---
title: Build & Packaging Pipeline
description: What happens under the hood when you run `wails3 build`, how cross-platform binaries are produced, and how installers are generated for each OS.
sidebar:
  order: 6
---

`wails3 build` is a **single command** that drives a _multi-stage_ pipeline:

1. **Frontend production build** (Vite / React / …)  
2. **Asset embedding** into Go sources  
3. **Native compilation** for the target OS/arch  
4. **Post-processing** (icon injection, version info, codesign)  
5. **Packaging** into a distributable artefact (AppImage, DMG, MSI, …)

This document follows every stage, shows where the code lives, and explains how
to customise or debug it.

---

## 1. Entry Point: `internal/commands/build-assets.go`

```
wails3 build                 # cmd/wails3/main.go
└─ internal/commands.Build() # build-assets.go
```

High-level tasks are delegated to **Taskfile** targets so the same logic runs in
CI or locally.

| Stage | Taskfile target | Go implementation |
|-------|-----------------|-------------------|
| Frontend build | `frontend:build` | `internal/commands/task.go` |
| Embed assets   | `embed:assets`  | generated `bundled_assetserver.go` |
| Go compile     | `build:go`      | `tool_buildinfo.go`, `tool_package.go` |
| Package        | `package:*`     | `internal/packager`, `internal/commands/*` |

---

## 2. Frontend Production Build

1. The CLI changes into `frontend/` and executes the `build` task found in the
   project `Taskfile.yml` (`npm run build` by default).
2. Output is written to `frontend/dist/`.
3. A **content hash** manifest is produced (`manifest.json`) so cache-busting
   works out of the box.

If the task fails the pipeline aborts early, returning the exit code of your
build tool.

---

## 3. Embedding Assets

Implemented in `internal/assetserver/build_production.go`:

* Walks `frontend/dist` and generates a `go:embed` file
  `bundled_assetserver.go` (ignored by git).
* Adds the `production` build tag.

Result: the final binary contains every HTML/JS/CSS byte, so the executable is
self-contained.

---

## 4. Native Compilation

### Build Flags

| Flag | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `-tags production` | Select prod asset server & runtime stubs |
| `-ldflags "-s -w"` | Strip symbol table & DWARF (smaller binaries) |
| `-X internal/buildinfo.BuildTime=$(date)` | Embed reproducible metadata |

`internal/commands/tool_buildinfo.go` collects version, git commit, and build
time then injects them using `go build -ldflags`.

### Cross Compilation Matrix

| OS | Arch | Build Tag | CGO | Notes |
|----|------|-----------|-----|-------|
| Windows | amd64 / arm64 | `windows` | cgo enabled for WebView2 | Generates `.syso` via `internal/commands/syso.go` |
| macOS   | amd64 / arm64 | `darwin`  | cgo enabled (Objective-C) | Codesign & notarisation tasks available |
| Linux   | amd64 / arm64 | `linux`   | pure Go (webkit option)   | GTK/WebKitGTK headers required for CGO build |

`wails3 build -platform darwin/arm64` overrides GOOS/GOARCH.  
If CGO is needed on the host that can't compile the target (e.g. building
Windows from Linux), the CLI falls back to **Docker** images (`ghcr.io/wailsapp/cross-compiler`).

---

## 5. Post-Processing

### Icons & Resources

* **Windows** – `syso.go` merges your PNG/ICO into a `.syso` that `go build`
  links automatically.  Also writes `manifest.xml` enabling High-DPI support.
* **macOS** – `icons.go` turns `icon.png` → `.icns`, injects into
  `MyApp.app/Contents/Resources`.
* **Linux** – `.desktop` files are generated in `/usr/share/applications`
  by each packager backend.

### Code Signing (Optional)

* macOS: `codesign` + `xcrun altool --notarize-app`
* Windows: `signtool.exe`
* Linux: Not common (repository GPG handled externally)

Task targets: `sign:mac`, `sign:windows`.

---

## 6. Packaging Back-Ends

### Linux

| Artefact | Code Path | Tooling |
|----------|-----------|---------|
| **AppImage** (default) | `internal/commands/appimage.go` | `linuxdeploy` + `linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk` |
| **deb / rpm / pacman** | `internal/packager` | `fpm` (invoked via Go) |

Flags:

```
wails3 build -package deb   # produces myapp_1.0.0_amd64.deb
wails3 build -package rpm
```

### macOS

* **DMG** – `internal/commands/packager.go` calls `appdmg` to generate a
  drag-&-drop installer.
* **ZIP** – fallback if `appdmg` is missing.
* Sets CFBundle identifiers and version plist automatically.

### Windows

* **MSI** – `internal/commands/packager.go` wraps **WiX** candle & light tools.  
  Heat autogenerates the component tree from the built `.exe`.

Extra resources:

* `internal/commands/windows_resources/` contains templated **.wxs** fragments.
* Version info injected via `rsrc` utility.

---

## 7. Build Artefact Layout

After a successful build the CLI prints:

```
build/bin/
├── myapp-linux-amd64
└── myapp-linux-amd64.AppImage

build/package/
└── myapp_1.0.0_amd64.deb
```

The exact files depend on `-platform` and `-package` flags.

---

## 8. Customising the Pipeline

| Need | Approach |
|------|----------|
| Run a linter before build | Add a `lint` task in **Taskfile.yml** and make `build` depend on it. |
| Extra linker flags | `wails3 build -ldflags "-H windowsgui"` |
| Skip packaging | `wails3 build -skip-package` (keeps raw binary). |
| Bring your own packager | Implement `internal/packager/<name>.go`, register in `packager.go`. |

All Taskfile targets use environment variables exported by the CLI, so you can
reference values like `$WAILS_VERSION` or `$WAILS_PLATFORM` inside custom tasks.

---

## 9. Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---------|--------------|-----|
| **`ld: framework not found WebKit` (mac)** | Xcode CLI tools missing | `xcode-select --install` |
| **Blank window in prod build** | Frontend build failed or SPA routing | Check `frontend/dist/index.html` exists and `History API Fallback` is set. |
| **`wixl` not found** (Linux MSI cross-build) | WiX toolset not installed in Docker image | Use `--docker` build or install WiX manually. |
| **Duplicated symbol `_WinMain`** | Mixed `windowsgui` flag and syso | Remove custom `-ldflags` or let Wails manage resources. |

Verbose mode: `wails3 build -verbose` dumps every command executed.

---

## 10. Key Source Map

| Concern | File |
|---------|------|
| Task runner glue | `internal/commands/task_wrapper.go` |
| Build dispatcher | `internal/commands/build-assets.go` |
| AppImage builder | `internal/commands/appimage.go` |
| Generic packager interface | `internal/packager/packager.go` |
| Windows resource generator | `internal/commands/syso.go` |
| Build info injector | `internal/commands/tool_buildinfo.go` |
| Version constants | `internal/version/version.go` |

Keep this table handy when you trace a build failure.

---

You now have the full picture from **source code** to **installer**. Armed with
this knowledge you can tweak the pipeline, add new packaging targets, or debug
cross-compilation issues without fear. Happy shipping!