetic.

### Out of scope

- We do not test on Linux/Windows. The binary hard-exits if
  `runtime.GOOS != "darwin"` with a clear error.

## Documentation

The README must comprehensively document:

- All inputs (table form, with required/default/notes columns).
- All outputs.
- Required env vars (AWS credentials).
- Notarization credential setup (both API key and Apple ID paths) with
  pointers to Apple's documentation for obtaining each.
- A worked example workflow showing a tag-triggered release that builds,
  signs, notarizes, and uploads to S3.
- A second worked example for S3-compatible storage (MinIO/R2) showing
  the `s3-endpoint-url` input.
- Notes on runner requirements (macOS, Go installed, network access to
  Apple notarization endpoints + S3).

## Open questions

None at design time. Implementation will surface details about Wails
build output paths and exact `codesign` flag combinations.

## Future extensions (deliberately deferred)

- DMG output alongside `.app.zip`.
- Sparkle appcast generation.
- Windows code signing.
- Forgejo release attachment.
- Build matrix support for multiple Wails projects in a single repo.