vibetunnel/tauri

VibeTunnel Tauri App

This directory contains the Tauri-based desktop application for VibeTunnel. Tauri is a framework for building smaller, faster, and more secure desktop applications with a web frontend.

What is Tauri?

Tauri is a toolkit that helps developers make applications for major desktop platforms using virtually any frontend framework. Unlike Electron, Tauri:

• Uses the system's native webview instead of bundling Chromium
• Results in much smaller app sizes (typically 10-100x smaller)
• Has better performance and lower memory usage
• Provides better security through a smaller attack surface

Architecture

The VibeTunnel Tauri app consists of:

• Frontend: HTML/CSS/JavaScript served from the public/ directory
• Backend: Rust code in src-tauri/ that handles system operations, terminal management, and server functionality
• IPC Bridge: Commands defined in Rust that can be called from the frontend

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

• Node.js (v18 or later)
• Rust (latest stable)
• Platform-specific dependencies:
  • macOS: Xcode Command Line Tools
  • Linux: webkit2gtk, libgtk-3-dev, libappindicator3-dev
  • Windows: WebView2 (comes with Windows 11/10)

Getting Started

Installation

1. Clone the repository and navigate to the Tauri directory:

cd /path/to/vibetunnel3/tauri

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

Development

To run the app in development mode with hot-reloading:

npm run tauri dev

This will:

• Start the Rust backend with file watching
• Serve the frontend with hot-reloading
• Open the app window automatically
• Show debug output in the terminal

Building

To build the app for production:

npm run tauri build

This creates an optimized build in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/:

• macOS: .app bundle and .dmg installer
• Linux: .deb and .AppImage packages
• Windows: .msi and .exe installers

Project Structure

tauri/
├── public/                 # Frontend files (HTML, CSS, JS)
│   ├── index.html         # Main app window
│   ├── settings.html      # Settings window
│   └── welcome.html       # Welcome/onboarding window
├── src-tauri/             # Rust backend
│   ├── src/               # Rust source code
│   │   ├── main.rs        # App entry point
│   │   ├── commands.rs    # Tauri commands (IPC)
│   │   ├── terminal.rs    # Terminal management
│   │   └── ...            # Other modules
│   ├── Cargo.toml         # Rust dependencies
│   └── tauri.conf.json    # Tauri configuration
├── package.json           # Node.js dependencies
└── README.md             # This file

Key Features

The Tauri app provides:

• Native Terminal Integration: Spawn and manage terminal sessions
• System Tray Support: Menu bar icon with quick actions
• Multi-Window Management: Main, settings, and welcome windows
• Secure IPC: Commands for frontend-backend communication
• Platform Integration: Native menus, notifications, and file dialogs
• Single Instance: Prevents multiple app instances
• Auto-Updates: Built-in update mechanism

Development Tips

Adding New Commands

To add a new command that the frontend can call:

1. Define the command in src-tauri/src/commands.rs:

#[tauri::command]
async fn my_command(param: String) -> Result<String, String> {
    Ok(format!("Hello, {}!", param))
}

2. Register it in src-tauri/src/main.rs:

.invoke_handler(tauri::generate_handler![
    // ... existing commands
    my_command,
])

3. Call it from the frontend:

const { invoke } = window.__TAURI__.tauri;
const result = await invoke('my_command', { param: 'World' });

Debugging

• Frontend: Use browser DevTools (right-click → Inspect in dev mode)
• Backend: Check terminal output or use println! debugging
• IPC Issues: Enable Tauri logging with RUST_LOG=debug npm run tauri dev

Hot Keys

While in development mode:

• Cmd+R / Ctrl+R: Reload the frontend
• Cmd+Q / Ctrl+Q: Quit the app

Configuration

The main configuration file is src-tauri/tauri.conf.json, which controls:

• App metadata (name, version, identifier)
• Window settings (size, position, decorations)
• Build settings (icons, resources)
• Security policies

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Build fails with "cannot find crate"

   • Run cd src-tauri && cargo update

2. App doesn't start in dev mode

   • Check that port 1420 is available
   • Try npm run tauri dev -- --port 3000

3. Permission errors on macOS

   • Grant necessary permissions in System Preferences
   • The app will prompt for required permissions on first launch

Logs

• Development logs appear in the terminal
• Production logs on macOS: ~/Library/Logs/VibeTunnel/

Contributing

When contributing to the Tauri app:

1. Follow the existing code style
2. Test on all target platforms if possible
3. Update this README if adding new features
4. Run cargo fmt in src-tauri/ before committing

Resources

• Tauri Documentation
• Tauri API Reference
• Rust Documentation
• VibeTunnel Documentation

License

See the main project LICENSE file.