I'm feeling a bit lost on how to package my very simple app for Windows. It runs an HTTP server configured via an XML file, serving files from a specified folder. While I've set it up to run using Task Scheduler when I log in, I've only created a PowerShell script that helps stop the task, redeploy the code, and restart everything. This script doesn't actually install or create the task; it just handles file management for an existing setup.
On my Linux workstation, the process was straightforward—using a systemd service and creating RPM/DEB packages for installation and updates was a breeze. But Windows packaging just seems so fragmented to me. I've read about Setup.exe, which seems to be a script for installation, and the MSI format, which is more integrated into Windows, but I can't find useful documentation that directly pertains to my situation. I know there are options like Scheduled Tasks and Windows Services, but I'm not clear on which is the better route for my app.
Can anyone provide guidance or recommend any documentation to help me navigate this? What should I be searching for to find the right information?
2 Answers
You might want to consider using Docker, but I get that it might not suit your needs if you need the client and server to interact on the same machine. If that's the case, building a native installer is your best bet. It's just about creating an archive that drops the files where they need to go on the system.
Setup.exe is essentially created using various installer creation tools. One popular tool is Inno Setup, which lets you build those installers. If you're interested in using MSI files, Microsoft also provides a tool specifically for that, much like Inno Setup but from Microsoft themselves.
That's along the lines of what I was thinking, but I'm still not clear on specifically what steps or details I need to focus on for my packaging process. Any thoughts?
Yeah, Docker is a tough sell for this since my app relies on local network information that wouldn’t translate well within a container. I'm aiming for an easy experience for users who aren't tech-savvy, so I need something straightforward.