# Build Process for OmniRoute: Complete Guide to Production Deployment > Explore the OmniRoute build process: dependency installs, Next.js compilation, and native binary generation for a complete production deployment bundle in dist/ - Repository: [Diego Rodrigues de Sa e Souza/OmniRoute](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-07-11 --- **The OmniRoute build process consists of dependency installation, Next.js compilation via `scripts/build/build-next-isolated.mjs`, and optional native binary generation, ultimately assembling a standalone production bundle in the `dist/` directory.** OmniRoute is a full-stack routing application built on Next.js with optional native addons and Electron packaging support. Understanding the build process for OmniRoute is essential for deploying the core server, native MITM proxy components, or the desktop application. The entire workflow is orchestrated through npm scripts in the repository root and specialized build scripts located under `scripts/build/`. ## Prerequisites and Environment Setup Before compilation, the build environment requires proper configuration and dependency resolution. ### Dependency Installation Start by installing all Node.js and TypeScript packages using `npm ci` (preferred for CI/CD) or `npm install`. This fetches the required dependencies, including build tools like `node-gyp` for native addon compilation. ```bash npm ci ``` ### Environment Configuration The `scripts/build/bootstrap-env.mjs` script initializes critical environment variables that control the build behavior. As referenced in [`docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md`](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute/blob/main/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md), this script sets values such as `OMNIROUTE_BUILD_PROFILE` and `OMNIROUTE_USE_TURBOPACK`, which determine whether the build uses Turbopack or falls back to Webpack. ```bash node scripts/build/bootstrap-env.mjs ``` ## Core Build Pipeline The standard production build follows a two-stage process: compiling the Next.js application and assembling the distributable artifacts. ### Next.js Production Compilation The `npm run build` command invokes `scripts/build/build-next-isolated.mjs`, which executes a clean Next.js production build using `next build`. Depending on the `OMNIROUTE_USE_TURBOPACK` configuration, this process utilizes either Turbopack or Webpack for bundling. Intermediate output is deposited into `.build/next/` for further processing. ```bash npm run build ``` ### Standalone Bundle Assembly After the Next.js compilation completes, `scripts/build/assembleStandalone.mjs` gathers the compiled server code, static assets, and any optional native modules into a single distributable directory. According to [`docs/ops/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md`](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute/blob/main/docs/ops/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md), this step produces the final `dist/` directory containing the complete, self-contained application ready for deployment. ```bash npm run assemble ``` ## Optional Build Targets OmniRoute supports additional build processes for advanced features and desktop distribution. ### Native MITM Proxy Addon Certain features, specifically the transparent proxy MITM functionality, require a compiled N-API binary. Running `npm run build:native:tproxy` triggers `scripts/build/build-tproxy-native.mjs`, which executes `node-gyp rebuild` inside `src/mitm/tproxy/native` to produce `transparent.node`. As documented in [`docs/security/MITM-TPROXY-DECRYPT.md`](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute/blob/main/docs/security/MITM-TPROXY-DECRYPT.md), the resulting binary is automatically copied into the standalone bundle by `assembleStandalone.mjs`. ```bash npm run build:native:tproxy ``` ### Electron Desktop Application The Electron UI is built separately from the core server. As specified in [`electron/README.md`](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute/blob/main/electron/README.md), navigate to the `electron/` directory and install dependencies before building platform-specific targets. ```bash cd electron npm ci npm run build:linux # or :win / :mac ``` ## Complete Build Reference For a fresh deployment from source, execute the following sequence: ```bash # Clone and enter repository git clone https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute.git cd OmniRoute # Install dependencies and build core application npm ci npm run build # Compiles Next.js via build-next-isolated.mjs npm run assemble # Creates dist/ bundle # Optional: Build native transparent proxy (Linux only) npm run build:native:tproxy # Optional: Build Electron desktop app cd electron && npm ci && npm run build:linux ``` ## Summary - **Environment Setup**: The `scripts/build/bootstrap-env.mjs` script configures build variables like `OMNIROUTE_BUILD_PROFILE` before compilation begins. - **Core Compilation**: `npm run build` executes `scripts/build/build-next-isolated.mjs`, producing Next.js output in `.build/next/` using Turbopack or Webpack. - **Artifact Assembly**: `scripts/build/assembleStandalone.mjs` packages the application into the `dist/` directory for production deployment. - **Native Addons**: The transparent proxy requires `npm run build:native:tproxy`, which compiles `transparent.node` via `node-gyp` in `src/mitm/tproxy/native`. - **Desktop Builds**: Electron packaging occurs independently within the `electron/` directory using platform-specific npm scripts. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the entry point for OmniRoute's build system? The primary entry point is the `npm run build` command in the repository root, which invokes `scripts/build/build-next-isolated.mjs`. This script manages the Next.js compilation process and is referenced in the release checklist at [`docs/ops/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md`](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute/blob/main/docs/ops/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md) as the standard starting point for production builds. ### How does OmniRoute handle environment variables during builds? Environment configuration is managed by `scripts/build/bootstrap-env.mjs`, which sets variables such as `OMNIROUTE_BUILD_PROFILE` and `OMNIROUTE_USE_TURBOPACK`. These variables control whether the build uses Turbopack for faster compilation or falls back to standard Webpack bundling. ### What build tools does OmniRoute use for the web application? The web application uses Next.js as the primary framework, with `scripts/build/build-next-isolated.mjs` executing the `next build` command. The build can utilize either **Turbopack** (for faster builds) or **Webpack** (as a fallback) depending on the `OMNIROUTE_USE_TURBOPACK` environment variable setting. ### When do I need to build the native transparent proxy addon? You only need to build the native addon if you intend to use the MITM transparent proxy feature on Linux systems. This requires running `npm run build:native:tproxy`, which triggers `scripts/build/build-tproxy-native.mjs` to compile the `transparent.node` binary using `node-gyp rebuild` in the `src/mitm/tproxy/native` directory.