WebFTP/.agent/workflows/build_backend_exe.md

description

description
Build the backend proxy server as a standalone .exe file

Build Backend Executable

This workflow explains how to package the Node.js backend (backend_proxy.cjs) into a standalone executable file (.exe) using pkg.

Prerequisites

• Node.js installed
• npm installed

Steps

1. Install pkg globally (if not already installed):

   npm install -g pkg
   

2. Build the executable: Run the following command in the project root (c:\Data\Source\SIMP\WebFTP):

   pkg backend_proxy.cjs --targets node18-win-x64 --output webzilla-backend.exe
   

   • --targets node18-win-x64: Targets Node.js 18 on Windows 64-bit. Adjust as needed (e.g., node18-macos-x64, node18-linux-x64).
   • --output webzilla-backend.exe: The name of the output file.

3. Run the executable: Double-click webzilla-backend.exe or run it from the terminal to start the server.

Notes

• The executable will include the Node.js runtime and your script, so no external Node.js installation is required for the end user.
• Configuration files will still be stored in the user's AppData/Home directory as defined in the script.