> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction to electron-builder

> A complete solution to package and build a ready for distribution Electron app for macOS, Windows and Linux with auto update support out of the box

# Introduction to electron-builder

electron-builder is a complete solution to package and build a ready-for-distribution [Electron](https://electronjs.org) app for macOS, Windows, and Linux with auto-update support out of the box.

## What is electron-builder?

electron-builder provides everything you need to build and distribute professional Electron applications:

* **Package Management**: Handles native application dependencies compilation (including Yarn support) and automatically excludes development dependencies
* **Code Signing**: Sign your applications on CI servers or development machines
* **Auto Update**: Built-in support for auto-update functionality
* **Multiple Distribution Formats**: Support for numerous target formats across all platforms
* **Publishing**: Deploy artifacts to GitHub Releases, Amazon S3, DigitalOcean Spaces, and more

## Key Benefits

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Cross-Platform" icon="laptop">
    Build for macOS, Windows, and Linux from a single configuration
  </Card>

  <Card title="Zero Configuration" icon="magic">
    Works out of the box with sensible defaults, configure only what you need
  </Card>

  <Card title="Auto Updates" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Built-in auto-update support ready for production use
  </Card>

  <Card title="Code Signing" icon="shield-check">
    Integrated code signing support for all platforms
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Supported Distribution Formats

### macOS

* **DMG** - Disk Image
* **PKG** - Installer Package
* **MAS** - Mac App Store

### Windows

* **NSIS** - Installer
* **NSIS Web** - Web installer
* **Portable** - Standalone app without installation
* **AppX** - Windows Store
* **MSI** - Windows Installer
* **Squirrel.Windows** - Update framework

### Linux

* **AppImage** - Universal Linux package
* **Snap** - Snapcraft package
* **deb** - Debian/Ubuntu package
* **rpm** - Red Hat/Fedora package
* **freebsd**, **pacman**, **p5p**, **apk** - Other Linux distributions

### All Platforms

* **7z**, **zip**, **tar.xz**, **tar.7z**, **tar.lz**, **tar.gz**, **tar.bz2**, **dir** (unpacked directory)

## Key Features

### NPM Package Management

* Native application dependencies compilation with full Yarn support
* Development dependencies are automatically excluded
* Support for [two package.json structure](/guides/advanced/two-package-structure) (optional)

### Advanced Building

* Pack already packaged apps in distributable formats
* Separate build steps for custom workflows
* Parallel building and publishing
* Hard links on CI servers to reduce IO and disk space usage
* Docker images available for building Linux or Windows apps on any platform

### Automatic Tool Management

* Downloads all required tools on demand (e.g., code signing tools, AppX maker)
* No manual setup required

## Proton Native Support

electron-builder also supports building [Proton Native](https://proton-native.js.org/) applications.

## Getting Help

| Question                               | Answer                                                                            |
| -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "I want to configure electron-builder" | [See options](/configuration/common)                                              |
| "I found a bug or I have a question"   | [Open an issue](https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/new) |
| "I want to support development"        | [Donate](https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder#sponsors)          |

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Installation" icon="download" href="/installation">
    Install electron-builder with your preferred package manager
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick Start" icon="rocket" href="/quick-start">
    Get started with a simple setup guide
  </Card>
</CardGroup>