NativeBoat Build Action

Compile an Electron project into a native Windows application in GitHub Actions. The action downloads the compiler and runtime from XTSoftwareLabs/nativeboat-release, then runs the compiler's build command on the configured project directory.

name: Native Windows build

on:
  push:
  pull_request:

permissions:
  contents: read

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: windows-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v7
        with:
          node-version: '22'
      - uses: XTSoftwareLabs/nativeboat-action@v1
        id: nativeboat
        with:
          project-path: apps/desktop-electron
      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
        with:
          name: native-windows
          path: ${{ steps.nativeboat.outputs.output-path }}
          if-no-files-found: error

Use a Windows x64 runner. The project can be used as checked out: when its dependencies are not installed, NativeBoat installs them in a build copy of the project (see work-dir). Make Node.js and the project's package manager available, for example with actions/setup-node and pnpm/action-setup for a pnpm project. Projects whose packaging scripts build helper programs also need the corresponding build tools. Installing dependencies before the action works too.

@v1 follows the latest v1.x.y release of this action. Pin a full release tag such as @v1.0.0, or a commit SHA, for reproducible CI, and pin the compiler with version using an exact published release tag, including its v prefix.

Upload the output directory to preserve accompanying resources and helper programs. Compiler failures fail the action step and print the compiler's diagnostics.

The action downloads nativeboat-<version>-windows-x64.zip from the selected release and extracts it with Windows' tar. The package holds nativeboat.exe and its toolchain directory at its root; a single enclosing directory is also supported.

Downloads use the public release URLs. The action checks the asset size and GitHub's SHA-256 digest when present, and the SHA256SUMS.txt entry when that file is included. A mismatch fails before extraction.

This action is released under the MIT License. The NativeBoat compiler it downloads is a separate product under its own license: it is free for open source projects and for non-commercial projects, while closed-source commercial use needs a license from nativeboat@xtsoftwarelabs.com. Using this action means using the compiler under those terms.

The action collects no personal data and sends no telemetry. It contacts only GitHub: the GitHub API, with the token input, to read release metadata from XTSoftwareLabs/nativeboat-release, and that repository's release downloads, without a token. The token is not passed to the compiler or to the project's build commands. Installing the project's dependencies contacts the package registries the project uses. The compiler's own handling of data is governed by its license.

Report problems with this action in its issues. Report compiler problems in the NativeBoat release issues, and send licensing questions to nativeboat@xtsoftwarelabs.com.

npm ci
npm run check
npm test

The action runs directly from src/ with the GitHub runner's Node.js 24 runtime. It uses only Node.js built-ins. Tests run on Windows and Linux. The Smoke build workflow compiles the included Electron fixture using a published compiler release; run it manually with the desired release tag.

Releases use vX.Y.Z tags. Publishing a stable release runs the Update major tag workflow, which moves the vX tag to that release.