Default nightly desktop builds to the nightly update channel

apps/desktop/src/appBranding.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { DesktopAppBranding, DesktopAppStageLabel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { isNightlyDesktopVersion } from "./updateChannels";
+
 const APP_BASE_NAME = "T3 Code";
-const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  readonly isDevelopment: boolean;
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  return "Dev";
  }
 
- return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
 }
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppBranding(input: {

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
  DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
  readDesktopSettings,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopSettings,
  setDesktopServerExposurePreference,
  setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference,
  writeDesktopSettings,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ function makeSettingsPath() {
 
 describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  it("returns defaults when no settings file exists", () => {
- expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath())).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath(), "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("defaults packaged nightly builds to the nightly update channel", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopSettings("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
  });
 
  it("persists and reloads the configured server exposure mode", () => {
@@ -37,11 +46,13 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  writeDesktopSettings(settingsPath, {
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual({
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
@@ -51,12 +62,14 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "network-accessible",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  });
  });
 
@@ -66,19 +79,69 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "nightly",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
  it("falls back to defaults when the settings file is malformed", () => {
  const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
  fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, "{not-json", "utf8");
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("falls back to the nightly channel for legacy nightly settings without an update track", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({ serverExposureMode: "local-only" }), "utf8");
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("migrates legacy implicit stable settings to nightly when running a nightly build", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("preserves an explicit stable choice on nightly builds", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ });
  });
 });

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,27 @@ import * as FS from "node:fs";
 import * as Path from "node:path";
 import type { DesktopServerExposureMode, DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
+
 export interface DesktopSettings {
  readonly serverExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode;
  readonly updateChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS: DesktopSettings = {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
 };
 
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ return {
+ ...DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
+ updateChannel: resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion),
+ };
+}
+
 export function setDesktopServerExposurePreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedMode: DesktopServerExposureMode,
@@ -28,33 +39,47 @@ export function setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
 ): DesktopSettings {
- return settings.updateChannel === requestedChannel
- ? settings
- : {
- ...settings,
- updateChannel: requestedChannel,
- };
+ return {
+ ...settings,
+ updateChannel: requestedChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ };
 }
 
-export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string): DesktopSettings {
+export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string, appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ const defaultSettings = resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion);
+
  try {
  if (!FS.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 
  const raw = FS.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8");
  const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
  readonly serverExposureMode?: unknown;
  readonly updateChannel?: unknown;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser?: unknown;
  };
+ const parsedUpdateChannel =
+ parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" || parsed.updateChannel === "latest"
+ ? parsed.updateChannel
+ : null;
+ const isLegacySettings = parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === undefined;
+ const updateChannelConfiguredByUser =
+ parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === true ||
+ (isLegacySettings && parsedUpdateChannel === "nightly");
 
  return {
  serverExposureMode:
  parsed.serverExposureMode === "network-accessible" ? "network-accessible" : "local-only",
- updateChannel: parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" ? "nightly" : "latest",
+ updateChannel:
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser && parsedUpdateChannel !== null
+ ? parsedUpdateChannel
+ : defaultSettings.updateChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser,
  };
  } catch {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { showDesktopConfirmDialog } from "./confirmDialog";
 import { resolveDesktopServerExposure } from "./serverExposure";
 import { syncShellEnvironment } from "./syncShellEnvironment";
 import { getAutoUpdateDisabledReason, shouldBroadcastDownloadProgress } from "./updateState";
+import { doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
 import { ServerListeningDetector } from "./serverListeningDetector";
 import {
  createInitialDesktopUpdateState,
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ let desktopLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let backendLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let restoreStdIoCapture: (() => void) | null = null;
 let backendObservabilitySettings = readPersistedBackendObservabilitySettings();
-let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH);
+let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, app.getVersion());
 let desktopServerExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode = desktopSettings.serverExposureMode;
 
 let destructiveMenuIconCache: Electron.NativeImage | null | undefined;
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ function applyAutoUpdaterChannel(channel: DesktopUpdateChannel): void {
  autoUpdater.allowPrerelease = channel === "nightly";
  autoUpdater.allowDowngrade = channel === "nightly";
  console.info(
- `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
+ `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}, allowDowngrade=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
  );
 }
 
@@ -1285,6 +1286,15 @@ function configureAutoUpdater(): void {
  console.info("[desktop-updater] Looking for updates...");
  });
  autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
+ if (!doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(info.version, updateState.channel)) {
+ console.info(
+ `[desktop-updater] Ignoring ${info.version} because it does not match the selected '${updateState.channel}' channel.`,
+ );
+ setUpdateState(reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnNoUpdate(updateState, new Date().toISOString()));
+ lastLoggedDownloadMilestone = -1;
+ return;
+ }
+
  setUpdateState(
  reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnUpdateAvailable(
  updateState,
@@ -1792,13 +1802,14 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
  }
 
  const nextChannel = rawChannel as DesktopUpdateChannel;
- if (nextChannel === desktopSettings.updateChannel) {
- return updateState;
- }
 
  desktopSettings = setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(desktopSettings, nextChannel);
  writeDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, desktopSettings);
 
+ if (nextChannel === updateState.channel) {
+ return updateState;
+ }
+
  const enabled = shouldEnableAutoUpdates();
  setUpdateState(createBaseUpdateState(nextChannel, enabled));
 

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+ doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel,
+ isNightlyDesktopVersion,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel,
+} from "./updateChannels";
+
+describe("isNightlyDesktopVersion", () => {
+ it("detects packaged nightly versions", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("does not flag stable versions as nightly", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});
+
+describe("resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("defaults stable builds to latest", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17")).toBe("latest");
+ });
+
+ it("defaults nightly builds to nightly", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe("nightly");
+ });
+});
+
+describe("doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("accepts nightly releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "nightly")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects stable releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17", "nightly")).toBe(false);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects nightly releases on the stable channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "latest")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
+
+export function isNightlyDesktopVersion(version: string): boolean {
+ return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(version);
+}
+
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion: string): DesktopUpdateChannel {
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(appVersion) ? "nightly" : "latest";
+}
+
+export function doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(
+ version: string,
+ channel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
+): boolean {
+ return resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(version) === channel;
+}

docs/release.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document covers the unified release workflow for stable and nightly desktop
  - tag format: `nightly-vX.Y.Z-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<run_number>`
  - release name includes the short commit SHA
  - `make_latest` is always `false`
-- Uses the current `apps/desktop/package.json` semver core (`X.Y.Z`) as the nightly base, then appends a nightly prerelease suffix.
+- Uses the next stable patch version as the nightly base. For example, `0.0.17` produces nightlies on `0.0.18-nightly.*`.
 - Publishes Electron auto-update metadata to the dedicated `nightly` updater channel, so desktop users can opt into that track independently from stable.
 - Publishes the CLI package (`apps/server`, npm package `t3`) to the `nightly` npm dist-tag using the same nightly version.
 - Does not commit version bumps back to `main`.

scripts/release-smoke.ts

@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ try {
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "version=9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "version=9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly version.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "tag=nightly-v9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "tag=nightly-v9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly tag.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
+ "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
  "Expected nightly metadata to include the short commit SHA in the release name.",
  );
 

apps/desktop/src/appBranding.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { DesktopAppBranding, DesktopAppStageLabel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { isNightlyDesktopVersion } from "./updateChannels";
+
 const APP_BASE_NAME = "T3 Code";
-const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  readonly isDevelopment: boolean;
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  return "Dev";
  }
 
- return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
 }
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppBranding(input: {

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
  DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
  readDesktopSettings,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopSettings,
  setDesktopServerExposurePreference,
  setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference,
  writeDesktopSettings,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ function makeSettingsPath() {
 
 describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  it("returns defaults when no settings file exists", () => {
- expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath())).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath(), "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("defaults packaged nightly builds to the nightly update channel", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopSettings("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
  });
 
  it("persists and reloads the configured server exposure mode", () => {
@@ -37,11 +46,13 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  writeDesktopSettings(settingsPath, {
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual({
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
@@ -51,12 +62,14 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "network-accessible",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  });
  });
 
@@ -66,19 +79,69 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "nightly",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
  it("falls back to defaults when the settings file is malformed", () => {
  const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
  fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, "{not-json", "utf8");
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("falls back to the nightly channel for legacy nightly settings without an update track", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({ serverExposureMode: "local-only" }), "utf8");
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("migrates legacy implicit stable settings to nightly when running a nightly build", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("preserves an explicit stable choice on nightly builds", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ });
  });
 });

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,27 @@ import * as FS from "node:fs";
 import * as Path from "node:path";
 import type { DesktopServerExposureMode, DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
+
 export interface DesktopSettings {
  readonly serverExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode;
  readonly updateChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS: DesktopSettings = {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
 };
 
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ return {
+ ...DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
+ updateChannel: resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion),
+ };
+}
+
 export function setDesktopServerExposurePreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedMode: DesktopServerExposureMode,
@@ -28,33 +39,47 @@ export function setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
 ): DesktopSettings {
- return settings.updateChannel === requestedChannel
- ? settings
- : {
- ...settings,
- updateChannel: requestedChannel,
- };
+ return {
+ ...settings,
+ updateChannel: requestedChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ };
 }
 
-export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string): DesktopSettings {
+export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string, appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ const defaultSettings = resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion);
+
  try {
  if (!FS.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 
  const raw = FS.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8");
  const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
  readonly serverExposureMode?: unknown;
  readonly updateChannel?: unknown;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser?: unknown;
  };
+ const parsedUpdateChannel =
+ parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" || parsed.updateChannel === "latest"
+ ? parsed.updateChannel
+ : null;
+ const isLegacySettings = parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === undefined;
+ const updateChannelConfiguredByUser =
+ parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === true ||
+ (isLegacySettings && parsedUpdateChannel === "nightly");
 
  return {
  serverExposureMode:
  parsed.serverExposureMode === "network-accessible" ? "network-accessible" : "local-only",
- updateChannel: parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" ? "nightly" : "latest",
+ updateChannel:
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser && parsedUpdateChannel !== null
+ ? parsedUpdateChannel
+ : defaultSettings.updateChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser,
  };
  } catch {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { showDesktopConfirmDialog } from "./confirmDialog";
 import { resolveDesktopServerExposure } from "./serverExposure";
 import { syncShellEnvironment } from "./syncShellEnvironment";
 import { getAutoUpdateDisabledReason, shouldBroadcastDownloadProgress } from "./updateState";
+import { doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
 import { ServerListeningDetector } from "./serverListeningDetector";
 import {
  createInitialDesktopUpdateState,
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ let desktopLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let backendLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let restoreStdIoCapture: (() => void) | null = null;
 let backendObservabilitySettings = readPersistedBackendObservabilitySettings();
-let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH);
+let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, app.getVersion());
 let desktopServerExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode = desktopSettings.serverExposureMode;
 
 let destructiveMenuIconCache: Electron.NativeImage | null | undefined;
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ function applyAutoUpdaterChannel(channel: DesktopUpdateChannel): void {
  autoUpdater.allowPrerelease = channel === "nightly";
  autoUpdater.allowDowngrade = channel === "nightly";
  console.info(
- `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
+ `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}, allowDowngrade=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
  );
 }
 
@@ -1285,6 +1286,15 @@ function configureAutoUpdater(): void {
  console.info("[desktop-updater] Looking for updates...");
  });
  autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
+ if (!doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(info.version, updateState.channel)) {
+ console.info(
+ `[desktop-updater] Ignoring ${info.version} because it does not match the selected '${updateState.channel}' channel.`,
+ );
+ setUpdateState(reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnNoUpdate(updateState, new Date().toISOString()));
+ lastLoggedDownloadMilestone = -1;
+ return;
+ }
+
  setUpdateState(
  reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnUpdateAvailable(
  updateState,
@@ -1792,13 +1802,14 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
  }
 
  const nextChannel = rawChannel as DesktopUpdateChannel;
- if (nextChannel === desktopSettings.updateChannel) {
- return updateState;
- }
 
  desktopSettings = setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(desktopSettings, nextChannel);
  writeDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, desktopSettings);
 
+ if (nextChannel === updateState.channel) {
+ return updateState;
+ }
+
  const enabled = shouldEnableAutoUpdates();
  setUpdateState(createBaseUpdateState(nextChannel, enabled));
 

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+ doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel,
+ isNightlyDesktopVersion,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel,
+} from "./updateChannels";
+
+describe("isNightlyDesktopVersion", () => {
+ it("detects packaged nightly versions", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("does not flag stable versions as nightly", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});
+
+describe("resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("defaults stable builds to latest", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17")).toBe("latest");
+ });
+
+ it("defaults nightly builds to nightly", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe("nightly");
+ });
+});
+
+describe("doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("accepts nightly releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "nightly")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects stable releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17", "nightly")).toBe(false);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects nightly releases on the stable channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "latest")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
+
+export function isNightlyDesktopVersion(version: string): boolean {
+ return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(version);
+}
+
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion: string): DesktopUpdateChannel {
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(appVersion) ? "nightly" : "latest";
+}
+
+export function doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(
+ version: string,
+ channel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
+): boolean {
+ return resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(version) === channel;
+}

docs/release.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document covers the unified release workflow for stable and nightly desktop
  - tag format: `nightly-vX.Y.Z-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<run_number>`
  - release name includes the short commit SHA
  - `make_latest` is always `false`
-- Uses the current `apps/desktop/package.json` semver core (`X.Y.Z`) as the nightly base, then appends a nightly prerelease suffix.
+- Uses the next stable patch version as the nightly base. For example, `0.0.17` produces nightlies on `0.0.18-nightly.*`.
 - Publishes Electron auto-update metadata to the dedicated `nightly` updater channel, so desktop users can opt into that track independently from stable.
 - Publishes the CLI package (`apps/server`, npm package `t3`) to the `nightly` npm dist-tag using the same nightly version.
 - Does not commit version bumps back to `main`.

scripts/release-smoke.ts

@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ try {
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "version=9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "version=9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly version.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "tag=nightly-v9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "tag=nightly-v9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly tag.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
+ "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
  "Expected nightly metadata to include the short commit SHA in the release name.",
  );
 

apps/desktop/src/appBranding.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { DesktopAppBranding, DesktopAppStageLabel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { isNightlyDesktopVersion } from "./updateChannels";
+
 const APP_BASE_NAME = "T3 Code";
-const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  readonly isDevelopment: boolean;
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  return "Dev";
  }
 
- return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
 }
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppBranding(input: {

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
  DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
  readDesktopSettings,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopSettings,
  setDesktopServerExposurePreference,
  setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference,
  writeDesktopSettings,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ function makeSettingsPath() {
 
 describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  it("returns defaults when no settings file exists", () => {
- expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath())).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath(), "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("defaults packaged nightly builds to the nightly update channel", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopSettings("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
  });
 
  it("persists and reloads the configured server exposure mode", () => {
@@ -37,11 +46,13 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  writeDesktopSettings(settingsPath, {
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual({
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
@@ -51,12 +62,14 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "network-accessible",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  });
  });
 
@@ -66,19 +79,69 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "nightly",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
  it("falls back to defaults when the settings file is malformed", () => {
  const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
  fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, "{not-json", "utf8");
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("falls back to the nightly channel for legacy nightly settings without an update track", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({ serverExposureMode: "local-only" }), "utf8");
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("migrates legacy implicit stable settings to nightly when running a nightly build", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("preserves an explicit stable choice on nightly builds", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ });
  });
 });

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,27 @@ import * as FS from "node:fs";
 import * as Path from "node:path";
 import type { DesktopServerExposureMode, DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
+
 export interface DesktopSettings {
  readonly serverExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode;
  readonly updateChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS: DesktopSettings = {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
 };
 
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ return {
+ ...DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
+ updateChannel: resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion),
+ };
+}
+
 export function setDesktopServerExposurePreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedMode: DesktopServerExposureMode,
@@ -28,33 +39,47 @@ export function setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
 ): DesktopSettings {
- return settings.updateChannel === requestedChannel
- ? settings
- : {
- ...settings,
- updateChannel: requestedChannel,
- };
+ return {
+ ...settings,
+ updateChannel: requestedChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ };
 }
 
-export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string): DesktopSettings {
+export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string, appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ const defaultSettings = resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion);
+
  try {
  if (!FS.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 
  const raw = FS.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8");
  const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
  readonly serverExposureMode?: unknown;
  readonly updateChannel?: unknown;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser?: unknown;
  };
+ const parsedUpdateChannel =
+ parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" || parsed.updateChannel === "latest"
+ ? parsed.updateChannel
+ : null;
+ const isLegacySettings = parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === undefined;
+ const updateChannelConfiguredByUser =
+ parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === true ||
+ (isLegacySettings && parsedUpdateChannel === "nightly");
 
  return {
  serverExposureMode:
  parsed.serverExposureMode === "network-accessible" ? "network-accessible" : "local-only",
- updateChannel: parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" ? "nightly" : "latest",
+ updateChannel:
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser && parsedUpdateChannel !== null
+ ? parsedUpdateChannel
+ : defaultSettings.updateChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser,
  };
  } catch {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { showDesktopConfirmDialog } from "./confirmDialog";
 import { resolveDesktopServerExposure } from "./serverExposure";
 import { syncShellEnvironment } from "./syncShellEnvironment";
 import { getAutoUpdateDisabledReason, shouldBroadcastDownloadProgress } from "./updateState";
+import { doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
 import { ServerListeningDetector } from "./serverListeningDetector";
 import {
  createInitialDesktopUpdateState,
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ let desktopLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let backendLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let restoreStdIoCapture: (() => void) | null = null;
 let backendObservabilitySettings = readPersistedBackendObservabilitySettings();
-let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH);
+let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, app.getVersion());
 let desktopServerExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode = desktopSettings.serverExposureMode;
 
 let destructiveMenuIconCache: Electron.NativeImage | null | undefined;
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ function applyAutoUpdaterChannel(channel: DesktopUpdateChannel): void {
  autoUpdater.allowPrerelease = channel === "nightly";
  autoUpdater.allowDowngrade = channel === "nightly";
  console.info(
- `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
+ `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}, allowDowngrade=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
  );
 }
 
@@ -1285,6 +1286,15 @@ function configureAutoUpdater(): void {
  console.info("[desktop-updater] Looking for updates...");
  });
  autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
+ if (!doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(info.version, updateState.channel)) {
+ console.info(
+ `[desktop-updater] Ignoring ${info.version} because it does not match the selected '${updateState.channel}' channel.`,
+ );
+ setUpdateState(reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnNoUpdate(updateState, new Date().toISOString()));
+ lastLoggedDownloadMilestone = -1;
+ return;
+ }
+
  setUpdateState(
  reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnUpdateAvailable(
  updateState,
@@ -1792,13 +1802,14 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
  }
 
  const nextChannel = rawChannel as DesktopUpdateChannel;
- if (nextChannel === desktopSettings.updateChannel) {
- return updateState;
- }
 
  desktopSettings = setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(desktopSettings, nextChannel);
  writeDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, desktopSettings);
 
+ if (nextChannel === updateState.channel) {
+ return updateState;
+ }
+
  const enabled = shouldEnableAutoUpdates();
  setUpdateState(createBaseUpdateState(nextChannel, enabled));
 

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+ doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel,
+ isNightlyDesktopVersion,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel,
+} from "./updateChannels";
+
+describe("isNightlyDesktopVersion", () => {
+ it("detects packaged nightly versions", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("does not flag stable versions as nightly", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});
+
+describe("resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("defaults stable builds to latest", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17")).toBe("latest");
+ });
+
+ it("defaults nightly builds to nightly", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe("nightly");
+ });
+});
+
+describe("doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("accepts nightly releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "nightly")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects stable releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17", "nightly")).toBe(false);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects nightly releases on the stable channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "latest")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
+
+export function isNightlyDesktopVersion(version: string): boolean {
+ return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(version);
+}
+
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion: string): DesktopUpdateChannel {
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(appVersion) ? "nightly" : "latest";
+}
+
+export function doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(
+ version: string,
+ channel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
+): boolean {
+ return resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(version) === channel;
+}

docs/release.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document covers the unified release workflow for stable and nightly desktop
  - tag format: `nightly-vX.Y.Z-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<run_number>`
  - release name includes the short commit SHA
  - `make_latest` is always `false`
-- Uses the current `apps/desktop/package.json` semver core (`X.Y.Z`) as the nightly base, then appends a nightly prerelease suffix.
+- Uses the next stable patch version as the nightly base. For example, `0.0.17` produces nightlies on `0.0.18-nightly.*`.
 - Publishes Electron auto-update metadata to the dedicated `nightly` updater channel, so desktop users can opt into that track independently from stable.
 - Publishes the CLI package (`apps/server`, npm package `t3`) to the `nightly` npm dist-tag using the same nightly version.
 - Does not commit version bumps back to `main`.

scripts/release-smoke.ts

@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ try {
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "version=9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "version=9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly version.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "tag=nightly-v9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "tag=nightly-v9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly tag.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
+ "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
  "Expected nightly metadata to include the short commit SHA in the release name.",
  );
 

apps/desktop/src/appBranding.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { DesktopAppBranding, DesktopAppStageLabel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { isNightlyDesktopVersion } from "./updateChannels";
+
 const APP_BASE_NAME = "T3 Code";
-const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  readonly isDevelopment: boolean;
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  return "Dev";
  }
 
- return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
 }
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppBranding(input: {

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
  DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
  readDesktopSettings,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopSettings,
  setDesktopServerExposurePreference,
  setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference,
  writeDesktopSettings,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ function makeSettingsPath() {
 
 describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  it("returns defaults when no settings file exists", () => {
- expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath())).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath(), "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("defaults packaged nightly builds to the nightly update channel", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopSettings("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
  });
 
  it("persists and reloads the configured server exposure mode", () => {
@@ -37,11 +46,13 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  writeDesktopSettings(settingsPath, {
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual({
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
@@ -51,12 +62,14 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "network-accessible",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  });
  });
 
@@ -66,19 +79,69 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "nightly",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
  it("falls back to defaults when the settings file is malformed", () => {
  const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
  fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, "{not-json", "utf8");
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("falls back to the nightly channel for legacy nightly settings without an update track", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({ serverExposureMode: "local-only" }), "utf8");
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("migrates legacy implicit stable settings to nightly when running a nightly build", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("preserves an explicit stable choice on nightly builds", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ });
  });
 });

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,27 @@ import * as FS from "node:fs";
 import * as Path from "node:path";
 import type { DesktopServerExposureMode, DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
+
 export interface DesktopSettings {
  readonly serverExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode;
  readonly updateChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS: DesktopSettings = {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
 };
 
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ return {
+ ...DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
+ updateChannel: resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion),
+ };
+}
+
 export function setDesktopServerExposurePreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedMode: DesktopServerExposureMode,
@@ -28,33 +39,47 @@ export function setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
 ): DesktopSettings {
- return settings.updateChannel === requestedChannel
- ? settings
- : {
- ...settings,
- updateChannel: requestedChannel,
- };
+ return {
+ ...settings,
+ updateChannel: requestedChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ };
 }
 
-export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string): DesktopSettings {
+export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string, appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ const defaultSettings = resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion);
+
  try {
  if (!FS.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 
  const raw = FS.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8");
  const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
  readonly serverExposureMode?: unknown;
  readonly updateChannel?: unknown;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser?: unknown;
  };
+ const parsedUpdateChannel =
+ parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" || parsed.updateChannel === "latest"
+ ? parsed.updateChannel
+ : null;
+ const isLegacySettings = parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === undefined;
+ const updateChannelConfiguredByUser =
+ parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === true ||
+ (isLegacySettings && parsedUpdateChannel === "nightly");
 
  return {
  serverExposureMode:
  parsed.serverExposureMode === "network-accessible" ? "network-accessible" : "local-only",
- updateChannel: parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" ? "nightly" : "latest",
+ updateChannel:
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser && parsedUpdateChannel !== null
+ ? parsedUpdateChannel
+ : defaultSettings.updateChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser,
  };
  } catch {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { showDesktopConfirmDialog } from "./confirmDialog";
 import { resolveDesktopServerExposure } from "./serverExposure";
 import { syncShellEnvironment } from "./syncShellEnvironment";
 import { getAutoUpdateDisabledReason, shouldBroadcastDownloadProgress } from "./updateState";
+import { doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
 import { ServerListeningDetector } from "./serverListeningDetector";
 import {
  createInitialDesktopUpdateState,
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ let desktopLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let backendLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let restoreStdIoCapture: (() => void) | null = null;
 let backendObservabilitySettings = readPersistedBackendObservabilitySettings();
-let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH);
+let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, app.getVersion());
 let desktopServerExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode = desktopSettings.serverExposureMode;
 
 let destructiveMenuIconCache: Electron.NativeImage | null | undefined;
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ function applyAutoUpdaterChannel(channel: DesktopUpdateChannel): void {
  autoUpdater.allowPrerelease = channel === "nightly";
  autoUpdater.allowDowngrade = channel === "nightly";
  console.info(
- `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
+ `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}, allowDowngrade=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
  );
 }
 
@@ -1285,6 +1286,15 @@ function configureAutoUpdater(): void {
  console.info("[desktop-updater] Looking for updates...");
  });
  autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
+ if (!doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(info.version, updateState.channel)) {
+ console.info(
+ `[desktop-updater] Ignoring ${info.version} because it does not match the selected '${updateState.channel}' channel.`,
+ );
+ setUpdateState(reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnNoUpdate(updateState, new Date().toISOString()));
+ lastLoggedDownloadMilestone = -1;
+ return;
+ }
+
  setUpdateState(
  reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnUpdateAvailable(
  updateState,
@@ -1792,13 +1802,14 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
  }
 
  const nextChannel = rawChannel as DesktopUpdateChannel;
- if (nextChannel === desktopSettings.updateChannel) {
- return updateState;
- }
 
  desktopSettings = setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(desktopSettings, nextChannel);
  writeDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, desktopSettings);
 
+ if (nextChannel === updateState.channel) {
+ return updateState;
+ }
+
  const enabled = shouldEnableAutoUpdates();
  setUpdateState(createBaseUpdateState(nextChannel, enabled));
 

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+ doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel,
+ isNightlyDesktopVersion,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel,
+} from "./updateChannels";
+
+describe("isNightlyDesktopVersion", () => {
+ it("detects packaged nightly versions", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("does not flag stable versions as nightly", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});
+
+describe("resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("defaults stable builds to latest", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17")).toBe("latest");
+ });
+
+ it("defaults nightly builds to nightly", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe("nightly");
+ });
+});
+
+describe("doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("accepts nightly releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "nightly")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects stable releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17", "nightly")).toBe(false);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects nightly releases on the stable channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "latest")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
+
+export function isNightlyDesktopVersion(version: string): boolean {
+ return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(version);
+}
+
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion: string): DesktopUpdateChannel {
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(appVersion) ? "nightly" : "latest";
+}
+
+export function doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(
+ version: string,
+ channel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
+): boolean {
+ return resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(version) === channel;
+}

docs/release.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document covers the unified release workflow for stable and nightly desktop
  - tag format: `nightly-vX.Y.Z-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<run_number>`
  - release name includes the short commit SHA
  - `make_latest` is always `false`
-- Uses the current `apps/desktop/package.json` semver core (`X.Y.Z`) as the nightly base, then appends a nightly prerelease suffix.
+- Uses the next stable patch version as the nightly base. For example, `0.0.17` produces nightlies on `0.0.18-nightly.*`.
 - Publishes Electron auto-update metadata to the dedicated `nightly` updater channel, so desktop users can opt into that track independently from stable.
 - Publishes the CLI package (`apps/server`, npm package `t3`) to the `nightly` npm dist-tag using the same nightly version.
 - Does not commit version bumps back to `main`.

scripts/release-smoke.ts

@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ try {
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "version=9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "version=9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly version.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "tag=nightly-v9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "tag=nightly-v9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly tag.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
+ "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
  "Expected nightly metadata to include the short commit SHA in the release name.",
  );
 

apps/desktop/src/appBranding.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { DesktopAppBranding, DesktopAppStageLabel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { isNightlyDesktopVersion } from "./updateChannels";
+
 const APP_BASE_NAME = "T3 Code";
-const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  readonly isDevelopment: boolean;
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  return "Dev";
  }
 
- return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
 }
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppBranding(input: {

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
  DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
  readDesktopSettings,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopSettings,
  setDesktopServerExposurePreference,
  setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference,
  writeDesktopSettings,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ function makeSettingsPath() {
 
 describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  it("returns defaults when no settings file exists", () => {
- expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath())).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath(), "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("defaults packaged nightly builds to the nightly update channel", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopSettings("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
  });
 
  it("persists and reloads the configured server exposure mode", () => {
@@ -37,11 +46,13 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  writeDesktopSettings(settingsPath, {
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual({
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
@@ -51,12 +62,14 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "network-accessible",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  });
  });
 
@@ -66,19 +79,69 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "nightly",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
  it("falls back to defaults when the settings file is malformed", () => {
  const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
  fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, "{not-json", "utf8");
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("falls back to the nightly channel for legacy nightly settings without an update track", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({ serverExposureMode: "local-only" }), "utf8");
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("migrates legacy implicit stable settings to nightly when running a nightly build", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("preserves an explicit stable choice on nightly builds", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ });
  });
 });

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,27 @@ import * as FS from "node:fs";
 import * as Path from "node:path";
 import type { DesktopServerExposureMode, DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
+
 export interface DesktopSettings {
  readonly serverExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode;
  readonly updateChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS: DesktopSettings = {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
 };
 
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ return {
+ ...DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
+ updateChannel: resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion),
+ };
+}
+
 export function setDesktopServerExposurePreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedMode: DesktopServerExposureMode,
@@ -28,33 +39,47 @@ export function setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
 ): DesktopSettings {
- return settings.updateChannel === requestedChannel
- ? settings
- : {
- ...settings,
- updateChannel: requestedChannel,
- };
+ return {
+ ...settings,
+ updateChannel: requestedChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ };
 }
 
-export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string): DesktopSettings {
+export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string, appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ const defaultSettings = resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion);
+
  try {
  if (!FS.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 
  const raw = FS.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8");
  const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
  readonly serverExposureMode?: unknown;
  readonly updateChannel?: unknown;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser?: unknown;
  };
+ const parsedUpdateChannel =
+ parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" || parsed.updateChannel === "latest"
+ ? parsed.updateChannel
+ : null;
+ const isLegacySettings = parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === undefined;
+ const updateChannelConfiguredByUser =
+ parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === true ||
+ (isLegacySettings && parsedUpdateChannel === "nightly");
 
  return {
  serverExposureMode:
  parsed.serverExposureMode === "network-accessible" ? "network-accessible" : "local-only",
- updateChannel: parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" ? "nightly" : "latest",
+ updateChannel:
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser && parsedUpdateChannel !== null
+ ? parsedUpdateChannel
+ : defaultSettings.updateChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser,
  };
  } catch {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { showDesktopConfirmDialog } from "./confirmDialog";
 import { resolveDesktopServerExposure } from "./serverExposure";
 import { syncShellEnvironment } from "./syncShellEnvironment";
 import { getAutoUpdateDisabledReason, shouldBroadcastDownloadProgress } from "./updateState";
+import { doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
 import { ServerListeningDetector } from "./serverListeningDetector";
 import {
  createInitialDesktopUpdateState,
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ let desktopLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let backendLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let restoreStdIoCapture: (() => void) | null = null;
 let backendObservabilitySettings = readPersistedBackendObservabilitySettings();
-let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH);
+let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, app.getVersion());
 let desktopServerExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode = desktopSettings.serverExposureMode;
 
 let destructiveMenuIconCache: Electron.NativeImage | null | undefined;
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ function applyAutoUpdaterChannel(channel: DesktopUpdateChannel): void {
  autoUpdater.allowPrerelease = channel === "nightly";
  autoUpdater.allowDowngrade = channel === "nightly";
  console.info(
- `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
+ `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}, allowDowngrade=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
  );
 }
 
@@ -1285,6 +1286,15 @@ function configureAutoUpdater(): void {
  console.info("[desktop-updater] Looking for updates...");
  });
  autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
+ if (!doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(info.version, updateState.channel)) {
+ console.info(
+ `[desktop-updater] Ignoring ${info.version} because it does not match the selected '${updateState.channel}' channel.`,
+ );
+ setUpdateState(reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnNoUpdate(updateState, new Date().toISOString()));
+ lastLoggedDownloadMilestone = -1;
+ return;
+ }
+
  setUpdateState(
  reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnUpdateAvailable(
  updateState,
@@ -1792,13 +1802,14 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
  }
 
  const nextChannel = rawChannel as DesktopUpdateChannel;
- if (nextChannel === desktopSettings.updateChannel) {
- return updateState;
- }
 
  desktopSettings = setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(desktopSettings, nextChannel);
  writeDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, desktopSettings);
 
+ if (nextChannel === updateState.channel) {
+ return updateState;
+ }
+
  const enabled = shouldEnableAutoUpdates();
  setUpdateState(createBaseUpdateState(nextChannel, enabled));
 

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+ doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel,
+ isNightlyDesktopVersion,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel,
+} from "./updateChannels";
+
+describe("isNightlyDesktopVersion", () => {
+ it("detects packaged nightly versions", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("does not flag stable versions as nightly", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});
+
+describe("resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("defaults stable builds to latest", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17")).toBe("latest");
+ });
+
+ it("defaults nightly builds to nightly", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe("nightly");
+ });
+});
+
+describe("doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("accepts nightly releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "nightly")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects stable releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17", "nightly")).toBe(false);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects nightly releases on the stable channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "latest")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
+
+export function isNightlyDesktopVersion(version: string): boolean {
+ return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(version);
+}
+
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion: string): DesktopUpdateChannel {
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(appVersion) ? "nightly" : "latest";
+}
+
+export function doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(
+ version: string,
+ channel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
+): boolean {
+ return resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(version) === channel;
+}

docs/release.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document covers the unified release workflow for stable and nightly desktop
  - tag format: `nightly-vX.Y.Z-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<run_number>`
  - release name includes the short commit SHA
  - `make_latest` is always `false`
-- Uses the current `apps/desktop/package.json` semver core (`X.Y.Z`) as the nightly base, then appends a nightly prerelease suffix.
+- Uses the next stable patch version as the nightly base. For example, `0.0.17` produces nightlies on `0.0.18-nightly.*`.
 - Publishes Electron auto-update metadata to the dedicated `nightly` updater channel, so desktop users can opt into that track independently from stable.
 - Publishes the CLI package (`apps/server`, npm package `t3`) to the `nightly` npm dist-tag using the same nightly version.
 - Does not commit version bumps back to `main`.

scripts/release-smoke.ts

@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ try {
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "version=9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "version=9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly version.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "tag=nightly-v9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "tag=nightly-v9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly tag.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
+ "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
  "Expected nightly metadata to include the short commit SHA in the release name.",
  );
 

apps/desktop/src/appBranding.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { DesktopAppBranding, DesktopAppStageLabel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { isNightlyDesktopVersion } from "./updateChannels";
+
 const APP_BASE_NAME = "T3 Code";
-const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  readonly isDevelopment: boolean;
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  return "Dev";
  }
 
- return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
 }
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppBranding(input: {

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
  DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
  readDesktopSettings,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopSettings,
  setDesktopServerExposurePreference,
  setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference,
  writeDesktopSettings,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ function makeSettingsPath() {
 
 describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  it("returns defaults when no settings file exists", () => {
- expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath())).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath(), "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("defaults packaged nightly builds to the nightly update channel", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopSettings("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
  });
 
  it("persists and reloads the configured server exposure mode", () => {
@@ -37,11 +46,13 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  writeDesktopSettings(settingsPath, {
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual({
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
@@ -51,12 +62,14 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "network-accessible",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  });
  });
 
@@ -66,19 +79,69 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "nightly",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
  it("falls back to defaults when the settings file is malformed", () => {
  const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
  fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, "{not-json", "utf8");
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("falls back to the nightly channel for legacy nightly settings without an update track", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({ serverExposureMode: "local-only" }), "utf8");
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("migrates legacy implicit stable settings to nightly when running a nightly build", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("preserves an explicit stable choice on nightly builds", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ });
  });
 });

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,27 @@ import * as FS from "node:fs";
 import * as Path from "node:path";
 import type { DesktopServerExposureMode, DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
+
 export interface DesktopSettings {
  readonly serverExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode;
  readonly updateChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS: DesktopSettings = {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
 };
 
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ return {
+ ...DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
+ updateChannel: resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion),
+ };
+}
+
 export function setDesktopServerExposurePreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedMode: DesktopServerExposureMode,
@@ -28,33 +39,47 @@ export function setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
 ): DesktopSettings {
- return settings.updateChannel === requestedChannel
- ? settings
- : {
- ...settings,
- updateChannel: requestedChannel,
- };
+ return {
+ ...settings,
+ updateChannel: requestedChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ };
 }
 
-export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string): DesktopSettings {
+export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string, appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ const defaultSettings = resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion);
+
  try {
  if (!FS.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 
  const raw = FS.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8");
  const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
  readonly serverExposureMode?: unknown;
  readonly updateChannel?: unknown;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser?: unknown;
  };
+ const parsedUpdateChannel =
+ parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" || parsed.updateChannel === "latest"
+ ? parsed.updateChannel
+ : null;
+ const isLegacySettings = parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === undefined;
+ const updateChannelConfiguredByUser =
+ parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === true ||
+ (isLegacySettings && parsedUpdateChannel === "nightly");
 
  return {
  serverExposureMode:
  parsed.serverExposureMode === "network-accessible" ? "network-accessible" : "local-only",
- updateChannel: parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" ? "nightly" : "latest",
+ updateChannel:
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser && parsedUpdateChannel !== null
+ ? parsedUpdateChannel
+ : defaultSettings.updateChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser,
  };
  } catch {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { showDesktopConfirmDialog } from "./confirmDialog";
 import { resolveDesktopServerExposure } from "./serverExposure";
 import { syncShellEnvironment } from "./syncShellEnvironment";
 import { getAutoUpdateDisabledReason, shouldBroadcastDownloadProgress } from "./updateState";
+import { doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
 import { ServerListeningDetector } from "./serverListeningDetector";
 import {
  createInitialDesktopUpdateState,
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ let desktopLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let backendLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let restoreStdIoCapture: (() => void) | null = null;
 let backendObservabilitySettings = readPersistedBackendObservabilitySettings();
-let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH);
+let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, app.getVersion());
 let desktopServerExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode = desktopSettings.serverExposureMode;
 
 let destructiveMenuIconCache: Electron.NativeImage | null | undefined;
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ function applyAutoUpdaterChannel(channel: DesktopUpdateChannel): void {
  autoUpdater.allowPrerelease = channel === "nightly";
  autoUpdater.allowDowngrade = channel === "nightly";
  console.info(
- `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
+ `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}, allowDowngrade=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
  );
 }
 
@@ -1285,6 +1286,15 @@ function configureAutoUpdater(): void {
  console.info("[desktop-updater] Looking for updates...");
  });
  autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
+ if (!doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(info.version, updateState.channel)) {
+ console.info(
+ `[desktop-updater] Ignoring ${info.version} because it does not match the selected '${updateState.channel}' channel.`,
+ );
+ setUpdateState(reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnNoUpdate(updateState, new Date().toISOString()));
+ lastLoggedDownloadMilestone = -1;
+ return;
+ }
+
  setUpdateState(
  reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnUpdateAvailable(
  updateState,
@@ -1792,13 +1802,14 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
  }
 
  const nextChannel = rawChannel as DesktopUpdateChannel;
- if (nextChannel === desktopSettings.updateChannel) {
- return updateState;
- }
 
  desktopSettings = setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(desktopSettings, nextChannel);
  writeDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, desktopSettings);
 
+ if (nextChannel === updateState.channel) {
+ return updateState;
+ }
+
  const enabled = shouldEnableAutoUpdates();
  setUpdateState(createBaseUpdateState(nextChannel, enabled));
 

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+ doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel,
+ isNightlyDesktopVersion,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel,
+} from "./updateChannels";
+
+describe("isNightlyDesktopVersion", () => {
+ it("detects packaged nightly versions", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("does not flag stable versions as nightly", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});
+
+describe("resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("defaults stable builds to latest", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17")).toBe("latest");
+ });
+
+ it("defaults nightly builds to nightly", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe("nightly");
+ });
+});
+
+describe("doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("accepts nightly releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "nightly")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects stable releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17", "nightly")).toBe(false);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects nightly releases on the stable channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "latest")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
+
+export function isNightlyDesktopVersion(version: string): boolean {
+ return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(version);
+}
+
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion: string): DesktopUpdateChannel {
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(appVersion) ? "nightly" : "latest";
+}
+
+export function doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(
+ version: string,
+ channel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
+): boolean {
+ return resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(version) === channel;
+}

docs/release.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document covers the unified release workflow for stable and nightly desktop
  - tag format: `nightly-vX.Y.Z-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<run_number>`
  - release name includes the short commit SHA
  - `make_latest` is always `false`
-- Uses the current `apps/desktop/package.json` semver core (`X.Y.Z`) as the nightly base, then appends a nightly prerelease suffix.
+- Uses the next stable patch version as the nightly base. For example, `0.0.17` produces nightlies on `0.0.18-nightly.*`.
 - Publishes Electron auto-update metadata to the dedicated `nightly` updater channel, so desktop users can opt into that track independently from stable.
 - Publishes the CLI package (`apps/server`, npm package `t3`) to the `nightly` npm dist-tag using the same nightly version.
 - Does not commit version bumps back to `main`.

scripts/release-smoke.ts

@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ try {
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "version=9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "version=9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly version.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "tag=nightly-v9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "tag=nightly-v9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly tag.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
+ "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
  "Expected nightly metadata to include the short commit SHA in the release name.",
  );
 

apps/desktop/src/appBranding.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { DesktopAppBranding, DesktopAppStageLabel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { isNightlyDesktopVersion } from "./updateChannels";
+
 const APP_BASE_NAME = "T3 Code";
-const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  readonly isDevelopment: boolean;
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  return "Dev";
  }
 
- return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
 }
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppBranding(input: {

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
  DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
  readDesktopSettings,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopSettings,
  setDesktopServerExposurePreference,
  setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference,
  writeDesktopSettings,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ function makeSettingsPath() {
 
 describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  it("returns defaults when no settings file exists", () => {
- expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath())).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath(), "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("defaults packaged nightly builds to the nightly update channel", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopSettings("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
  });
 
  it("persists and reloads the configured server exposure mode", () => {
@@ -37,11 +46,13 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  writeDesktopSettings(settingsPath, {
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual({
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
@@ -51,12 +62,14 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "network-accessible",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  });
  });
 
@@ -66,19 +79,69 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "nightly",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
  it("falls back to defaults when the settings file is malformed", () => {
  const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
  fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, "{not-json", "utf8");
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("falls back to the nightly channel for legacy nightly settings without an update track", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({ serverExposureMode: "local-only" }), "utf8");
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("migrates legacy implicit stable settings to nightly when running a nightly build", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("preserves an explicit stable choice on nightly builds", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ });
  });
 });

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,27 @@ import * as FS from "node:fs";
 import * as Path from "node:path";
 import type { DesktopServerExposureMode, DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
+
 export interface DesktopSettings {
  readonly serverExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode;
  readonly updateChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS: DesktopSettings = {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
 };
 
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ return {
+ ...DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
+ updateChannel: resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion),
+ };
+}
+
 export function setDesktopServerExposurePreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedMode: DesktopServerExposureMode,
@@ -28,33 +39,47 @@ export function setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
 ): DesktopSettings {
- return settings.updateChannel === requestedChannel
- ? settings
- : {
- ...settings,
- updateChannel: requestedChannel,
- };
+ return {
+ ...settings,
+ updateChannel: requestedChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ };
 }
 
-export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string): DesktopSettings {
+export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string, appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ const defaultSettings = resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion);
+
  try {
  if (!FS.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 
  const raw = FS.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8");
  const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
  readonly serverExposureMode?: unknown;
  readonly updateChannel?: unknown;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser?: unknown;
  };
+ const parsedUpdateChannel =
+ parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" || parsed.updateChannel === "latest"
+ ? parsed.updateChannel
+ : null;
+ const isLegacySettings = parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === undefined;
+ const updateChannelConfiguredByUser =
+ parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === true ||
+ (isLegacySettings && parsedUpdateChannel === "nightly");
 
  return {
  serverExposureMode:
  parsed.serverExposureMode === "network-accessible" ? "network-accessible" : "local-only",
- updateChannel: parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" ? "nightly" : "latest",
+ updateChannel:
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser && parsedUpdateChannel !== null
+ ? parsedUpdateChannel
+ : defaultSettings.updateChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser,
  };
  } catch {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { showDesktopConfirmDialog } from "./confirmDialog";
 import { resolveDesktopServerExposure } from "./serverExposure";
 import { syncShellEnvironment } from "./syncShellEnvironment";
 import { getAutoUpdateDisabledReason, shouldBroadcastDownloadProgress } from "./updateState";
+import { doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
 import { ServerListeningDetector } from "./serverListeningDetector";
 import {
  createInitialDesktopUpdateState,
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ let desktopLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let backendLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let restoreStdIoCapture: (() => void) | null = null;
 let backendObservabilitySettings = readPersistedBackendObservabilitySettings();
-let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH);
+let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, app.getVersion());
 let desktopServerExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode = desktopSettings.serverExposureMode;
 
 let destructiveMenuIconCache: Electron.NativeImage | null | undefined;
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ function applyAutoUpdaterChannel(channel: DesktopUpdateChannel): void {
  autoUpdater.allowPrerelease = channel === "nightly";
  autoUpdater.allowDowngrade = channel === "nightly";
  console.info(
- `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
+ `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}, allowDowngrade=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
  );
 }
 
@@ -1285,6 +1286,15 @@ function configureAutoUpdater(): void {
  console.info("[desktop-updater] Looking for updates...");
  });
  autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
+ if (!doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(info.version, updateState.channel)) {
+ console.info(
+ `[desktop-updater] Ignoring ${info.version} because it does not match the selected '${updateState.channel}' channel.`,
+ );
+ setUpdateState(reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnNoUpdate(updateState, new Date().toISOString()));
+ lastLoggedDownloadMilestone = -1;
+ return;
+ }
+
  setUpdateState(
  reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnUpdateAvailable(
  updateState,
@@ -1792,13 +1802,14 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
  }
 
  const nextChannel = rawChannel as DesktopUpdateChannel;
- if (nextChannel === desktopSettings.updateChannel) {
- return updateState;
- }
 
  desktopSettings = setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(desktopSettings, nextChannel);
  writeDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, desktopSettings);
 
+ if (nextChannel === updateState.channel) {
+ return updateState;
+ }
+
  const enabled = shouldEnableAutoUpdates();
  setUpdateState(createBaseUpdateState(nextChannel, enabled));
 

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+ doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel,
+ isNightlyDesktopVersion,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel,
+} from "./updateChannels";
+
+describe("isNightlyDesktopVersion", () => {
+ it("detects packaged nightly versions", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("does not flag stable versions as nightly", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});
+
+describe("resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("defaults stable builds to latest", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17")).toBe("latest");
+ });
+
+ it("defaults nightly builds to nightly", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe("nightly");
+ });
+});
+
+describe("doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("accepts nightly releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "nightly")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects stable releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17", "nightly")).toBe(false);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects nightly releases on the stable channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "latest")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
+
+export function isNightlyDesktopVersion(version: string): boolean {
+ return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(version);
+}
+
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion: string): DesktopUpdateChannel {
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(appVersion) ? "nightly" : "latest";
+}
+
+export function doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(
+ version: string,
+ channel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
+): boolean {
+ return resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(version) === channel;
+}

docs/release.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document covers the unified release workflow for stable and nightly desktop
  - tag format: `nightly-vX.Y.Z-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<run_number>`
  - release name includes the short commit SHA
  - `make_latest` is always `false`
-- Uses the current `apps/desktop/package.json` semver core (`X.Y.Z`) as the nightly base, then appends a nightly prerelease suffix.
+- Uses the next stable patch version as the nightly base. For example, `0.0.17` produces nightlies on `0.0.18-nightly.*`.
 - Publishes Electron auto-update metadata to the dedicated `nightly` updater channel, so desktop users can opt into that track independently from stable.
 - Publishes the CLI package (`apps/server`, npm package `t3`) to the `nightly` npm dist-tag using the same nightly version.
 - Does not commit version bumps back to `main`.

scripts/release-smoke.ts

@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ try {
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "version=9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "version=9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly version.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "tag=nightly-v9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "tag=nightly-v9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly tag.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
+ "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
  "Expected nightly metadata to include the short commit SHA in the release name.",
  );
 

apps/desktop/src/appBranding.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import type { DesktopAppBranding, DesktopAppStageLabel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { isNightlyDesktopVersion } from "./updateChannels";
+
 const APP_BASE_NAME = "T3 Code";
-const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  readonly isDevelopment: boolean;
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ export function resolveDesktopAppStageLabel(input: {
  return "Dev";
  }
 
- return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(input.appVersion) ? "Nightly" : "Alpha";
 }
 
 export function resolveDesktopAppBranding(input: {

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
  DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
  readDesktopSettings,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopSettings,
  setDesktopServerExposurePreference,
  setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference,
  writeDesktopSettings,
@@ -28,7 +29,15 @@ function makeSettingsPath() {
 
 describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  it("returns defaults when no settings file exists", () => {
- expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath())).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(makeSettingsPath(), "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("defaults packaged nightly builds to the nightly update channel", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopSettings("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
  });
 
  it("persists and reloads the configured server exposure mode", () => {
@@ -37,11 +46,13 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  writeDesktopSettings(settingsPath, {
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual({
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
@@ -51,12 +62,14 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "network-accessible",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "network-accessible",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  });
  });
 
@@ -66,19 +79,69 @@ describe("desktopSettings", () => {
  {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
  },
  "nightly",
  ),
  ).toEqual({
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
  });
  });
 
  it("falls back to defaults when the settings file is malformed", () => {
  const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
  fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, "{not-json", "utf8");
 
- expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath)).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17")).toEqual(DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS);
+ });
+
+ it("falls back to the nightly channel for legacy nightly settings without an update track", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({ serverExposureMode: "local-only" }), "utf8");
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("migrates legacy implicit stable settings to nightly when running a nightly build", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "nightly",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
+ });
+ });
+
+ it("preserves an explicit stable choice on nightly builds", () => {
+ const settingsPath = makeSettingsPath();
+ fs.writeFileSync(
+ settingsPath,
+ JSON.stringify({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ }),
+ "utf8",
+ );
+
+ expect(readDesktopSettings(settingsPath, "0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toEqual({
+ serverExposureMode: "local-only",
+ updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ });
  });
 });

apps/desktop/src/desktopSettings.ts

@@ -2,16 +2,27 @@ import * as FS from "node:fs";
 import * as Path from "node:path";
 import type { DesktopServerExposureMode, DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 
+import { resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
+
 export interface DesktopSettings {
  readonly serverExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode;
  readonly updateChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS: DesktopSettings = {
  serverExposureMode: "local-only",
  updateChannel: "latest",
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: false,
 };
 
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ return {
+ ...DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS,
+ updateChannel: resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion),
+ };
+}
+
 export function setDesktopServerExposurePreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedMode: DesktopServerExposureMode,
@@ -28,33 +39,47 @@ export function setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(
  settings: DesktopSettings,
  requestedChannel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
 ): DesktopSettings {
- return settings.updateChannel === requestedChannel
- ? settings
- : {
- ...settings,
- updateChannel: requestedChannel,
- };
+ return {
+ ...settings,
+ updateChannel: requestedChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser: true,
+ };
 }
 
-export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string): DesktopSettings {
+export function readDesktopSettings(settingsPath: string, appVersion: string): DesktopSettings {
+ const defaultSettings = resolveDefaultDesktopSettings(appVersion);
+
  try {
  if (!FS.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 
  const raw = FS.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8");
  const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as {
  readonly serverExposureMode?: unknown;
  readonly updateChannel?: unknown;
+ readonly updateChannelConfiguredByUser?: unknown;
  };
+ const parsedUpdateChannel =
+ parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" || parsed.updateChannel === "latest"
+ ? parsed.updateChannel
+ : null;
+ const isLegacySettings = parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === undefined;
+ const updateChannelConfiguredByUser =
+ parsed.updateChannelConfiguredByUser === true ||
+ (isLegacySettings && parsedUpdateChannel === "nightly");
 
  return {
  serverExposureMode:
  parsed.serverExposureMode === "network-accessible" ? "network-accessible" : "local-only",
- updateChannel: parsed.updateChannel === "nightly" ? "nightly" : "latest",
+ updateChannel:
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser && parsedUpdateChannel !== null
+ ? parsedUpdateChannel
+ : defaultSettings.updateChannel,
+ updateChannelConfiguredByUser,
  };
  } catch {
- return DEFAULT_DESKTOP_SETTINGS;
+ return defaultSettings;
  }
 }
 

apps/desktop/src/main.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { showDesktopConfirmDialog } from "./confirmDialog";
 import { resolveDesktopServerExposure } from "./serverExposure";
 import { syncShellEnvironment } from "./syncShellEnvironment";
 import { getAutoUpdateDisabledReason, shouldBroadcastDownloadProgress } from "./updateState";
+import { doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel } from "./updateChannels";
 import { ServerListeningDetector } from "./serverListeningDetector";
 import {
  createInitialDesktopUpdateState,
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ let desktopLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let backendLogSink: RotatingFileSink | null = null;
 let restoreStdIoCapture: (() => void) | null = null;
 let backendObservabilitySettings = readPersistedBackendObservabilitySettings();
-let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH);
+let desktopSettings = readDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, app.getVersion());
 let desktopServerExposureMode: DesktopServerExposureMode = desktopSettings.serverExposureMode;
 
 let destructiveMenuIconCache: Electron.NativeImage | null | undefined;
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ function applyAutoUpdaterChannel(channel: DesktopUpdateChannel): void {
  autoUpdater.allowPrerelease = channel === "nightly";
  autoUpdater.allowDowngrade = channel === "nightly";
  console.info(
- `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
+ `[desktop-updater] Using update channel '${channel}' (allowPrerelease=${channel === "nightly"}, allowDowngrade=${channel === "nightly"}).`,
  );
 }
 
@@ -1285,6 +1286,15 @@ function configureAutoUpdater(): void {
  console.info("[desktop-updater] Looking for updates...");
  });
  autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
+ if (!doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(info.version, updateState.channel)) {
+ console.info(
+ `[desktop-updater] Ignoring ${info.version} because it does not match the selected '${updateState.channel}' channel.`,
+ );
+ setUpdateState(reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnNoUpdate(updateState, new Date().toISOString()));
+ lastLoggedDownloadMilestone = -1;
+ return;
+ }
+
  setUpdateState(
  reduceDesktopUpdateStateOnUpdateAvailable(
  updateState,
@@ -1792,13 +1802,14 @@ function registerIpcHandlers(): void {
  }
 
  const nextChannel = rawChannel as DesktopUpdateChannel;
- if (nextChannel === desktopSettings.updateChannel) {
- return updateState;
- }
 
  desktopSettings = setDesktopUpdateChannelPreference(desktopSettings, nextChannel);
  writeDesktopSettings(DESKTOP_SETTINGS_PATH, desktopSettings);
 
+ if (nextChannel === updateState.channel) {
+ return updateState;
+ }
+
  const enabled = shouldEnableAutoUpdates();
  setUpdateState(createBaseUpdateState(nextChannel, enabled));
 

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+ doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel,
+ isNightlyDesktopVersion,
+ resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel,
+} from "./updateChannels";
+
+describe("isNightlyDesktopVersion", () => {
+ it("detects packaged nightly versions", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("does not flag stable versions as nightly", () => {
+ expect(isNightlyDesktopVersion("0.0.17")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});
+
+describe("resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("defaults stable builds to latest", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17")).toBe("latest");
+ });
+
+ it("defaults nightly builds to nightly", () => {
+ expect(resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260415.1")).toBe("nightly");
+ });
+});
+
+describe("doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel", () => {
+ it("accepts nightly releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "nightly")).toBe(true);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects stable releases on the nightly channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17", "nightly")).toBe(false);
+ });
+
+ it("rejects nightly releases on the stable channel", () => {
+ expect(doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel("0.0.17-nightly.20260416.1", "latest")).toBe(false);
+ });
+});

apps/desktop/src/updateChannels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { DesktopUpdateChannel } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+const NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN = /-nightly\.\d{8}\.\d+$/;
+
+export function isNightlyDesktopVersion(version: string): boolean {
+ return NIGHTLY_VERSION_PATTERN.test(version);
+}
+
+export function resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(appVersion: string): DesktopUpdateChannel {
+ return isNightlyDesktopVersion(appVersion) ? "nightly" : "latest";
+}
+
+export function doesVersionMatchDesktopUpdateChannel(
+ version: string,
+ channel: DesktopUpdateChannel,
+): boolean {
+ return resolveDefaultDesktopUpdateChannel(version) === channel;
+}

docs/release.md

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ This document covers the unified release workflow for stable and nightly desktop
  - tag format: `nightly-vX.Y.Z-nightly.YYYYMMDD.<run_number>`
  - release name includes the short commit SHA
  - `make_latest` is always `false`
-- Uses the current `apps/desktop/package.json` semver core (`X.Y.Z`) as the nightly base, then appends a nightly prerelease suffix.
+- Uses the next stable patch version as the nightly base. For example, `0.0.17` produces nightlies on `0.0.18-nightly.*`.
 - Publishes Electron auto-update metadata to the dedicated `nightly` updater channel, so desktop users can opt into that track independently from stable.
 - Publishes the CLI package (`apps/server`, npm package `t3`) to the `nightly` npm dist-tag using the same nightly version.
 - Does not commit version bumps back to `main`.

scripts/release-smoke.ts

@@ -127,17 +127,17 @@ try {
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "version=9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "version=9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly version.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "tag=nightly-v9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321",
+ "tag=nightly-v9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321",
  "Expected nightly metadata to contain the derived nightly tag.",
  );
  assertContains(
  nightlyReleaseMetadata,
- "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.9-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
+ "name=T3 Code Nightly 9.9.10-nightly.20260413.321 (abcdef123456)",
  "Expected nightly metadata to include the short commit SHA in the release name.",
  );