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Testing Updates

Applies to
Windows
MacOS
Linux

When developing applications with Velopack, you'll want to test your update logic without requiring a full installation. This guide shows you how to test updates, hooks, and other Velopack features in development and CI/CD environments.

Testing in Development​

The simplest way to test Velopack integration during development is to use the built-in test helpers provided by the SDK.

C# - TestVelopackLocator​

The TestVelopackLocator class allows you to mock a Velopack installation:

var locator = new TestVelopackLocator(
    appId: "MyApp",
    version: "1.0.0",
    packagesDir: "/path/to/packages"
);

VelopackApp.Build()
    .SetLocator(locator)
    .Run();

You can then test update checking and downloading:

var updateManager = new UpdateManager(source, null, locator);
var updateInfo = await updateManager.CheckForUpdatesAsync();

if (updateInfo != null) {
    await updateManager.DownloadUpdatesAsync(updateInfo);
}

Other Languages​

For languages without a built-in test locator, you can test by:

  1. Creating a minimal package - Build a test release with vpk pack and install it locally
  2. Using a local update source - Point your UpdateManager at a local directory
  3. Mocking the update source - Create a mock HTTP server or file source for testing

Testing Update Downloads​

To test that your application can correctly check for and download updates:

// Create a mock update source
var source = new SimpleWebSource("http://localhost:8080/releases");

// Or use a local directory
var source = new SimpleWebSource("file:///C:/my-test-updates");

var updateManager = new UpdateManager(source);
var updateInfo = await updateManager.CheckForUpdatesAsync();

Assert.NotNull(updateInfo);
Assert.True(updateInfo.TargetFullRelease.Version > currentVersion);

await updateManager.DownloadUpdatesAsync(updateInfo);

Testing Channels​

Test channel switching by explicitly specifying a channel:

var options = new UpdateOptions {
    ExplicitChannel = "beta",
    AllowVersionDowngrade = true
};

var updateManager = new UpdateManager(source, options);
var updateInfo = await updateManager.CheckForUpdatesAsync();

Read more about channels in the Channels documentation.

Testing Hooks​

To test install/update/uninstall hooks without going through a full install:

Option 1: Run your app with hook arguments

MyApp.exe --veloapp-install 1.0.0
MyApp.exe --veloapp-updated 1.1.0
MyApp.exe --veloapp-uninstall 1.0.0

Your app should handle these arguments and exit quickly.

Option 2: Set environment variables

# Windows
$env:VELOPACK_FIRSTRUN="true"
.\MyApp.exe

# Linux/macOS
VELOPACK_FIRSTRUN=true ./MyApp

See the Hooks documentation for more details on available hooks.

Testing in CI/CD​

You can verify your Velopack integration in automated tests without a full installation.

Unit Testing Example (C#)​

[Fact]
public async Task CanCheckForUpdates()
{
    var tempDir = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), Guid.NewGuid().ToString());
    Directory.CreateDirectory(tempDir);

    try {
        var locator = new TestVelopackLocator("TestApp", "1.0.0", tempDir);
        var source = new SimpleWebSource("https://my-updates.com");
        var updateManager = new UpdateManager(source, null, locator);

        var updateInfo = await updateManager.CheckForUpdatesAsync();
        // Assert your expectations
    } finally {
        Directory.Delete(tempDir, true);
    }
}

Common Testing Scenarios​

Test Version Downgrade​

var options = new UpdateOptions { AllowVersionDowngrade = true };
var updateManager = new UpdateManager(source, options, locator);

Test First Run Detection​

VelopackApp.Build()
    .OnFirstRun((v) => {
        // This code runs only on first launch after install
        Console.WriteLine($"First run of version {v}");
    })
    .Run();

Test Update Restart​

VelopackApp.Build()
    .OnAfterUpdateFastCallback((v) => {
        // This runs after an update is applied
        Console.WriteLine($"Updated to version {v}");
    })
    .Run();

Debugging Tips​

When testing updates:

  1. Check logs - Enable logging to see what Velopack is doing
  2. Inspect packages directory - Verify packages are downloaded correctly
  3. Check release feed - Ensure your releases.{channel}.json is valid

For more debugging guidance, see the Debugging documentation.