Desktop App Updates

The TimeTracker desktop app can check for and download updates automatically. Platform operators publish new installer builds from a Super Admin screen, and the desktop agent reads a small public API to know when to update. This article covers both sides.

Who this is for: Publishing builds is a Super Admin feature (requires the Manage Super Admin App Settings permission). Everyday employees don't need this — the desktop app updates itself.

Publishing a new build (Super Admin)

Go to Super Admin → Settings → TimeTracker Updates (/account/settings/timetracker-updates).

To add a build:

1. (Optional) Release JSON — drag & drop (or choose) a release .json. It auto-fills the version, release notes, mandatory flag and platform from the file.
2. Version — e.g. 2.3.4. Must be higher than the current latest for that platform (the page shows the latest published version). You cannot publish the same or an older version.
3. Platform — Windows, macOS or Linux.
4. Installer — drag & drop (or choose) the installer file (.exe, .msi, .zip, .dmg, .appimage). A progress bar shows the upload as it runs.
5. Release notes and Mandatory (forces the update) as needed.
6. Click Upload.

The newest few builds per platform are kept; older ones are pruned automatically.

The Release JSON format

The JSON only carries metadata (the installer is uploaded separately). Recommended shape:

{
  "version": "2.3.4",
  "platform": "windows",
  "mandatory": false,
  "release_notes": "Fixed idle detection.\nImproved screenshot upload."
}

Aliases are accepted too: version can be tag_name/name (a leading v is stripped), and release_notes can be releaseNotes/notes/body (an array of lines is joined). Anything not in the JSON can be typed manually.

The update API (for the desktop agent)

Point the desktop agent at these public endpoints (platform=windows|mac|linux):

update_available is true only when the agent's current version is lower than the latest published build, so agents already on the newest version are told there's nothing to do.