Files
cinny-desktop/README.md
Lotus CIandClaude Opus 5.5 bf14f72db2 docs: README for Lotus Chat desktop, not upstream Cinny (#35)
The README was upstream's: its download buttons and minisign key pointed
at cinnyapp releases, so following it installed upstream Cinny and
verified it against the wrong key. Point downloads at this repo's
releases (NSIS exe, .deb, pacman package, AppImage), publish Lotus'
updater key, and list the desktop features.

Fixes #35

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_017PCb59uY3UKqDqt7B6hzd5
2026-10-18 02:36:39 -04:00

70 lines
2.9 KiB
Markdown

# Lotus Chat desktop
The desktop app for [Lotus Chat](https://chat.lotusguild.org), Lotus Guild's
Matrix client (a fork of [Cinny](https://github.com/cinnyapp/cinny)), built
with [Tauri](https://v2.tauri.app/). The web client lives in the `cinny/`
submodule ([LotusGuild/cinny](https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny)).
## Download
Builds are published on this repo's releases page:
**https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop/releases/latest**
| Platform | File |
|---|---|
| Windows | `LotusChat-x86_64-setup.exe` (NSIS installer) |
| Debian / Ubuntu | `LotusChat-x86_64.deb`, install with `sudo apt install ./LotusChat-x86_64.deb` |
| Arch | `LotusChat-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst`: download it, then `sudo pacman -U LotusChat-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst` |
| Other Linux | `LotusChat-x86_64.AppImage` |
There is no macOS build at the moment.
### Updates and signatures
The app updates itself from
`https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop/releases/download/latest/release.json`.
Updater bundles (`.nsis.zip`, `.AppImage.tar.gz`) are signed with minisign; the
`.sig` files sit next to them. Lotus Chat's public key (the base64-decoded
`plugins.updater.pubkey` in `src-tauri/tauri.conf.json`):
> RWRZZdyii05/NUcz337A5SAbiZK+NPVDWuiL2mM5Jk1p/LfRmNfiZ/6l
To check a bundle by hand, base64-decode its `.sig` file and run
`minisign -Vm LotusChat-x86_64-setup.nsis.zip -P RWRZZdyii05/NUcz337A5SAbiZK+NPVDWuiL2mM5Jk1p/LfRmNfiZ/6l -x <decoded.sig>`.
Packages installed through apt or pacman are updated by downloading the new
package from the releases page; the in-app updater says so instead of
replacing files it doesn't own.
## Desktop features
Beyond the web client:
- **Tray:** unread, call and update state; Do Not Disturb.
- **Launch on login**, with an optional **start minimized**.
- **Closing the window:** asks once whether to keep running in the tray or
quit. A call in progress always goes to the tray.
- **Taskbar / launcher:** unread badge, attention flash, upload progress.
- **Windows:** rich notifications with Reply and Mark as read, Focus Assist
sync, thumbnail toolbar (mute / deafen / end call), jump list, media keys (SMTC).
- **System-wide push-to-talk and deafen** keys that work while another app
(a game) has focus.
- **Keychain:** a copy of your login is kept in the OS keychain.
- **Calls:** the call page runs on its own loopback origin, with WebView
permissions scoped to it; where the WebView has no WebRTC (Linux
WebKitGTK), "Open in browser" instead of a dead end.
- **Linux:** NVIDIA / Wayland rendering workarounds.
## Local development
Set up Rust, Node.js and the build tools per the
[Tauri prerequisites](https://v2.tauri.app/start/prerequisites/), then:
```sh
git clone --recursive https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop.git
cd cinny-desktop/cinny && npm ci && cd ..
npm ci
npm run tauri dev # development
npm run tauri build # release build
```