Make installing binary releases a native experience

[leighmcculloch]

Installing the CLI from source is the primary way we advertise installing the CLI.

However, building from source is time consuming and makes some assumptions about environment setup, additional compilers like a C compiler, and uses non-trivial amounts of memory resources, bandwidth, CPU capabilities, and ... patience.

We also prebuild binaries for Windows (x86), macOS (x86, arm64), and Linux (x86, arm64). Theoretically no one needs to build from source except those on esoteric systems. In terms of commands on the command line installing from source is the simplest, and so I think it is highly unlikely that folks use the prebuilt binaries much, especially given than our CI job for publishing the binaries is partly broken and requires manual running after each release and even on times we've forgotten no one has complained.

We should make these binaries easy to install using tools folks already have on their system.

While we do support cargo-bininstall, that binary is not often installed for folks and itself is a reasonably large installation. It's a good option to have on hand for folks who have it, but shouldn't be the core of the distribution story.

I think we should make a one line shell script install that works for the majority of users:

curl -L https://cli.stellar.org | bash

And similar for Windows if such a command exists, or winget is probably more appropriate given it is built-in to Windows.

I think we should also add release targets for all of the following, over time. For any platform where multiple options are listed, I've ordered them by priority.

Crossplatform

• curl | bash (e.g. curl -L https://cli.stellar.org | bash) [Edit: Deprioritizing for now.]
• NPM, that installs the prebuilt binary (e.g. npm -g install @stellar/stellar-cli) [Edit: Deprioritizing for now.]
• Cargo, that installs the prebuilt binary (e.g. cargo install stellar-cli-bin) [Edit: Deprioritizing for now.]
• Docker (e.g. docker run -i stellar/stellar-cli) Add docker image #1550

Windows (x86)

• Winget (e.g. winget install Stellar.StellarCLI) @fnando

macOS (x86, arm64)

• Homebrew - We currently run a homebrew source-only tap. stellar-cli 21.3.0 (new formula) Homebrew/homebrew-core#180191 @leighmcculloch

Linux (x86, arm64)

• Homebrew - Same as above for supporting Homebrew on Linux. stellar-cli 21.3.0 (new formula) Homebrew/homebrew-core#180191
• Debian/Ubuntu
  • SDF hosts an apt repo that could house the stellar-cli as a package to install.

CI

• GitHub Actions - Add an action to the repo so the cli can be installed from binary with: @leighmcculloch
  - uses: stellar/[email protected] @leighmcculloch

[leighmcculloch]

Of the options the most important of these to prioritise is probably winget, because it seems like of folks who have issues building and installing the CLI, windows users are most represented. I'd happily take it, but I don't have access to windows and it'd be good if a native windows user could explore it. (cc @fnando Not sure if that's something you could do with your windows machine. I assigned you, but feel free to unassign yourself.)

[leighmcculloch]

Of the options that are low hanging fruit quick wins, that's homebrew binaries, because we already have a homebrew-tap and it's a short step to add binaries 🤞🏻. I'm going to take doing that because I'm familiar with homebrew.

[fnando]

I won't have access to a Windows machine until the end of August, but I can take a look after that.

[leighmcculloch]

• stellar-cli 21.3.0 (new formula) Homebrew/homebrew-core#180191

[leighmcculloch]

I striked the apt deb because I realised no one has asked for this, and recently we used homebrew in a docker image where we might have otherwise used the deb and it worked fine.

I striked the docker image for similar reasons, to pare this back for higher impact and reduced maintenance on lower impact things.

[Ifropc]

I agree that publishing in apt is low impact + not everyone (I think not even 50% of desktop users) is using apt + people should be more comfortable installing it using cargo

[janewang]

Need legal clearance

[janewang]

Based on emails from legal, there's no need to disclose any 3rd party contributions in s3 as all contribution is original. This issue is not blocked on the legal front.

[fnando]

• pr adding a windows installer generator: Generate windows installer. #1726
• pr releasing the initial version on winget: New version: Stellar.StellarCLI version 22.0.0-rc.1 microsoft/winget-pkgs#191259 (first release must be manual, then we can automate the process)
• ticket asking for PAT: https://github.com/stellar/ops/issues/3350
• ticket asking for microsoft/winget-pkgs repo fork: https://github.com/stellar/ops/issues/3351

[janewang]

Working on automation

[github-actions]

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