Installation
Crateforge supports Windows / macOS / Linux. The latest version is available from Releases on GitHub.
Screenshots to be added
Download and distribution formats
Section titled “Download and distribution formats”| OS | Distribution format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | standalone .exe / portable .zip / .msi / setup .exe | Supports in-app auto-update |
| macOS | .dmg (Apple Silicon native) | Unsigned. The first launch requires bypassing Gatekeeper |
| Linux | .AppImage (single file) / .deb |
Windows
Section titled “Windows”- Installer (setup
.exe/.msi) — a standard installation. Creating a desktop shortcut from the installer is off by default (enable it during installation if you want one). - Portable (
.zip) — just unzip and launchcrateforge.exe. No installation required.
With either version, in-app updates simply swap the exe in place and restart, so they are fast and do not trigger SmartScreen warnings (v0.6.3 and later).
Because it is unsigned, Gatekeeper shows a warning on first launch. Bypass it in one of the following ways.
- In Finder, right-click the
.appand choose “Open” - Or, in a terminal, run
xattr -cr /Applications/Crateforge.app
- For
.AppImage, make it executable and launch it (chmod +x ./Crateforge*.AppImage && ./Crateforge*.AppImage). - Install
.debwith your package manager.
First launch
Section titled “First launch”- Launching the app opens an empty library.
- If you already have an
iTunes Library.xml, import it with ”📥 Import XML” in the toolbar (Library import). - If you don’t have an XML, you can import your own music files directly with ”🎵 Add Files”.
The source of truth for the library lives in SQLite (WAL), so after the first import it opens instantly every time after that.
In-app auto-update
Section titled “In-app auto-update”When a new GitHub Release is published, you are notified by a non-blocking banner at the top of the window. The release notes (bilingual, Japanese + English) can be reviewed in a collapsible view.
You have the following options for applying an update.
- Update now — download and apply it on the spot, then restart.
- Update when closing — keep using the current version, and apply automatically when you close the window (so your work isn’t interrupted at startup).
Shortcuts (desktop)
Section titled “Shortcuts (desktop)”The Windows installer does not create a desktop shortcut by default. If you want one, enable the option during installation.