(macros)
Getting Started

Updates

Macros keeps itself current by checking for new releases against macros.dev. This covers the editor binary and the built-in Scheme files that ship inside it — it does not touch the third-party packages you install with package-install, which update separately (see Packages installed separately).

How the check works

On launch, Macros fetches a small version manifest from https://macros.dev/latest.json and compares it against the running build. The check is gated to once a day — most launches skip the network entirely, and you only see a Checking for updates… line in *Messages* on the launches that actually hit the network.

When a newer release exists, nothing downloads automatically. Instead an update pill appears on the right of the title bar. Click it to download (with a live progress ticker), then click again to restart into the new version.

  • macOS downloads the release archive, verifies its SHA-256 checksum, and atomically swaps the running Macros.app in place. If the app is running from a read-only location (a mounted DMG, or a quarantined download under App Translocation), Macros offers to move it into /Applications first so updates can install.
  • Windows / Linux open the downloads page so you can run the packaged installer (.msi / .deb / .rpm) yourself — a running process isn't swapped from underneath these.

Checking on demand

M-x check-for-updates forces a check right away, ignoring the once-a-day gate. It reports the result in the echo area and, if an update is available, downloads and installs it directly. This command works regardless of the auto-update setting below.

Turning auto-updating off

The launch-time check is on by default. To disable it, add this to your init.scm:

;; No network check at launch, no background download, no "restart to update" notice.
(set-auto-update #f)

Re-enable it with (set-auto-update #t). This is backed by the auto-update editor option, so (set-option "auto-update" #f) is equivalent.

With auto-update off, Macros never reaches out to macros.dev on its own — you stay on your current version until you run M-x check-for-updates manually.

Packages installed separately

Auto-update only manages the Macros application itself (the binary and its bundled Scheme). Extensions you pull in with package-install are not part of this and are updated on their own:

  • Pinning a package to a 'ref keeps it fixed to a commit or tag.
  • M-x package-update fast-forwards branch-tracking installs to upstream.

See Packages for the full story on installing and updating extensions.