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You must compile and package your extension to test it in a production environment or prepare it for publication.

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Compilation

To build your extension, run the build script in the LynxHub root directory:
This command performs the following build steps:
  1. Clears any previous builds by deleting the extension_out/ directory.
  2. Compiles your extension using the config file extension/electron.vite.config.ts.
  3. Optimizes and bundles both your backend and frontend code.
  4. Outputs the compiled assets into the extension_out/ directory.

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Build output structure

The build process generates two main directories inside extension_out/:
  • main/ - Contains the compiled backend main-process bundle (mainEntry.cjs).
  • renderer/ - Contains the compiled frontend assets, including the remote entry file (rendererEntry.mjs).

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Local installation and testing

To test the production build of your extension locally, you must copy the compiled files to the LynxHub user plugins folder.

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1. Locate the plugins directory

The default application data directory is determined by your installation type:
  • Installed: C:\Users\<Your-Username>\Documents\LynxHub (on Windows)
  • Portable: ./LynxHub_Data (located in your application executable folder)
Navigate to the Plugins/ folder inside this directory.

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2. Create the target folder

Create a new subfolder named after your extension metadata ID. For example, if your extension ID is custom-actions, create a directory path like:

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3. Copy the compiled files

Create a scripts/ folder inside your extension directory. Copy the compiled outputs from extension_out/ as follows:
  1. Copy the file extension_out/main/mainEntry.cjs to Plugins/<extension-id>/scripts/main/mainEntry.cjs.
  2. Copy all files from extension_out/renderer/ to the folder Plugins/<extension-id>/scripts/renderer/.
  3. Copy your extension’s static metadata.json file to the root of the extension folder (Plugins/<extension-id>/metadata.json).

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4. Verify directory structure

Ensure your extension directory matches the following layout:
Restart LynxHub to load and verify the compiled extension.

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Production builds

When you prepare your extension for publication, you must push the compiled build assets to the compiled branch (main).
  1. Commit all raw source files to your source branch.
  2. Run the compilation command npm run build:extension.
  3. Switch to your main branch.
  4. Copy the compiled scripts/ directory to the root of the main branch.
  5. Push the compiled branch to your remote repository.
For more details on repository branches, see the Publishing extensions guide.
Last modified on June 21, 2026