How draw.io Desktop Handles the `--disable-update` and `--silent-update` Command-Line Arguments

draw.io Desktop reads the --disable-update and --silent-update flags at application startup in src/main/electron.js to either disable automatic updates entirely or enable silent background installations without displaying user prompts.

When launching the jgraph/drawio-desktop application, users can control the automatic update mechanism via specific draw.io Desktop command-line arguments. These flags determine whether the app checks for new versions, displays update dialogs, or installs updates automatically when quitting.

Parsing Logic in the Main Process

The application evaluates command-line arguments and environment variables early in the main process lifecycle. In src/main/electron.js (lines 32‑38), the code constructs two Boolean flags that govern all subsequent update behavior:

const disableUpdate = disUpPkg() ||
    process.env.DRAWIO_DISABLE_UPDATE === 'true' ||
    process.argv.indexOf('--disable-update') !== -1 ||
    fs.existsSync('/.flatpak-info');

const silentUpdate = !disableUpdate && (
    process.env.DRAWIO_SILENT_UPDATE === 'true' ||
    process.argv.indexOf('--silent-update') !== -1);

The disableUpdate variable becomes true if any of the following conditions are met:

• The helper function disUpPkg() (defined in src/main/disableUpdate.js) returns true
• The environment variable DRAWIO_DISABLE_UPDATE is set to 'true'
• The --disable-update argument is present in process.argv
• The file /.flatpak-info exists (indicating a Flatpak sandboxed environment)

The silentUpdate flag only evaluates to true when updates are not disabled and either the --silent-update argument or DRAWIO_SILENT_UPDATE environment variable is set.

Impact on the Native Menu Bar

When disableUpdate is true, the application removes the Check for updates menu entry from the macOS native menu template. This occurs in src/main/electron.js (lines 75‑78):

if (disableUpdate) {
    template[0].submenu.splice(2, 1);
}

This ensures users cannot manually trigger update checks from the UI when the feature is disabled via command-line arguments.

Configuring the Auto-Updater Instance

The electron-updater instance is configured immediately after flag detection based on the silentUpdate value. In src/main/electron.js (lines 40‑44), the code sets:

autoUpdater.autoDownload = silentUpdate;
autoUpdater.autoInstallOnAppQuit = silentUpdate;

When silentUpdate is true, the application automatically downloads updates in the background and installs them when the user quits the app. When false, the updater waits for explicit user confirmation before downloading.

Suppressing Update Dialogs

The application intercepts the update-available event to conditionally suppress UI dialogs. As implemented in src/main/electron.js (lines 180‑186), the event handler returns early when silent updates are enabled:

autoUpdater.on('update-available', (a, b) => {
    if (silentUpdate) return;
    // ... display update dialog to user ...
});

This prevents any interactive prompt from appearing when --silent-update is active, allowing the process to proceed unattended.

Initial Update Check Behavior

At the end of the startup routine (lines 194‑199), the application decides whether to poll for updates based on the disableUpdate flag and user preferences stored in the electron-store:

if (store == null || (!disableUpdate && !store.get('dontCheckUpdates'))) {
    autoUpdater.checkForUpdates();
}

If --disable-update is specified, the checkForUpdates() method is never called, eliminating all network traffic related to version checking.

Practical Usage Examples

Run the application without any update functionality:

drawio --disable-update

Enable background updates without user interaction:

drawio --silent-update

Use environment variables as alternatives to flags:

DRAWIO_DISABLE_UPDATE=true drawio
DRAWIO_SILENT_UPDATE=true drawio

Summary

• --disable-update completely disables automatic updates, removes menu entries, and prevents network checks for new versions.
• --silent-update enables automatic downloading and installation of updates on quit while suppressing all interactive dialogs.
• Both flags are evaluated in src/main/electron.js alongside equivalent environment variables (DRAWIO_DISABLE_UPDATE and DRAWIO_SILENT_UPDATE).
• The disUpPkg() helper in src/main/disableUpdate.js provides an additional programmatic method to disable updates.
• Flatpak installations automatically disable updates via the /.flatpak-info file detection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between --disable-update and --silent-update in draw.io Desktop?

--disable-update turns off all automatic update functionality, including menu items and network requests to check for new versions. --silent-update keeps the update mechanism active but removes user prompts, allowing the application to download and install updates automatically in the background when the app quits.

Can I disable updates in draw.io Desktop without using command-line arguments?

Yes. You can set the environment variable DRAWIO_DISABLE_UPDATE=true before launching the application, which produces the same effect as the --disable-update flag. Additionally, if the application detects it is running inside a Flatpak container (by checking for /.flatpak-info), it automatically disables updates.

Does --silent-update work if I also specify --disable-update?

No. The silentUpdate flag is explicitly dependent on disableUpdate being false. As shown in the source code (src/main/electron.js, line 36), the silent update logic is wrapped in !disableUpdate && (...), meaning silent updates are only considered when updates are not disabled.

Where is the update logic implemented in the draw.io Desktop source code?

The primary implementation resides in src/main/electron.js, specifically between lines 32‑38 (flag detection), lines 40‑44 (auto-updater configuration), lines 75‑78 (menu modification), and lines 180‑199 (event handling and initial checks). The helper function disUpPkg() is defined in src/main/disableUpdate.js.

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