Git-Based Addon Manager

A modern GUI addon manager that uses Git repositories to install, update, and manage World of Warcraft addons across multiple installations.

Why I Built It

I started this project as a way to explore building a real desktop application with the following constraints:

• Rust-first core with strong typing and safety
• Tauri for a lightweight, cross-platform shell
• Vue.js + DaisyUI for a pleasant, testable UI

At the same time, I had a concrete pain point: keeping the same set of addons up to date across multiple WoW clients and installs. Existing managers either did not support Git-based workflows well or were too tied to a single ecosystem. This project became a way to:

• Treat addons as versioned Git repos instead of opaque downloads
• Sync addons across multiple addon directories (e.g., different clients / installs)
• Experiment with end-to-end tooling: Rust backend, Vue frontend, tests, and CI

Over time, what started as a Tauri experiment turned into a practical tool I actually use.

Key Features

• Git-based installs: Install addons directly from GitHub/GitLab URLs
• Curated catalogue: Built-in list of popular addons for quick install without hunting for URLs
• Bulk operations: Install or update all tracked addons in one action
• Multiple addon directories: Manage several WoW installs from a single UI
• Local addon support: Install from local folders and keep non-Git addons managed via symlinks
• Branch and sub-addon management: Switch Git branches and handle nested addon structures
• Headless CLI mode: Run in --headless mode to check and update addons without opening the UI
• Cross-platform: Works on Windows, Linux, and macOS

For full details, screenshots, and usage examples, see the project README on GitHub.

Tech Stack

• Rust for the core logic and CLI
• Tauri as the desktop application shell
• Vue.js for the frontend
• DaisyUI + Tailwind CSS for styling and components
• Bun for frontend tooling and scripts
• Testing & tooling: Rust tests, ESLint/Prettier, and git hooks for formatting

What I Learned

• How to structure a Rust + Tauri + Vue codebase cleanly between backend and frontend
• Managing cross-platform filesystem quirks (symlinks, paths, and permissions) for addon directories
• Designing a UI that stays simple while still exposing advanced flows like local imports and headless updates

Links

• Source code and releases: https://github.com/sogladev/rs-addon-manager
• Detailed usage, CLI options, and development setup: see the README in the repository