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Desktop Release Smoke Test

Last verified: 2026-04-05

Before tagging a new version, walk through this checklist on a locally-built release desktop binary (not ./gradlew :composeApp:run — that uses the unminified classpath and hides ProGuard bugs).

Why this exists

Desktop release builds are minified with ProGuard. Many libraries in the dependency graph use reflection, ServiceLoader, or jar-manifest class discovery, and ProGuard cannot trace those calls statically. When an unreachable keep rule is missing, the build succeeds and packages fine but crashes at runtime on the first code path that touches the affected library. The Ubuntu CI job Verify desktop release build (ProGuard sanity) catches build-time failures only — it does not execute the packaged binary. This manual run is the only guardrail against runtime-only regressions until an automated smoke test is in place.

How to run

./gradlew :composeApp:runRelease

If the JetBrains Runtime hits a java.xml hash error locally on macOS, force Oracle JDK 21:

JAVA_HOME=/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-21.jdk/Contents/Home \
  ./gradlew :composeApp:runRelease -Dorg.gradle.java.home=$JAVA_HOME

Checklist

Each step exercises a library that has historically broken under ProGuard. A crash here means the release is not shippable.

  • [ ] App launches to main screen — exercises Compose runtime, Skiko native load, and the Koin DI graph
  • [ ] First outbound network call succeeds (any provider ping, any chat message) — exercises Ktor CIO engine discovery and the kotlinx.serialization JSON plugin (both ServiceLoader-registered)
  • [ ] Send a chat message and receive a response — exercises the full Ktor HTTP client + content-negotiation + streaming path
  • [ ] Splinterlands / Hive login — exercises BouncyCastle ECDSA via HiveCrypto.jvm.kt. BouncyCastle's signed JCE provider jar is especially sensitive; any ProGuard modification invalidates its SHA-256 class digests
  • [ ] Toggle text-to-speech on a message — exercises nl.marc_apps.tts and FreeTTS voice directory discovery (jar manifest + Class.forName)
  • [ ] Change a setting and restart the app — exercises multiplatform-settings persistence via the encrypted file backend
  • [ ] Open the file picker, pick a file, save a file — exercises FileKit and its JNA-backed native dialogs
  • [ ] Render a markdown response with code blocks — exercises the multiplatform markdown renderer and code highlighter
  • [ ] Open Settings → export/import — exercises the JSON serialization path end-to-end

When a new crash surfaces

The crash signature dictates the fix:

  • ServiceLoader: Provider X not found — add -keep class * implements <ServiceInterface> { <init>(); } to composeApp/proguard-rules.pro. Prefer this pattern over hard-coding the implementation class name so the rule self-adapts if the library renames its classes.
  • ClassNotFoundException / NoClassDefFoundError on a library-internal class — usually jar-manifest or Class.forName reflection. Keep the whole package with -keep class <pkg>.** { *; }.
  • SHA-256 digest error for X.class — the jar is cryptographically signed and must not be modified. Keep the entire library untouched: -keep class <pkg>.** { *; } plus -dontwarn <pkg>.**.
  • NoSuchMethodException / NoSuchFieldException with an obfuscation-looking name — should not happen because obfuscate is off by default in Compose Desktop; if it does, check that buildTypes.release.proguard in composeApp/build.gradle.kts has not been changed to enable obfuscation.

Always add rules with a comment explaining which library needs it and why, so future readers (and future-you) can tell which rules are still load-bearing.

Known non-shrinkable libraries

These libraries are permanently -keep'd because they cannot be safely minified. Do not try to tighten these rules without a corresponding runtime test.

Library Reason Rule location
BouncyCastle (org.bouncycastle.**) Signed JCE provider jar; ProGuard invalidates SHA-256 class digests composeApp/proguard-rules.pro
FreeTTS (com.sun.speech.freetts.**) Voice directories loaded via jar manifest + Class.forName; cannot be traced composeApp/proguard-rules.pro

Key Files

File Purpose
composeApp/proguard-rules.pro Shared ProGuard/R8 rules for Android and Desktop
composeApp/build.gradle.kts compose.desktop { application { buildTypes.release.proguard { ... } } }
.github/workflows/test.yml PR-time build-only ProGuard sanity gate (Temurin 21, Ubuntu)
.github/workflows/release.yml Tag-time full release pipeline using packageReleaseDmg/Msi/Deb/Rpm tasks