Changelog

0.0.18

ElectronNET.Core

Highlights

• Complete MSBuild Integration: Eliminated CLI tool dependency, moved all build processes to MSBuild with deep Visual Studio integration
• Modernized Architecture: Restructured process lifecycle with .NET launching first and running Electron as child process for better control and reliability
• Cross-Platform Development: Build and debug Linux applications directly from Windows Visual Studio via WSL integration
• Flexible Electron Versioning: Removed version lock-in, users can now select any Electron version with build-time validation
• Enhanced Debugging Experience: ASP.NET-first debugging with Hot Reload support and improved process termination handling
• Console App Support: No longer requires ASP.NET - now works with simple console applications for file system or remote server HTML/JS

Build System & Project Structure

• Eliminated electron.manifest.json configuration file, replaced with MSBuild project properties
• Introduced new package structure: ElectronNET.Core (main package), ElectronNET.Core.Api (API definitions), ElectronNET.Core.AspNet (ASP.NET integration)
• Added Runtime Identifier (RID) selection as part of project configuration
• Restructured build folder layout to use standard .NET format (bin\net8.0\win-x64) instead of bin\Desktop
• Implemented incremental build support for Electron assets to improve build performance
• Added custom MSBuild tasks for Electron-specific build operations

Development Experience

• Implemented unpackaged run-mode for development using regular .NET builds with unpackaged Electron configuration
• Added support for building Linux packages on Windows via WSL integration
• Enabled running and debugging Linux application outputs on Windows through WSL
• Integrated TypeScript compilation with ASP.NET tooling for consistent builds
• Added process orchestration supporting 8 different launch scenarios (packaged/unpackaged × console/ASP.NET × dotnet-first/electron-first)

Debugging & Runtime

• Dramatically improved debugging experience with ASP.NET-first launch mode
• Added Hot Reload support for ASP.NET code during development
• Implemented proper process termination handling for all exit scenarios
• Minimized startup times through optimized build and launch procedures

Technical Improvements

• Enhanced splash screen handling with automatic path resolution
• Improved ElectronHostHook integration as proper npm package dependency
• Updated to latest TypeScript version with ESLint configuration
• Added support for custom main.js files in projects
• Implemented version management through common.props file
• Added build-time Electron version compatibility validation

Package & Distribution

• Integrated MSBuild publishing mechanisms for creating Electron packages
• Added folder publishing support with improved parameter handling
• Implemented automated package.json generation from MSBuild properties
• Added GitHub release automation with proper versioning
• Reduced package sizes by eliminating unnecessary TypeScript dependencies

Migration & Compatibility

• Maintained backward compatibility for existing ElectronHostHook implementations
• Removed ASP.NET requirement: Now works with simple console applications for file system or remote server HTML/JS scenarios
• Added support for both console and ASP.NET Core application types
• Preserved all existing Electron API functionality while modernizing architecture
• Added migration path for existing projects through updated package structure

This represents a comprehensive modernization of Electron.NET, addressing the major pain points around debugging, build complexity, and platform limitations while maintaining full API compatibility.