refactor: replace NSIS with Inno Setup for Windows installer

Switch from NSIS (early 2000s) to Inno Setup 6 — the modern standard
used by VS Code and most Electron apps. Features:

- Modern wizard UI (WizardStyle=modern)
- LZMA2/ultra64 solid compression (138.9 MB, down from 143 MB with NSIS)
- Per-user install to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Aryx (no admin needed)
- Optional desktop shortcut, Start Menu group
- Auto-closes running instance before install/uninstall
- Proper Add/Remove Programs integration via AppId
- Launch-after-install option

CI updated to install Inno Setup via Chocolatey on windows-latest.

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@ jobs:
           sudo apt-get update
           sudo apt-get install -y libsecret-1-dev
 
+      - name: Install Inno Setup
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: choco install innosetup -y --no-progress
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: bun install --frozen-lockfile
 

assets/installer/windows.iss

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+; Inno Setup script for Aryx
+; Metadata values are passed via /D preprocessor defines from the build script.
+
+#ifndef PRODUCT_NAME
+  #define PRODUCT_NAME "Aryx"
+#endif
+#ifndef PRODUCT_VERSION
+  #define PRODUCT_VERSION "0.0.0"
+#endif
+#ifndef PRODUCT_PUBLISHER
+  #define PRODUCT_PUBLISHER "David Kaya"
+#endif
+#ifndef SOURCE_DIR
+  #error "SOURCE_DIR must be defined (path to the packaged app directory)."
+#endif
+#ifndef OUTPUT_DIR
+  #error "OUTPUT_DIR must be defined (path to the output directory)."
+#endif
+#ifndef OUTPUT_FILENAME
+  #error "OUTPUT_FILENAME must be defined (output installer filename without extension)."
+#endif
+
+#ifndef ICON_PATH
+  #define ICON_PATH SOURCE_DIR + "\" + PRODUCT_NAME + ".exe"
+#endif
+
+[Setup]
+AppId={{B8A3E7F1-4D2C-4A9B-8E6F-1C3D5A7B9E0F}
+AppName={#PRODUCT_NAME}
+AppVersion={#PRODUCT_VERSION}
+AppPublisher={#PRODUCT_PUBLISHER}
+AppSupportURL=https://github.com/davidkaya/aryx
+DefaultDirName={localappdata}\Programs\{#PRODUCT_NAME}
+DefaultGroupName={#PRODUCT_NAME}
+PrivilegesRequired=lowest
+OutputDir={#OUTPUT_DIR}
+OutputBaseFilename={#OUTPUT_FILENAME}
+Compression=lzma2/ultra64
+SolidCompression=yes
+SetupIconFile={#ICON_PATH}
+UninstallDisplayIcon={app}\{#PRODUCT_NAME}.exe
+WizardStyle=modern
+DisableProgramGroupPage=yes
+CloseApplications=force
+RestartApplications=no
+
+[Languages]
+Name: "english"; MessagesFile: "compiler:Default.isl"
+
+[Files]
+Source: "{#SOURCE_DIR}\*"; DestDir: "{app}"; Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs createallsubdirs
+
+[Icons]
+Name: "{group}\{#PRODUCT_NAME}"; Filename: "{app}\{#PRODUCT_NAME}.exe"
+Name: "{autodesktop}\{#PRODUCT_NAME}"; Filename: "{app}\{#PRODUCT_NAME}.exe"; Tasks: desktopicon
+
+[Tasks]
+Name: "desktopicon"; Description: "{cm:CreateDesktopIcon}"; GroupDescription: "{cm:AdditionalIcons}"; Flags: unchecked
+
+[Run]
+Filename: "{app}\{#PRODUCT_NAME}.exe"; Description: "{cm:LaunchProgram,{#PRODUCT_NAME}}"; Flags: nowait postinstall skipifsilent
+
+[UninstallDelete]
+Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{app}"
+
+[Code]
+procedure CurStepChanged(CurStep: TSetupStep);
+var
+  ResultCode: Integer;
+begin
+  if CurStep = ssInstall then
+  begin
+    Exec('taskkill', '/F /IM {#PRODUCT_NAME}.exe', '', SW_HIDE, ewWaitUntilTerminated, ResultCode);
+  end;
+end;
+
+procedure CurUninstallStepChanged(CurUninstallStep: TUninstallStep);
+var
+  ResultCode: Integer;
+begin
+  if CurUninstallStep = usUninstall then
+  begin
+    Exec('taskkill', '/F /IM {#PRODUCT_NAME}.exe', '', SW_HIDE, ewWaitUntilTerminated, ResultCode);
+  end;
+end;

assets/installer/windows.nsi

@@ -1,112 +0,0 @@
-!include "MUI2.nsh"
-
-;--- Product metadata (passed via /D defines from the build script) ---
-!ifndef PRODUCT_NAME
-  !define PRODUCT_NAME "Aryx"
-!endif
-!ifndef PRODUCT_VERSION
-  !define PRODUCT_VERSION "0.0.0"
-!endif
-!ifndef PRODUCT_PUBLISHER
-  !define PRODUCT_PUBLISHER "David Kaya"
-!endif
-!ifndef SOURCE_DIR
-  !error "SOURCE_DIR must be defined (path to the packaged app directory)."
-!endif
-!ifndef OUTPUT_PATH
-  !error "OUTPUT_PATH must be defined (path to the output installer .exe)."
-!endif
-
-;--- Installer attributes ---
-Name "${PRODUCT_NAME}"
-OutFile "${OUTPUT_PATH}"
-InstallDir "$LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\${PRODUCT_NAME}"
-InstallDirRegKey HKCU "Software\${PRODUCT_NAME}" "InstallDir"
-RequestExecutionLevel user
-SetCompressor /SOLID lzma
-
-;--- Version info embedded in the installer EXE ---
-VIProductVersion "${PRODUCT_VERSION}.0"
-VIAddVersionKey "ProductName" "${PRODUCT_NAME}"
-VIAddVersionKey "ProductVersion" "${PRODUCT_VERSION}"
-VIAddVersionKey "FileDescription" "${PRODUCT_NAME} Setup"
-VIAddVersionKey "FileVersion" "${PRODUCT_VERSION}"
-VIAddVersionKey "CompanyName" "${PRODUCT_PUBLISHER}"
-VIAddVersionKey "LegalCopyright" "Copyright ${PRODUCT_PUBLISHER}"
-
-;--- MUI configuration ---
-!define MUI_ABORTWARNING
-
-;--- Installer pages ---
-!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_WELCOME
-!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
-!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES
-!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_RUN "$INSTDIR\${PRODUCT_NAME}.exe"
-!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_FINISH
-
-;--- Uninstaller pages ---
-!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_CONFIRM
-!insertmacro MUI_UNPAGE_INSTFILES
-
-;--- Language ---
-!insertmacro MUI_LANGUAGE "English"
-
-;--- Installer section ---
-Section "Install"
-  ; Close any running instance
-  ExecWait 'taskkill /F /IM ${PRODUCT_NAME}.exe' $0
-
-  SetOutPath "$INSTDIR"
-  File /r "${SOURCE_DIR}\*.*"
-
-  ; Write uninstaller
-  WriteUninstaller "$INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe"
-
-  ; Start Menu shortcut
-  CreateDirectory "$SMPROGRAMS\${PRODUCT_NAME}"
-  CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\${PRODUCT_NAME}\${PRODUCT_NAME}.lnk" "$INSTDIR\${PRODUCT_NAME}.exe"
-  CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\${PRODUCT_NAME}\Uninstall ${PRODUCT_NAME}.lnk" "$INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe"
-
-  ; Desktop shortcut
-  CreateShortcut "$DESKTOP\${PRODUCT_NAME}.lnk" "$INSTDIR\${PRODUCT_NAME}.exe"
-
-  ; Add/Remove Programs registry entry
-  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "DisplayName" "${PRODUCT_NAME}"
-  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "UninstallString" '"$INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe"'
-  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "QuietUninstallString" '"$INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe" /S'
-  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "InstallLocation" "$INSTDIR"
-  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "DisplayIcon" "$INSTDIR\${PRODUCT_NAME}.exe"
-  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "Publisher" "${PRODUCT_PUBLISHER}"
-  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "DisplayVersion" "${PRODUCT_VERSION}"
-  WriteRegDWORD HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "NoModify" 1
-  WriteRegDWORD HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}" \
-    "NoRepair" 1
-
-  ; Store install directory for future upgrades
-  WriteRegStr HKCU "Software\${PRODUCT_NAME}" "InstallDir" "$INSTDIR"
-SectionEnd
-
-;--- Uninstaller section ---
-Section "Uninstall"
-  ; Close any running instance
-  ExecWait 'taskkill /F /IM ${PRODUCT_NAME}.exe' $0
-
-  ; Remove application files
-  RMDir /r "$INSTDIR"
-
-  ; Remove shortcuts
-  RMDir /r "$SMPROGRAMS\${PRODUCT_NAME}"
-  Delete "$DESKTOP\${PRODUCT_NAME}.lnk"
-
-  ; Remove registry entries
-  DeleteRegKey HKCU "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\${PRODUCT_NAME}"
-  DeleteRegKey HKCU "Software\${PRODUCT_NAME}"
-SectionEnd

scripts/create-installer.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   cp,
   mkdir,
   readFile,
+  rename,
   symlink,
   writeFile,
 } from 'node:fs/promises';
@@ -61,13 +62,13 @@ async function readVersion(): Promise<string> {
   return packageJson.version;
 }
 
-// --- Windows: NSIS installer ---
+// --- Windows: Inno Setup installer ---
 
-async function resolveNsisPath(): Promise<string> {
+async function resolveInnoSetupCompilerPath(): Promise<string> {
   const candidates = [
-    'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\NSIS\\makensis.exe',
+    'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Inno Setup 6\\ISCC.exe',
-    'C:\\Program Files\\NSIS\\makensis.exe',
+    'C:\\Program Files\\Inno Setup 6\\ISCC.exe',
-    'makensis',
+    'iscc',
   ];
 
   for (const candidate of candidates) {
@@ -76,21 +77,25 @@ async function resolveNsisPath(): Promise<string> {
     }
   }
 
-  return 'makensis';
+  return 'iscc';
 }
 
 async function createWindowsInstaller(version: string): Promise<void> {
-  const nsisScript = join(installerAssetsDirectory, 'windows.nsi');
+  const issScript = join(installerAssetsDirectory, 'windows.iss');
-  const makensisPath = await resolveNsisPath();
+  const isccPath = await resolveInnoSetupCompilerPath();
+  const outputFilename = releaseTarget.installerAssetName.replace(/\.exe$/, '');
+  const iconPath = join(repositoryRoot, 'assets', 'icons', 'windows', 'icon.ico');
 
   await runCommand(
-    makensisPath,
+    isccPath,
     [
       `/DPRODUCT_NAME=${productName}`,
       `/DPRODUCT_VERSION=${version}`,
       `/DSOURCE_DIR=${packagedAppDirectory}`,
-      `/DOUTPUT_PATH=${installerOutputPath}`,
+      `/DOUTPUT_DIR=${releaseRootDirectory}`,
-      nsisScript,
+      `/DOUTPUT_FILENAME=${outputFilename}`,
+      `/DICON_PATH=${iconPath}`,
+      issScript,
     ],
     repositoryRoot,
   );
@@ -107,29 +112,25 @@ async function createMacInstaller(): Promise<void> {
   const appBundlePath = join(packagedAppDirectory, appBundleName);
   const createDmg = join(repositoryRoot, 'node_modules', '.bin', 'create-dmg');
 
-  try {
+  // create-dmg outputs to the destination directory with a generated filename.
-    await runCommand(
+  // We use --no-version-in-filename so the output is "<AppName>.dmg", then
-      createDmg,
+  // rename it to the expected installer asset name.
-      [
+  await runCommand(
-        '--overwrite',
+    createDmg,
-        '--window-size', '600', '400',
+    [
-        '--icon-size', '100',
+      '--overwrite',
-        '--icon', appBundleName, '150', '200',
+      '--no-version-in-filename',
-        '--app-drop-link', '450', '200',
+      '--no-code-sign',
-        installerOutputPath,
+      appBundlePath,
-        appBundlePath,
+      releaseRootDirectory,
-      ],
+    ],
-      repositoryRoot,
+    repositoryRoot,
-    );
+  );
-  } catch {
-    // create-dmg exits with code 2 when code signing fails (expected without
-    // a Developer ID certificate) but still produces a valid DMG. Check
-    // whether the output file was created before treating this as an error.
-    if (!(await pathExists(installerOutputPath))) {
-      throw new Error('Failed to create DMG — output file was not produced.');
-    }
 
-    console.log('DMG created (code signing skipped — ad-hoc only).');
+  // Rename from the generated name ("Aryx.dmg") to the platform-specific asset name
+  const generatedDmgPath = join(releaseRootDirectory, `${productName}.dmg`);
+  if (generatedDmgPath !== installerOutputPath) {
+    await rename(generatedDmgPath, installerOutputPath);
   }
 }