docs: Add installer.md overview (see #4093)

2026-10-14 05:09:23 +00:00 · 2026-07-27 14:06:00 -04:00
1 parent 97c56bd5cd
commit fa3d4f0dbe
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ The Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) is a simple framework for embedding Chromi
 * [Automated Build Setup](automated_build_setup.md) - How to set up an automated build system for CEF.
 * [Crash Reporting](crash_reporting.md) - How to handle crash reporting from CEF-based applications.
 * [Sandbox Setup](sandbox_setup.md) - Sandbox usage and requirements for CEF.
+* [Installer](installer.md) - Support for CEF shared installs on Windows.

 The complete list of CEF Wiki pages is available [here](.).

@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+# CEF Installer
+
+**Available starting with CEF version 151.1.**
+
+The CEF Installer Library is part of the standard bootstrap binary and provides
+automatic CEF version management for Windows applications using the
+[bootstrap architecture](sandbox_setup.md). It downloads, installs, updates, and
+uninstalls CEF from a shared installation directory so that multiple applications
+can share a single managed copy of a CEF version (including libcef and all
+associated DLLs and resources).
+
+Installer behavior is optional. It activates only when a `CEF_INSTALLER_CONFIG`
+resource is embedded in the client DLL or bootstrap executable. Without that
+resource, the client DLL loads the libcef DLL in the usual way with no installer
+involvement.
+
+The authoritative reference is
+[libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md).
+This document is a brief overview; follow the links below for full details.
+
+## What It Does
+
+- **Automatic resolution**: On startup, the bootstrap finds the best compatible
+  CEF version already installed, or downloads and installs one from the CDN.
+  Downloaded archives are verified against their hash and signed catalog before
+  installation.
+- **Shared installation**: Multiple apps share versioned CEF installations
+  under a common directory (typically `%LocalAppData%\CEF\` for standard users
+  or `%ProgramFiles%\CEF\` for admin installs).
+- **Updates**: Apps can check for newer CEF versions in the background through
+  the `RunInstaller` API, or manually via `/cef-update` (when enabled, see below).
+- **Uninstall and cleanup**: Removing an app's registration automatically
+  prunes CEF versions that no other app needs.
+- **Version safety**: Revoked versions are excluded, and optional launch-health
+  tracking rolls back versions that crash repeatedly.
+- **Enterprise support**: Group Policy controls can restrict download sources,
+  enforce offline mirrors, or disable external downloads entirely.
+
+## Quick Start
+
+### 1. Add an installer configuration resource
+
+Embed a `CEF_INSTALLER_CONFIG` JSON resource in your client DLL (or bootstrap
+`.exe`):
+
+```json
+{
+  "appid": "A3B9C4D5-E6F7-4A8B-9C0D-E1F2A3B4C5D6",
+  "vmin": "151.1",
+  "vmax": "",
+  "abi_hash": "1234567890ABCDEF",
+  "launch_health": "explicit"
+}
+```
+
+Key fields:
+
+| Field | Purpose |
+|-------|---------|
+| `appid` | Unique UUID for your application (never changes). |
+| `vmin` | Minimum compatible CEF version. |
+| `vmax` | Maximum compatible CEF version (empty = no upper bound). |
+| `abi_hash` | Sandbox compatibility hash from `cef_version.h`. |
+| `launch_health` | `"off"`, `"explicit"` (recommended), or `"exit_code"`. |
+
+For the full field reference, see
+[Configuration Fields](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md#2-configuration-fields).
+
+### 2. Build with the standard binary distribution (cefclient example)
+
+The standard Windows binary distribution provides an opt-in CMake flag for
+building cefclient with installer support:
+
+```bash
+cmake -G "Visual Studio 17" -A x64 -DUSE_INSTALLER=On ..
+```
+
+This Release-only configuration:
+- Builds the bootstrap and sandbox libraries
+- Embeds the `CEF_INSTALLER_CONFIG` resource in the client DLL
+- Stages only the bootstrap `.exe`, client DLL, and `chrome_elf.dll`
+
+Replace the sample application identity (`appid`) before production use. See
+[Build Integration](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md#build-integration)
+for resource embedding details.
+
+### 3. Sign your binaries
+
+The bootstrap verifies that `chrome_elf.dll` and the `.exe` share the same
+code-signing certificate. Both must be signed before deployment. CEF
+installations are signed and verified separately using their own catalog and
+certificate.
+
+## Command-Line Usage
+
+Run the bootstrap executable with installer flags:
+
+```
+MyApp.exe /cef-update                    # Check for and install updates
+MyApp.exe /cef-update /cef-background    # Silent background update
+MyApp.exe /cef-uninstall                 # Unregister and prune unused versions
+```
+
+These commands require `enable_explicit_modes: true` in the bootstrap's
+embedded configuration. See
+[Command-Line Options](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md#command-line-options).
+
+## Background Updates from Code
+
+Client DLLs can trigger updates programmatically via the `RunInstaller` export:
+
+```cpp
+auto run_installer = reinterpret_cast<RunInstallerFunc>(
+    GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandle(nullptr), "RunInstaller"));
+const char* result = run_installer("update", config_json.c_str());
+```
+
+The result is a JSON string indicating success or failure. Available commands:
+`install`, `update`, `uninstall`, `query`, and `launch_success`.
+
+For the full API, result format, and extended configuration options, see
+[Background Update API](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md#background-update-api).
+
+## Version Selection
+
+The installer picks the best CEF version from multiple sources:
+
+1. **Installed versions** in the shared directory (or an app-specific
+   `install_path` if configured)
+2. An optional **bundled version** shipped with the app (`bundled_cef_path`)
+3. **CDN download** when no local version qualifies
+
+Among qualifying candidates, newer wins; ties go to the installed copy. Revoked
+versions are excluded from normal selection, and crash-disqualified versions
+(when launch-health tracking is enabled) are deprioritized.
+
+For the complete decision tree, see
+[Version Selection](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md#version-selection).
+
+### Bundled CEF Modes
+
+Applications can optionally ship CEF alongside their own binaries instead of
+relying solely on the shared installation directory and CDN downloads.
+
+- **`bundled_cef_path`**: Points to a full CEF distribution directory (with
+  `cef_version.json`, `catalog.cat`, and `Release/libcef.dll`). The bundled
+  version participates in normal version selection — it is compared against
+  installed versions and the newer one wins. It is used in-place and never
+  copied to the shared directory. See
+  [Bundled Version Behavior](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md#bundled-version-behavior).
+
+- **`unchecked_cef_path`**: Points directly to a directory containing
+  `libcef.dll`. When set, this path is checked first and bypasses all version,
+  ABI, signature, and revocation checks — the application is fully responsible
+  for the integrity of that DLL. If the DLL is absent, the installer falls
+  through to normal resolution. See
+  [Unchecked CEF Path](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md#unchecked-cef-path).
+
+## Further Reading
+
+| Topic | Link |
+|-------|------|
+| Full installer reference | [README.md](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md) |
+| Security model | [SECURITY.md](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/SECURITY.md) |
+| Enterprise policy | [ADMIN_POLICY.md](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/ADMIN_POLICY.md) |
+| Testing | [TESTING.md](../libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/TESTING.md) |
+| Bootstrap/client integration | [sandbox_setup.md](sandbox_setup.md) |
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ Starting with M138 the `cef_sandbox` static library can only be linked with appl
 3. Optionally customize the bootstrap executable for your client application. For example, resources such as icons, file information and error strings can be modified using [Visual Studio](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/working-with-resource-files?view=msvc-170) or [Resource Hacker](https://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/) tools ([example](https://github.com/chromiumembedded/cef/issues/3824#issuecomment-2895663576)). Alternately, you can build and modify the bootstrap executables from source code as part of a CEF/Chromium build (see the "Building bootstrap" section below).
 4. Be sure to [code sign](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/seccrypto/signtool) all binaries after modification and before distribution to users ([example](https://github.com/chromiumembedded/cef/issues/3824#issuecomment-2892139995)).

+The bootstrap can also manage CEF downloads, updates, and shared installations automatically. See [Installer](installer.md) for details.
+
 If you don't wish to use the provided bootstrap executables you have a few other options:

 1. Build your client application as part of the CEF/Chromium build using Chromium's bundled Clang/LLVM/libc++ toolchain. You will need to integrate your custom build into CEF's top-level [BUILD.gn file](https://github.com/chromiumembedded/cef/blob/master/BUILD.gn). See for example the "cefsimple targets" section in that file for how the cefsimple application is built.
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ Building using CMake:
  2. Sign cefclient.exe, cefclient.dll, and chrome_elf.dll. chrome_elf.dll must
     use the same signing certificate as cefclient.exe.
  3. Review the production identity, signing, publication, and installer
-     requirements in the CEF Installer Library documentation:
-     https://github.com/chromiumembedded/cef/blob/$CEF_REV$/libcef_dll/bootstrap/installer/README.md
+     requirements in the CEF Installer documentation:
+     https://chromiumembedded.github.io/cef/installer.html

  This example supports normal first-run CEF resolution. It does not modify
  bootstrap.exe resources, so standalone installer mode and explicit commands