Add release binaries, software renderer default, and acag repo rename

skvggor · skvggor · commit 4b0163245da8 · 2026-06-17T11:22:34.000-03:00
- Release workflow building Linux (AppImage + tarball) and standalone
  Windows .exe on v* tags, attached to the GitHub release
- Default to Slint's software renderer so the app runs without a usable
  OpenGL driver (VMs, RDP); opt into GPU with SLINT_BACKEND=winit-femtovg
- Point repository URLs at github.com/skvggor/acag
- Document Debian and Arch build dependencies, the rendering backend, and
  the Windows preset/output paths
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+name: Release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags: ["v*"]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+env:
+  CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
+  CARGO_INCREMENTAL: "0"
+
+jobs:
+  linux:
+    name: Linux · AppImage + tarball
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Install slint build dependencies
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update
+          sudo apt-get install -y \
+            libxkbcommon-dev libwayland-dev wayland-protocols \
+            libxcb1-dev libxcb-render0-dev libxcb-shape0-dev libxcb-xfixes0-dev \
+            libfontconfig1-dev libgl1-mesa-dev
+
+      - name: Install Rust toolchain
+        uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
+
+      - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
+
+      - name: Build release
+        run: cargo build --release --locked
+
+      - name: Tarball (raw binary)
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p dist
+          install -Dm755 target/release/acag stage/acag
+          install -Dm644 README.md stage/README.md
+          install -Dm644 LICENSE stage/LICENSE
+          tar -C stage -czf "dist/acag-${VERSION}-linux-x86_64.tar.gz" .
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+
+      - name: Build AppImage
+        run: |
+          curl -fsSL -o linuxdeploy.AppImage \
+            https://github.com/linuxdeploy/linuxdeploy/releases/download/continuous/linuxdeploy-x86_64.AppImage
+          chmod +x linuxdeploy.AppImage
+
+          # AppImage's own runtime needs FUSE; extract-and-run avoids it on CI.
+          export APPIMAGE_EXTRACT_AND_RUN=1
+
+          # Icon basename must match Icon= in the .desktop file.
+          cp assets/icons/icon-256.png article-cover-art-generator.png
+
+          export OUTPUT="acag-${VERSION}-x86_64.AppImage"
+          ./linuxdeploy.AppImage \
+            --appdir AppDir \
+            -e target/release/acag \
+            -d assets/article-cover-art-generator.desktop \
+            -i article-cover-art-generator.png \
+            --output appimage
+
+          mv "${OUTPUT}" dist/
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+
+      - name: Publish to release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+        with:
+          files: dist/*
+
+  windows:
+    name: Windows · standalone .exe
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Install Rust toolchain
+        uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
+
+      - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
+
+      - name: Build release (static CRT)
+        run: cargo build --release --locked
+        env:
+          # Statically link the MSVC runtime so the .exe runs without vcredist.
+          RUSTFLAGS: "-C target-feature=+crt-static"
+
+      - name: Zip
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path dist, stage | Out-Null
+          Copy-Item target/release/acag.exe stage/
+          Copy-Item README.md stage/
+          Copy-Item LICENSE stage/
+          Compress-Archive -Path stage/* -DestinationPath "dist/acag-$env:VERSION-windows-x86_64.zip"
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+
+      - name: Publish to release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+        with:
+          files: dist/*
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ edition = "2024"
 description = "Native generator for 1:1 article cover art, in an Omakase / Japanese-constructivist style."
 authors = ["Marcos Lima <marckfree@gmail.com>"]
 license = "MIT"
-repository = "https://github.com/skvggor/article-cover-art-generator"
+repository = "https://github.com/skvggor/acag"
 readme = "README.md"
 
 [[bin]]
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ dirs = "6.0.0"
 fastrand = "2.4.1"
 resvg = "0.47.0"
 serde = { version = "1.0.228", features = ["derive"] }
-slint = "1.16.1"
+slint = { version = "1.16.1", features = ["renderer-software"] }
 toml = "1.1.2"
 ttf-parser = "0.25.1"
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ the sumi-ê palette) with [skvggor.dev](https://skvggor.dev) and
 - **Live preview** — every control updates the preview instantly
 - **Adjustable film grain** and **pattern strength** sliders, shown live in the preview
 - **Omakase button** — randomizes the visual style and lets the house plate it for you
-- **Named presets** — save any number of looks as TOML and load/delete any of them (`~/.config/article-cover-art-generator/presets/`)
+- **Named presets** — save any number of looks as TOML and load/delete any of them (`~/.config/article-cover-art-generator/presets/` on Linux, `%APPDATA%\article-cover-art-generator\presets\` on Windows)
 - **WCAG AAA** — all readable text is forced to ≥ 7:1 contrast against its background
 - **Montserrat** Black / Bold / Regular, embedded in the binary (no system fonts needed)
 - **Export** — **2K or 4K** (longest edge) PNG at each format's exact dimensions, plus the
@@ -63,15 +63,49 @@ the sumi-ê palette) with [skvggor.dev](https://skvggor.dev) and
 Only the **title** is required; category, date, number and brand are optional, keeping the
 cover generic enough for any platform (blog, dev.to, LinkedIn, X, OG image, thumbnail…).
 
-## Build & run
+## Download
 
-Requires a recent stable Rust toolchain.
+Prebuilt binaries are attached to each [GitHub release](https://github.com/skvggor/acag/releases) — no Rust toolchain or system dependencies required.
+
+- **Linux** — `acag-*-x86_64.AppImage` (self-contained: `chmod +x` and run), or `acag-*-linux-x86_64.tar.gz` (raw binary).
+- **Windows** — `acag-*-windows-x86_64.zip` (standalone `acag.exe`, no Visual C++ runtime needed).
+
+### Rendering backend
+
+By default the app uses Slint's **software (CPU) renderer**, so it runs everywhere —
+including headless VMs and RDP sessions without a usable OpenGL driver. For this
+form-plus-preview UI the difference is imperceptible. To opt into GPU rendering:
+
+```sh
+SLINT_BACKEND=winit-femtovg acag
+```
+
+## Build from source
+
+Requires a recent stable Rust toolchain. On Linux, Slint also needs a few system
+libraries for the windowing/build:
+
+```sh
+# Debian / Ubuntu
+sudo apt install build-essential pkg-config \
+  libxkbcommon-dev libwayland-dev wayland-protocols \
+  libxcb1-dev libxcb-render0-dev libxcb-shape0-dev libxcb-xfixes0-dev \
+  libfontconfig1-dev libgl1-mesa-dev
+```
+
+```sh
+# Arch Linux
+sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel \
+  libxkbcommon wayland wayland-protocols \
+  libxcb fontconfig mesa
+```
 
 ```sh
 cargo run --release
 ```
 
-Covers are saved to `~/Pictures/article-covers/` (named from the title). Set
+Covers are saved to `~/Pictures/article-covers/` on Linux and
+`%USERPROFILE%\Pictures\article-covers\` on Windows (named from the title). Set
 `ACAG_OUTPUT_DIR` to write them somewhere else.
 
 ### Install on Omarchy / Hyprland
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,20 @@ fn reload_presets(model: &VecModel<SharedString>) {
     model.set_vec(names);
 }
 
+/// Default to Slint's CPU (software) renderer so the app runs everywhere,
+/// including machines without a usable OpenGL driver (headless VMs, RDP).
+/// For this form-plus-preview UI the cost is imperceptible. Users with working
+/// GPU drivers can opt into hardware rendering with `SLINT_BACKEND=winit-femtovg`.
+fn default_to_software_renderer() {
+    if std::env::var_os("SLINT_BACKEND").is_none() {
+        // Safe: set before any backend/window initialization, still single-threaded.
+        unsafe { std::env::set_var("SLINT_BACKEND", "winit-software") };
+    }
+}
+
 fn main() -> Result<()> {
+    default_to_software_renderer();
+
     let ui = AppWindow::new()?;
 
     ui.set_themes(string_model(
diff --git a/src/preset.rs b/src/preset.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Named presets: save the current look under a name and load any saved one
 //! later. Each preset is a TOML file in the presets directory
-//! (`~/.config/article-cover-art-generator/presets/`, override with
+//! (`~/.config/article-cover-art-generator/presets/` on Linux,
+//! `%APPDATA%\article-cover-art-generator\presets\` on Windows; override with
 //! `ACAG_PRESETS_DIR`).
 
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
