AeThex-OS/LAUNCHER_README.md

6.4 KiB

AeThex Desktop Launcher

A modern desktop application launcher for AeThex OS, inspired by Battle.net and Epic Games Launcher.

AeThex Launcher Build Status License

Features

🚀 Modern Launcher Experience

  • Game Launcher Style UI - Beautiful, modern interface similar to Battle.net and Epic Games Store
  • App Library Management - View, install, and launch all your AeThex applications
  • Download Management - Track installations with progress bars and status updates
  • Auto-Updates - Automatic updates for the launcher and installed apps

💻 Desktop Integration

  • System Tray - Minimize to system tray for quick access
  • Native Performance - Built with Tauri for optimal performance and small binary size
  • Cross-Platform - Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Offline Mode - Launch installed apps even without internet connection

🎨 User Interface

  • Grid/List Views - Switch between grid cards and list views
  • Featured Apps - Discover new AeThex applications
  • Play Time Tracking - See your usage statistics
  • Dark/Light Themes - Automatic theme switching

Screenshots

Library View

The main library shows all your installed applications with play buttons and stats.

Store View

Browse and install new AeThex applications from the integrated store.

Updates View

Keep all your apps up to date with automatic update notifications.

Installation

Pre-built Binaries

Download the latest release for your platform:

Windows

  • Download AeThex-Launcher-Setup.msi
  • Run the installer and follow the prompts
  • Launch from Start Menu or Desktop shortcut

macOS

  • Download AeThex-Launcher.dmg
  • Open the DMG and drag AeThex Launcher to Applications
  • Launch from Applications folder or Launchpad

Linux

  • Ubuntu/Debian: Download .deb and run sudo dpkg -i aethex-launcher*.deb
  • Fedora/RHEL: Download .rpm and run sudo rpm -i aethex-launcher*.rpm
  • Universal: Download .AppImage, make executable, and run

Build from Source

See LAUNCHER_BUILD.md for detailed build instructions.

Usage

Launching Apps

  1. Open AeThex Launcher - Find it in your applications menu or system tray
  2. Browse Library - See all your installed apps
  3. Click Launch - Click the play button to launch any installed app
  4. Install New Apps - Go to the Store tab to discover and install new apps

Managing Apps

  • Install: Click "Install" button on any app in the Store
  • Uninstall: Click the menu icon (⋮) on any installed app and select uninstall
  • Update: Go to the Updates tab to update apps with new versions
  • Open Folder: Access app installation folders from the menu

System Tray

The launcher can run in the background in your system tray:

  • Left Click - Show/hide the launcher window
  • Right Click - Open context menu with options
  • Quit - Close the launcher completely

Development

Prerequisites

Running in Development Mode

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run in development mode with hot reload
npm run dev:launcher

Building

# Build for current platform
npm run build:launcher

# Platform-specific builds
npm run build:launcher:windows  # Windows
npm run build:launcher:macos    # macOS
npm run build:launcher:linux    # Linux

Architecture

Technology Stack

  • Frontend: React + TypeScript + Vite
  • UI Framework: Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui components
  • Desktop Framework: Tauri 2.0
  • Backend: Rust (Tauri commands)
  • State Management: React hooks + localStorage

Project Structure

├── client/src/
│   ├── components/
│   │   └── DesktopLauncher.tsx    # Main launcher component
│   └── pages/
│       └── launcher.tsx            # Launcher page
├── src-tauri/
│   ├── src/
│   │   └── lib.rs                  # Tauri commands and system integration
│   ├── Cargo.toml                  # Rust dependencies
│   └── tauri.conf.json            # Tauri configuration

Tauri Commands

The launcher exposes several Tauri commands for app management:

  • launch_app(app_id) - Launch an installed application
  • install_app(app_id) - Install a new application
  • uninstall_app(app_id) - Uninstall an application
  • check_for_updates() - Check for available updates
  • get_installed_apps() - Get list of installed apps
  • open_app_folder(app_id) - Open app installation folder

Configuration

Launcher Settings

Configuration is stored in:

  • Windows: %APPDATA%/com.aethex.os/
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/com.aethex.os/
  • Linux: ~/.config/com.aethex.os/

Auto-Update Server

Configure the update server in src-tauri/tauri.conf.json:

{
  "plugins": {
    "updater": {
      "endpoints": ["https://your-update-server.com/{{target}}/{{arch}}/{{current_version}}"]
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

Launcher won't start

  • Check that all system requirements are met
  • On Linux, ensure webkitgtk is installed
  • Try running from terminal to see error messages

Apps won't install

  • Check internet connection
  • Verify disk space is available
  • Check firewall settings

System tray icon missing

  • On Linux, ensure system tray support is enabled in your desktop environment
  • Try restarting the launcher

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please see CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Support

Acknowledgments

Built with:

Inspired by:

  • Battle.net Launcher (Blizzard Entertainment)
  • Epic Games Launcher (Epic Games)
  • Steam (Valve Corporation)

AeThex Corporation © 2025-2026 | Building the future of web desktop platforms