Major fix: Resolve macOS ARM backend crash

Author: Mayank Pandey

.github/CODE_SIGNING.md

@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@ Code signing provides:
      
    - name: Build Tauri app (with signing)
      env:
-       TAURI_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.TAURI_PRIVATE_KEY }}
-       TAURI_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TAURI_KEY_PASSWORD }}
+          TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+          TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD }}
      run: |
        cd frontend
-       npm run tauri build
+          pnpm run tauri build
    ```
 
 ### Option 2: Self-Signed Certificate (For testing/development)

.github/RELEASE_PROCESS.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ This document outlines the complete release process for Local Lens, ensuring tra
    ```bash
    # Update package.json
    cd frontend
-   npm version patch|minor|major --no-git-tag-version
+   pnpm version patch|minor|major --no-git-tag-version
 
    # Update Cargo.toml
    cd src-tauri
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ git checkout v1.2.3
 ```yaml
 # In .github/workflows/release.yml
 env:
-  TAURI_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.TAURI_PRIVATE_KEY }}
-  TAURI_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TAURI_KEY_PASSWORD }}
+   TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+   TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD }}
 ```
 
 #### macOS (Requires Apple Developer Account)

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           node-version: ${{ env.NODE_VERSION }}
 
+      - name: Setup pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
+        with:
+          version: 10
+
       - name: Setup Rust
         uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
 
@@ -41,7 +46,6 @@ jobs:
           .\venv\Scripts\activate
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip
           pip install -r requirements.txt
-          pip install pyinstaller
 
       - name: Test backend build
         run: |
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install frontend requirements
         run: |
           cd frontend
-          npm install
+          pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
 
       - name: Copy backend executable
         run: |
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test frontend build
         run: |
           cd frontend
-          npm run build
+          pnpm run build
 
       - name: Test Tauri build (debug)
         run: |
@@ -85,4 +89,4 @@ jobs:
             Write-Output "Updated tauri.conf.json to disable signing and remove updater config."
           }
           
-          npm run tauri build -- --debug
+          pnpm run tauri build -- --debug

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           node-version: ${{ env.NODE_VERSION }}
 
+      - name: Setup pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
+        with:
+          version: 10
+
       - name: Setup Rust
         uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
         with:
@@ -55,18 +60,42 @@ jobs:
           source .venv/bin/activate
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
           pip install -r requirements.txt
-          pip install pyinstaller==6.11.1
 
       - name: Build Python backend with PyInstaller
         run: |
           cd backend
           source .venv/bin/activate
           python -m PyInstaller backend_server.spec
 
+      - name: Smoke test backend startup (macOS)
+        run: |
+          cd backend
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+          ./dist/backend_server/backend_server > backend-smoke.log 2>&1 &
+          backend_pid=$!
+          sleep 10
+
+          echo "=== backend smoke log ==="
+          cat backend-smoke.log
+
+          if grep -E "(ModuleNotFoundError|ImportError|Failed to execute script)" backend-smoke.log; then
+            echo "Backend smoke test failed: startup import error detected"
+            kill "$backend_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          if ! kill -0 "$backend_pid" 2>/dev/null; then
+            echo "Backend smoke test failed: backend process exited early"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          echo "Backend smoke test passed: process is running without import errors"
+          kill "$backend_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+
       - name: Install frontend requirements
         run: |
           cd frontend
-          npm install
+          pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
 
       - name: Copy backend bundle for Tauri
         run: |
@@ -76,10 +105,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build Tauri application
         env:
           TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY }}
-          TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD: ''
+          TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD }}
         run: |
           cd frontend
-          npm run tauri build
+          pnpm run tauri build
 
       - name: Find macOS build artifacts
         id: find_files
@@ -213,6 +242,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           node-version: ${{ env.NODE_VERSION }}
 
+      - name: Setup pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
+        with:
+          version: 10
+
       - name: Setup Rust
         uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
 
@@ -228,7 +262,6 @@ jobs:
           .\venv\Scripts\activate
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip
           pip install -r requirements.txt
-          pip install pyinstaller
 
       # Backend: Build with PyInstaller using your spec file
       - name: Build Python backend with PyInstaller
@@ -241,7 +274,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install frontend requirements
         run: |
           cd frontend
-          npm install
+          pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
 
       # Run ensure-backend.js to copy and rename the backend executable
       - name: Copy and rename backend executable
@@ -253,20 +286,18 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cd frontend/src-tauri
           # Install any additional Tauri-specific requirements if needed
-          # Currently using npm install from frontend folder covers this
+          # Currently using pnpm install from frontend folder covers this
 
      
       # Build the final application
       - name: Build Tauri application
         env:
-          # Pass the Base64 secret DIRECTLY here. 
-          # Tauri will handle the decoding automatically.
           TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY }}
-          TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD: ''
+          TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD }}
 
         run: |
           cd frontend
-          npm run tauri build
+          pnpm run tauri build
 
 
 
@@ -531,6 +562,7 @@ jobs:
             2. Open the DMG and drag Local Lens to Applications
             3. Fix Gatekeeper block (choose one):
                - Download and double-click Fix_Local_Lens.command
+               - If blocked: run `bash ~/Downloads/Fix_Local_Lens.command`
                - Right-click the app, Open, click Open in the dialog
                - Terminal: xattr -cr "/Applications/Local Lens.app"
             

.gitignore

@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ cython_debug/
 # Ignore the user-specific configuration and path presets.
 # These files store local paths and settings that should not be in version control.
 /backend/presets/
+/.backend/for dev/Reach.txt
 
 # Ignore any log files that might be generated in the backend directory.
 /backend/*.log

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,18 @@ All notable changes to Local Lens will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [2.3.0] - 2026-04-03
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Fixed critical backend crash on macOS Apple Silicon (M-series) caused by `numpy` dependency incompatibility.
+- Resolved Tauri auto-updater code signing failures during the build process.
+- Hardened PyInstaller build spec to properly bundle native C-extensions.
+
+### Added
+
+- Added background backend smoke tests in CI/CD pipeline to verify build integrity prior to packaging.
+
 ## [2.2.1] - 2025-12-31
 
 ### Added

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ pip install -r requirements.txt
 
 # Frontend setup
 cd ../frontend
-npm install
+pnpm install
 ```
 
 **macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon):**
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ pip install -r requirements.txt
 
 # Frontend setup
 cd ../frontend
-npm install
+pnpm install
 ```
 
 **Linux:**
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ pip install -r requirements.txt
 
 # Frontend setup
 cd ../frontend
-npm install
+pnpm install
 ```
 
 4. **Run the application in development mode**:
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ python main.py
 
 # Terminal 2: Start frontend
 cd frontend
-npm run tauri dev
+pnpm run tauri dev
 ```
 
 ## 🤝 How to Contribute
@@ -139,10 +139,10 @@ python -m pytest tests/
 
 # Run frontend tests
 cd frontend
-npm test
+pnpm test
 
 # Test the full application
-npm run tauri dev
+pnpm run tauri dev
 ```
 
 #### Step 4: Commit and Push

Local Lens - Installation & Setup Guid.md

@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ pip install -r requirements.txt
 > **Note**: If you're using Python 3.12+, you MUST install `dlib` via Homebrew first.
 > The `rawpy` library is replaced by `Wand` (ImageMagick) on macOS for RAW image support.
 
-*Linux:*
 ```bash
 # Ensure development packages are installed
 sudo apt install build-essential cmake libopenblas-dev liblapack-dev
@@ -135,7 +134,7 @@ pip install face_recognition
 
 ```bash
 cd ../frontend
-npm install
+pnpm install
 ```
 
 ### 4. Development Workflow
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ The backend will start on `http://127.0.0.1:8000`
 **Terminal 2: Frontend & Tauri**
 ```bash
 cd frontend
-npm run tauri dev
+pnpm run tauri dev
 ```
 This will:
 - Start the Vite development server
@@ -170,10 +169,10 @@ Force Tauri to launch the bundled `backend_server` executable (sidecar) instead
 **Terminal:**
 ```powershell
 # Windows PowerShell
-$env:USE_SIDECAR="true"; npm run tauri dev
+$env:USE_SIDECAR="true"; pnpm run tauri dev
 
 # macOS/Linux
-USE_SIDECAR=true npm run tauri dev
+USE_SIDECAR=true pnpm run tauri dev
 ```
 
 ## 🔧 Building for Production
@@ -230,7 +229,7 @@ This script will:
 cd frontend
 
 # Build production version
-npm run tauri build
+pnpm run tauri build
 ```
 
 This will create:
@@ -281,11 +280,11 @@ python -m PyInstaller --hidden-import=missing_module_name ...
 #### Tauri Build Issues
 ```bash
 # Clear Tauri build cache
-npm run tauri clean
+pnpm run tauri clean
 
 # Rebuild node modules if needed
-rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
-npm install
+rm -rf node_modules pnpm-lock.yaml
+pnpm install
 ```
 
 #### Face Recognition Issues

README.md

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ brew install ashesbloom/locallens/local-lens
 2. Drag **Local Lens** to Applications
 3. **Fix Gatekeeper** (required for unsigned apps):
    - Download and double-click `Fix_Local_Lens.command` from the release
+  - If macOS blocks double-click: `bash ~/Downloads/Fix_Local_Lens.command`
    - Or: Right-click the app → Open → Click "Open"
    - Or run in Terminal:
      ```bash

backend/backend_server.spec

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import site
 from pathlib import Path
 import face_recognition_models
 import reverse_geocoder
+from PyInstaller.utils.hooks import collect_dynamic_libs, collect_submodules
 
 block_cipher = None
 
@@ -17,14 +18,17 @@ datas = [
     (str(rg_path), 'reverse_geocoder'),
 ]
 
+numpy_hiddenimports = collect_submodules('numpy')
+numpy_binaries = collect_dynamic_libs('numpy')
+
 # Use a platform-neutral base name; PyInstaller adds .exe on Windows automatically.
 exe_name = 'backend_server'
 
 
 a = Analysis(
     ['main.py'],
     pathex=[],
-    binaries=[],
+    binaries=numpy_binaries,
     datas=datas,
     hiddenimports=[
         'multiprocessing',
@@ -33,7 +37,7 @@ a = Analysis(
         'multiprocessing.synchronize',
         'multiprocessing.resource_tracker',
         '_multiprocessing',
-    ],
+    ] + numpy_hiddenimports,
     hookspath=[],
     hooksconfig={},
     runtime_hooks=[],