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[Feature]: Restore .deb and .rpm Linux packaging targets dropped in Tauri → Electron migration #2084

@harshit110927

Description

@harshit110927

Summary

The Tauri build shipped .deb and .rpm artifacts to Linux users.
The Electron migration dropped both formats. The current
electron-builder.yml only lists AppImage and tar.gz under
linux.target. This restores them.

Problem / goal

Linux users who installed via .deb (Ubuntu/Debian) or .rpm
(Fedora/RHEL) during the Tauri era now have no native package format
available in Electron builds.

Confirmed from release history — v0.11.207 shipped these Linux artifacts:

  • openwork-desktop-linux-amd64.deb
  • openwork-desktop-linux-aarch64.rpm

The current electron-builder.yml linux block only targets:

target:
  - AppImage
  - tar.gz

The migration comment in electron-builder.yml explicitly notes:

"In-place migration from Tauri to Electron depends on this."

The packaging regression was not intentional — it is a side effect of
the migration config being written fresh without carrying over the
Tauri packaging targets.

AppImage and tar.gz are fine for developers who know how to use them.
They are not adequate for users who:

  • expect apt install / dnf install workflows
  • want the app to appear in their system launcher automatically
  • want package-manager-managed updates

Primary user(s)

  • Bob (IT / power user)
  • Susan (non-technical)
  • Other team roles

OpenCode primitive alignment

Build/distribution layer only. No OpenCode primitives are touched.
No runtime behaviour changes.

Alignment with VISION/PRINCIPLES/PRODUCT

PRINCIPLES.md: "Local-first by default."

For mainstream Linux users; Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, RHEL- local-first
means installable through their system package manager, not manually
managing an AppImage. This restores the packaging parity that existed
before the migration.

Testability

Run electron-builder --linux deb rpm locally or observe CI artifact
output after the change — confirm openwork-linux-amd64-*.deb and
openwork-linux-aarch64-*.rpm appear in apps/desktop/dist-electron/
alongside the existing AppImage.

Install the .deb on Ubuntu and confirm OpenWork appears in the system
app launcher.

Ready to build it yourself?

Yes

Additional context

Affected file: apps/desktop/electron-builder.ymllinux block only.

AppImage and tar.gz targets are preserved. No other blocks touched. Previous artifacts for reference: - https://github.com/different-ai/openwork/releases/tag/v0.11.207

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