Remove dormant Electron.NET integration

ElectronNET.API was never wired into packaging -- nothing in build.cake,
the workflows, or the Dockerfile referenced it -- and it no longer ran:

- ElectronNET.API 23.6.2 (Feb 2024) targets net6.0 and pins Electron 23 /
  Chromium 110, long past end-of-support. The service is on net10.0.
- The electronize CLI scaffolds obj/Host with electron 9.4.4 + socket.io 2.x
  while the API speaks socket.io v4, so the shell could never connect.
- start-electron-app.bat copied obj/Host/bin/{main.js,package.json,launch.sh},
  none of which the csproj copies to output -- the copies failed silently.
- main.js required ./bin/Papercut.Service.json, renamed long ago to
  Papercut.SMTP.Service.Settings.json, so it threw on startup.
- main.js used webContents.on("new-window"), removed in Electron 22+.

Removes the package reference (and its transitive Newtonsoft.Json,
SocketIOClient and System.Drawing.Common pull-in), the UseElectron/
HybridSupport wiring in Program.cs, the scaffold ElectronService, and the
launch scripts. Docs updated; also corrects two stale facts in the service
description (net8.0 -> net10.0, AngularJS -> Angular).

Desktop shell direction is tracked on the Angular Upgrade board.

Author: Jaben

Claude.md

@@ -25,10 +25,9 @@ The solution is organized into several projects with clear separation of concern
   - WebView2 for HTML email rendering
   - ReactiveUI for reactive programming patterns
 
-- **Papercut.Service** - Windows Service/HTTP server for receiving emails (net8.0)
+- **Papercut.Service** - Windows Service/HTTP server for receiving emails (net10.0)
   - ASP.NET Core based with embedded web UI
-  - AngularJS web interface (embedded in Web/Assets/)
-  - ElectronNET.API integration
+  - Angular web interface (source in Web/, built into Web/Assets/)
   - Can run independently of the desktop UI
   - Accessible via HTTP (default port 8080)
 

src/Papercut.Service/Electron.md

@@ -44,20 +44,13 @@
 		</ItemGroup>
 	</Target>
 	<ItemGroup>
-		<None Remove="electron.manifest.json" />
 		<None Update="appsettings.Production.json">
 		  <CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
 		</None>
 	</ItemGroup>
-	<ItemGroup>
-		<Content Include="electron.manifest.json">
-			<CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
-		</Content>
-	</ItemGroup>
 	<ItemGroup>
 		<PackageReference Include="Autofac.Extensions.DependencyInjection" Version="11.0.2" />
 		<PackageReference Include="AutofacSerilogIntegration" Version="5.0.0" />
-		<PackageReference Include="ElectronNET.API" Version="23.6.2" />
 		<PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting.WindowsServices" Version="10.0.11" />
 		<PackageReference Include="ModelContextProtocol.AspNetCore" Version="2.2.0" />
 		<PackageReference Include="Serilog.AspNetCore" Version="10.0.0" />

src/Papercut.Service/ElectronService.cs

@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 
 
 using Autofac.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
-using ElectronNET.API;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
@@ -85,14 +84,10 @@ private static WebApplication CreateWebApp(string[] args)
             {
                 sp.AddSingleton(context.Configuration);
                 sp.AddSingleton(context.HostingEnvironment);
-
-                if (HybridSupport.IsElectronActive)
-                    sp.AddHostedService<ElectronService>();
             });
 
         builder.Logging.ClearProviders();
         builder.Host.UseSerilog();
-        builder.WebHost.UseElectron(args);
 
         var startup = new PapercutServiceStartup();
 

src/Papercut.Service/Papercut.Service.csproj

@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 # Papercut.Service
 
-**Papercut.Service** is a modern ASP.NET Core 8.0 web application that serves as the backend service for Papercut SMTP. It provides both SMTP email capture functionality and a RESTful API for managing messages, with an optional Electron-based desktop interface.
+**Papercut.Service** is a modern ASP.NET Core web application that serves as the backend service for Papercut SMTP. It provides SMTP email capture, a RESTful API for managing messages, and the embedded Angular web UI.
 
 ## 🎯 Purpose & Architecture
 
 Papercut.Service is designed as a **hybrid application** that can operate in multiple modes:
 
 - **Standalone Service**: Runs as a background Windows service for server deployments
-- **Desktop Application**: Optionally runs with an Electron GUI for desktop usage
 - **Web API Service**: Always provides HTTP endpoints for message management
 - **SMTP Server**: Captures SMTP messages sent to configurable ports
 
@@ -90,9 +89,8 @@ src/Papercut.Service/
 - **Papercut.Rules** - Message processing rules engine
 - **Papercut.Common** - Shared utilities and extensions
 
-#### **Optional Desktop Support**
-- **ElectronNET.API** - Cross-platform desktop wrapper (when enabled)
-- **Angular 17 Web UI** - Modern frontend embedded as static assets
+#### **Embedded Web UI**
+- **Angular Web UI** - Modern frontend embedded as static assets
 
 ## 🚀 How to Run Papercut.Service
 
@@ -107,9 +105,6 @@ Papercut.Service.exe
 Papercut.Service.exe install --sudo
 ```
 
-### Option 3: With Electron Desktop Interface
-The service can optionally launch with a desktop GUI when Electron support is active. This provides a native desktop experience while maintaining the same backend functionality.
-
 ### Command Line Options
 Get a full listing of available command line options:
 ```bash
@@ -208,18 +203,6 @@ docker run -d -p 8080:8080 -p 2525:2525 -e HttpPathPrefix=/webmail changemakerst
 
 The default (empty) serves the web UI at the root as before. Requests without the prefix continue to work, so proxies that strip the prefix are also supported — but a prefix-stripping proxy must redirect the bare prefix (`/webmail` → `/webmail/`) itself, since the app only sees `/` and cannot issue that redirect. Forwarding the full prefix (with `HttpPathPrefix` set) avoids this entirely.
 
-## 🖥️ Electron Desktop Mode
-
-**Status**: Currently available but not actively used in production deployments.
-
-The Electron integration (`ElectronService.cs`) provides:
-- Cross-platform desktop window hosting the web UI
-- Native application menus and system integration
-- Platform-specific icons and behaviors
-- Desktop notifications and app lifecycle management
-
-**Future Plans**: Electron support is maintained for potential future desktop distribution scenarios. See `Electron.md` for detailed analysis of the Electron implementation.
-
 ## 📦 Deployment Modes
 
 ### 1. Windows Service (Recommended for Production)
@@ -252,7 +235,6 @@ The Electron integration (`ElectronService.cs`) provides:
 - **Autofac** - Dependency injection container
 
 ### Optional Dependencies
-- **ElectronNET.API 23.6.2** - Desktop GUI support (when enabled)
 - **Node.js & npm** - For building embedded Angular web UI
 
 ## 🔍 Troubleshooting
@@ -271,7 +253,6 @@ Comprehensive logging is available through Serilog:
 ## 📄 Related Documentation
 
 - `Web/README.md` - Angular frontend documentation
-- `Electron.md` - Electron desktop integration analysis
 - `Web/TESTING.md` - Web UI testing guidelines
 
 ---