Building EXE

Building & Deploy

Turn your XML project into a standalone, high-performance Windows executable (`.exe`).

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1. How it Works

Nimbus includes a built-in compiler that translates your XML/Logic into C# source code, embeds the engine core, and compiles everything using the native .NET compiler (`csc.exe`).

transform

1. Transpile

XML is converted to C# code (Program.cs).

library_add

2. Embed

Engine core files (WpfEngine, etc.) are added.

inventory_2

3. Compile

Native CSC creates a single .exe file.

2. Basic Build

To build your project, open a terminal in your project folder and run:

Terminal 
nimbus build App.xml

This will create a `build/` folder containing:

  • App.exe - Your standalone application.
  • (Optional) plugins/ - If you have external plugins.
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Zero Dependencies: The resulting .exe does NOT need Nimbus installed to run. It only requires the .NET Framework (which is pre-installed on Windows).

3. Configuration (nimbus.json)

Instead of passing arguments every time, create a `nimbus.json` file in your project root.

nimbus.json 
{
    "name": "MyCoolApp",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "entry": "App.xml",
    "build": {
        "output": "./dist",
        "icon": "assets/icon.ico",
        "console": false,
        "compress": true
    }
}

Now you can simply run:

nimbus build

4. Advanced Options

Command line arguments override `nimbus.json` settings.

FlagDescription
-o, --output <dir>Specify output directory (default: ./build).
-n, --name <name>Name of the executable (e.g., MyApp).
-i, --icon <path>Path to .ico file for the application icon.
--consoleShow a console window (useful for debugging).
--compressOptimize output size (removes debug symbols).

Examples

Build with custom icon:

nimbus build App.xml --icon assets/app.ico

Debug build (with console):

nimbus build App.xml --console