[Feature] Add auto-update system with git-based version checking

README.md

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
   - [Security & Isolation](#security--isolation)
   - [Data Storage](#data-storage)
 - [Learn More](#learn-more)
+- [Auto-Updates](#auto-updates)
 - [License](#license)
 
 </details>
@@ -630,6 +631,7 @@ data/
 
 - [Contributing Guide](./CONTRIBUTING.md) - How to contribute to Automaker
 - [Project Documentation](./docs/) - Architecture guides, patterns, and developer docs
+- [Auto-Updates Guide](./docs/auto-updates.md) - Update system architecture and customization
 - [Docker Isolation Guide](./docs/docker-isolation.md) - Security-focused Docker deployment
 - [Shared Packages Guide](./docs/llm-shared-packages.md) - Using monorepo packages
 
@@ -662,3 +664,13 @@ This project is licensed under the **Automaker License Agreement**. See [LICENSE
   - By contributing to this repository, you grant the Core Contributors full, irrevocable rights to your code (copyright assignment).
 
 **Core Contributors** (Cody Seibert (webdevcody), SuperComboGamer (SCG), Kacper Lachowicz (Shironex, Shirone), and Ben Scott (trueheads)) are granted perpetual, royalty-free licenses for any use, including monetization.
+
+## Auto-Updates
+
+Automaker includes a built-in auto-update system with one-click updates from the upstream repository.
+
+- **Automatic Checking** - Periodic background checks (configurable interval)
+- **Toast Notifications** - "Update Available" notifications with "Update Now" button
+- **One-Click Updates** - Pull updates directly from Settings > Updates
+
+**[Read the full Auto-Updates documentation](./docs/auto-updates.md)** - includes architecture details and how to swap the update mechanism (git → releases, etc.).

apps/server/src/index.ts

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import { ClaudeUsageService } from './services/claude-usage-service.js';
 import { createGitHubRoutes } from './routes/github/index.js';
 import { createContextRoutes } from './routes/context/index.js';
 import { createBacklogPlanRoutes } from './routes/backlog-plan/index.js';
+import { createUpdatesRoutes } from './routes/updates/index.js';
 import { cleanupStaleValidations } from './routes/github/routes/validation-common.js';
 import { createMCPRoutes } from './routes/mcp/index.js';
 import { MCPTestService } from './services/mcp-test-service.js';
@@ -215,6 +216,7 @@ app.use('/api/context', createContextRoutes(settingsService));
 app.use('/api/backlog-plan', createBacklogPlanRoutes(events, settingsService));
 app.use('/api/mcp', createMCPRoutes(mcpTestService));
 app.use('/api/pipeline', createPipelineRoutes(pipelineService));
+app.use('/api/updates', createUpdatesRoutes(settingsService, events));
 
 // Create HTTP server
 const server = createServer(app);

apps/server/src/routes/updates/common.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+/**
+ * Common utilities for update routes
+ */
+
+import { createLogger } from '@automaker/utils';
+import { exec } from 'child_process';
+import { promisify } from 'util';
+import path from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs';
+import crypto from 'crypto';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
+import { getErrorMessage as getErrorMessageShared, createLogError } from '../common.js';
+
+const logger = createLogger('Updates');
+export const execAsync = promisify(exec);
+
+// Re-export shared utilities
+export { getErrorMessageShared as getErrorMessage };
+export const logError = createLogError(logger);
+
+// ============================================================================
+// Extended PATH configuration for Electron apps
+// ============================================================================
+
+const pathSeparator = process.platform === 'win32' ? ';' : ':';
+const additionalPaths: string[] = [];
+
+if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+  // Windows paths
+  if (process.env.LOCALAPPDATA) {
+    additionalPaths.push(`${process.env.LOCALAPPDATA}\\Programs\\Git\\cmd`);
+  }
+  if (process.env.PROGRAMFILES) {
+    additionalPaths.push(`${process.env.PROGRAMFILES}\\Git\\cmd`);
+  }
+  if (process.env['ProgramFiles(x86)']) {
+    additionalPaths.push(`${process.env['ProgramFiles(x86)']}\\Git\\cmd`);
+  }
+} else {
+  // Unix/Mac paths
+  additionalPaths.push(
+    '/opt/homebrew/bin', // Homebrew on Apple Silicon
+    '/usr/local/bin', // Homebrew on Intel Mac, common Linux location
+    '/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin' // Linuxbrew
+  );
+  // pipx, other user installs - only add if HOME is defined
+  if (process.env.HOME) {
+    additionalPaths.push(`${process.env.HOME}/.local/bin`);
+  }
+}
+
+const extendedPath = [process.env.PATH, ...additionalPaths.filter(Boolean)]
+  .filter(Boolean)
+  .join(pathSeparator);
+
+/**
+ * Environment variables with extended PATH for executing shell commands.
+ */
+export const execEnv = {
+  ...process.env,
+  PATH: extendedPath,
+};
+
+// ============================================================================
+// Automaker installation path
+// ============================================================================
+
+/**
+ * Get the root directory of the Automaker installation.
+ * Traverses up from the current file looking for a package.json with name "automaker".
+ * This approach is more robust than using fixed relative paths.
+ */
+export function getAutomakerRoot(): string {
+  const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
+  let currentDir = path.dirname(__filename);
+  const root = path.parse(currentDir).root;
+
+  while (currentDir !== root) {
+    const packageJsonPath = path.join(currentDir, 'package.json');
+    if (fs.existsSync(packageJsonPath)) {
+      try {
+        const packageJson = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(packageJsonPath, 'utf-8'));
+        // Look for the monorepo root package.json with name "automaker"
+        if (packageJson.name === 'automaker') {
+          return currentDir;
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Ignore JSON parse errors, continue searching
+      }
+    }
+    currentDir = path.dirname(currentDir);
+  }
+
+  // Fallback to fixed path if marker not found (shouldn't happen in normal usage)
+  const fallbackDir = path.dirname(__filename);
+  return path.resolve(fallbackDir, '..', '..', '..', '..', '..');
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if git is available on the system
+ */
+export async function isGitAvailable(): Promise<boolean> {
+  try {
+    await execAsync('git --version', { env: execEnv });
+    return true;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if a path is a git repository
+ */
+export async function isGitRepo(repoPath: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  try {
+    await execAsync('git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree', { cwd: repoPath, env: execEnv });
+    return true;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get the current HEAD commit hash
+ */
+export async function getCurrentCommit(repoPath: string): Promise<string> {
+  const { stdout } = await execAsync('git rev-parse HEAD', { cwd: repoPath, env: execEnv });
+  return stdout.trim();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get the short version of a commit hash
+ */
+export async function getShortCommit(repoPath: string): Promise<string> {
+  const { stdout } = await execAsync('git rev-parse --short HEAD', { cwd: repoPath, env: execEnv });
+  return stdout.trim();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if the repo has local uncommitted changes
+ */
+export async function hasLocalChanges(repoPath: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  const { stdout } = await execAsync('git status --porcelain', { cwd: repoPath, env: execEnv });
+  return stdout.trim().length > 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Validate that a URL looks like a valid git remote URL.
+ * Also blocks shell metacharacters to prevent command injection.
+ */
+export function isValidGitUrl(url: string): boolean {
+  // Allow HTTPS, SSH, and git protocols
+  const startsWithValidProtocol =
+    url.startsWith('https://') ||
+    url.startsWith('git@') ||
+    url.startsWith('git://') ||
+    url.startsWith('ssh://');
+
+  // Block shell metacharacters to prevent command injection
+  const hasShellChars = /[;`|&<>()$!\\[\] ]/.test(url);
+
+  return startsWithValidProtocol && !hasShellChars;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Execute a callback with a temporary git remote, ensuring cleanup.
+ * Centralizes the pattern of adding a temp remote, doing work, and removing it.
+ */
+export async function withTempGitRemote<T>(
+  installPath: string,
+  sourceUrl: string,
+  callback: (tempRemoteName: string) => Promise<T>
+): Promise<T> {
+  // Defense-in-depth: validate URL even though callers should already validate
+  if (!isValidGitUrl(sourceUrl)) {
+    throw new Error('Invalid git URL format');
+  }
+
+  const tempRemoteName = `automaker-temp-remote-${crypto.randomBytes(8).toString('hex')}`;
+  try {
+    await execAsync(`git remote add ${tempRemoteName} "${sourceUrl}"`, {
+      cwd: installPath,
+      env: execEnv,
+    });
+    return await callback(tempRemoteName);
+  } finally {
+    try {
+      await execAsync(`git remote remove ${tempRemoteName}`, {
+        cwd: installPath,
+        env: execEnv,
+      });
+    } catch {
+      // Ignore cleanup errors
+    }
+  }
+}

apps/server/src/routes/updates/index.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/**
+ * Update routes - HTTP API for checking and applying updates
+ *
+ * Provides endpoints for:
+ * - Checking if updates are available from upstream
+ * - Pulling updates from upstream
+ * - Getting current installation info
+ */
+
+import { Router } from 'express';
+import type { SettingsService } from '../../services/settings-service.js';
+import type { EventEmitter } from '../../lib/events.js';
+import { createCheckHandler } from './routes/check.js';
+import { createPullHandler } from './routes/pull.js';
+import { createInfoHandler } from './routes/info.js';
+
+export function createUpdatesRoutes(
+  settingsService: SettingsService,
+  events: EventEmitter
+): Router {
+  const router = Router();
+
+  // GET /api/updates/check - Check if updates are available
+  router.get('/check', createCheckHandler(settingsService));
+
+  // POST /api/updates/pull - Pull updates from upstream (events for progress streaming)
+  router.post('/pull', createPullHandler(settingsService, events));
+
+  // GET /api/updates/info - Get current installation info
+  router.get('/info', createInfoHandler(settingsService));
+
+  return router;
+}