Lift Off
April 19, 2016
Today we're proud to launch Equinox, a platform for packaging and distributing Go programs. If you build Go apps, Equinox can help you:
-
Add an
update
command to self-update your app to the latest version - Package your app into native installers (Linux .rpm/.deb, Windows .msi, OS X .pkg)
- Publish new releases to your own custom Homebrew tap
-
Publish releases to separate release channels, e.g.
stable
,beta
,nightly
- Host your downloads with easy, contextual installation instructions
We built Equinox to make distributing our apps easier. We think creating first-class installation experiences should be for everyone, not just apps from major vendors.
To deliver on that kind of experience, we built a platform that is safe, intelligent, and accessibly cross-platform. Equinox cryptographically signs and verifies all updates with keys you control for end-to-end safety. It automatically calculates binary diffs when possible to speed updates and reduce network usage. Finally, Equinox works identically on all major platforms, automatically cross-compiling your app and packaging it in native installers without forcing developers to learn the arcane nuances of each platform's installation APIs.
Accessibility also means meeting developers with the tools they
already use in their workflows. Equinox works with your existing
Go build processes and workflows by simply wrapping the
go build
tool. Integration only takes a few minutes and we've
put a lot of effort into writing
comprehensive documentation
on how to get started quickly. Arun at
zerobotlabs already wrote
up a fantastic guide on
how to use Travis CI to release new builds to Equinox.
Equinox has been running in production for nearly six months now, so it's finally time to take the wraps off and share it with the world. We're excited about the possibilities it opens up for developers and we think Go apps are just the beginning. We plan on supporting more languages and platforms as we grow the service in the future.
To get started with Equinox, sign up for a free account and read through the docs. Questions? Comments? Shoot us an email at contact@equinox.io.
Happy shipping!