Fix macOS desktop release packaging

apps/desktop/electron-builder.yml

@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ mac:
   target:
     - dmg
     - zip
-  identity: null
+  # Ad-hoc sign macOS bundles when a Developer ID certificate is unavailable.
+  # Leaving the app bundle fully unsigned can produce Gatekeeper's misleading
+  # "damaged and can't be opened" dialog on Apple Silicon releases.
+  identity: "-"
   hardenedRuntime: false
   gatekeeperAssess: false
 

apps/desktop/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@open-pets/desktop",
-  "version": "2.1.0",
+  "version": "2.1.1",
   "private": true,
   "description": "OpenPets tray-first desktop companion app.",
   "license": "MIT",

apps/desktop/scripts/release-local.mjs

@@ -208,38 +208,28 @@ function run(command, args, options) {
 
 function defaultReleaseNotes() {
   return [
-    `OpenPets ${tag} introduces first-party desktop plugins.`,
+    `OpenPets ${tag} is a desktop packaging patch for macOS users.`,
     "",
-    "## New: OpenPets Plugins",
+    "## Fixed",
     "",
-    "OpenPets now includes a first-party plugin platform for optional desktop companion behaviors.",
+    "- Fixed macOS release packaging so app bundles are ad-hoc signed when a Developer ID certificate is unavailable.",
+    "- This addresses the misleading macOS Gatekeeper dialog that can say OpenPets is damaged and can't be opened on Apple Silicon/Sequoia.",
+    "- Rebuilt desktop artifacts with optional packages included: macOS ZIP, Windows portable, Linux DEB/RPM, and Linux tar.gz.",
     "",
-    "### Included plugins",
+    "## Still included from v2.1.0",
     "",
     "- Daily Reminders — recurring local reminders with custom messages, reactions, days, and intervals.",
     "- Pomodoro — focus and break sessions with pet feedback and controls.",
     "- GitHub Notifications — public repository release and failed-workflow notifications. No GitHub login, token, or private repository access is used.",
     "",
-    "### Plugin management",
-    "",
-    "- New polished Plugins window with install, enable, configure, update, reload, and uninstall actions.",
-    "- Friendly plugin configuration UI; no JSON editing required.",
-    "- Plugin permissions and network hosts are explicit.",
-    "- JavaScript plugins run in a sandboxed renderer with a narrow OpenPets SDK.",
-    "",
-    "### Developer notes",
-    "",
-    "- Local plugin development is available through explicit developer mode and `pnpm dev:desktop:plugins`.",
-    "- Legacy sample plugins were removed from discovery.",
-    "",
-    "### Known limitations",
+    "## Known limitations",
     "",
     "- GitHub Notifications supports public repositories only in this release.",
-    "- Desktop artifacts are currently unsigned, so OS security warnings may appear.",
+    "- macOS artifacts are ad-hoc signed but not Developer ID notarized yet, so Gatekeeper may still require a first-open confirmation.",
+    "- Windows artifacts are unsigned, so SmartScreen warnings may appear.",
     "",
     "After publishing:",
-    "- Smoke test macOS, Windows, and Linux artifacts.",
-    "- Expect Gatekeeper/SmartScreen warnings until signing/notarization is configured.",
+    "- Smoke test macOS DMG/ZIP, Windows installer/portable, and Linux artifacts.",
   ].join("\n");
 }
 

docs/release.md

@@ -10,7 +10,33 @@ This guide is for an AI agent creating a new OpenPets desktop release from a loc
 - Root command: `pnpm release:desktop`
 - Update checker expects GitHub release tags like `v2.0.0`.
 
-## Current plugin platform release plan
+## Current desktop patch release plan
+
+The next end-user release is a **desktop-only macOS packaging patch** for issue #30. Do **not** publish npm packages for this patch.
+
+Release goals:
+
+1. Ship a new desktop GitHub Release with `apps/desktop/package.json` bumped to the next patch version.
+2. Build with optional desktop artifacts included via `pnpm release:desktop -- --yes --include-optional`.
+3. Keep npm packages unchanged because this is an Electron packaging/release artifact fix only.
+4. Confirm the macOS app bundle passes local `codesign --verify --deep --strict` before publishing.
+
+Suggested patch release notes:
+
+```md
+## Fixed
+
+- Fixed macOS release packaging so app bundles are ad-hoc signed when a Developer ID certificate is unavailable.
+- This addresses the misleading macOS Gatekeeper dialog that can say OpenPets is damaged and can't be opened on Apple Silicon/Sequoia.
+- Rebuilt desktop artifacts with optional packages included: macOS ZIP, Windows portable, Linux DEB/RPM, and Linux tar.gz.
+
+## Known limitations
+
+- macOS artifacts are ad-hoc signed but not Developer ID notarized yet, so Gatekeeper may still require a first-open confirmation.
+- Windows artifacts are unsigned, so SmartScreen warnings may appear.
+```
+
+## Previous plugin platform release plan
 
 The next end-user release is a **desktop + web plugin catalog release**, not an npm package release by default.