Code-signing Node.js add-ons on Windows

[jviotti]

What are your thoughts on code-signing *.node files on Windows?

See balena-io/etcher#1519. This is not the first time we encounter an anti-virus software that detects a *.node file as malicious. We've been manually asking these companies to whitelist such files, however code-signing could solve the problem entirely.

I tried manually code-signing add-ons with signtool sign and they load fine.

[develar]

Why do you unpack node files? It works in the asar.

[develar]

Feature will be implemented in several days.

[jviotti]

Why do you unpack node files? It works in the asar.

Oh, I didn't know this was possible! Thanks a lot for the advice!

[develar]

Yes — my sample app has 2 native deps and it works. To be check — is electron unpack it on the fly or not. Anyway — trust electron-builder. Do not disable smart unpack without reason and corresponding issue in th electron-builder project :)

[develar]

When even one file is unpacked, the whole module cannot be packed into asar. So, you should unpack only when it is really required.

[jviotti]

See #1738. Looks like electron-builder unpacks the whole lzma-native when smartUnpack is enabled.