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Chapter 8: Bundling Your Pack

TL;DR​

  1. Stop the dev server (Ctrl+C in the terminal).
  2. Run the bundle command: 
    worka bundle
  3. For Apple Silicon users (with a Rust backend): 
    worka bundle --with-zigbuild
  4. Find your distributable .aip file(s) in your pack's root directory.

Throughout this tutorial, you've been using worka dev for a fast, iterative development experience. Now it's time to create a final, production-ready version of your pack that you can share with others.

Step 1: From Development to Production​

The worka dev server is optimized for speed and hot-reloading, not for creating a final asset. For that, we use the bundle command.

First, stop the development server by pressing Ctrl+C in the terminal where it is running.

Step 2: The worka bundle Command​

This command is designed to create an optimized, portable, and distributable version of your pack. In your pack's root directory, run:

worka bundle

This command performs several actions:

  • It builds all your frontend views with production optimizations (like minification).
  • It compiles your backend MCP server(s) in release mode for maximum performance.
  • It packages all of these assets into a single, compressed .aip archive.

Step 3: A Note on Cross-Compilation​

Worka runs backend MCP servers in Linux-based containers for security and consistency. If you are developing on an Apple Silicon Mac (M1/M2/etc.) and your pack includes a Rust backend, you need to cross-compile your Rust code so it can run in the Linux environment.

The Worka CLI makes this easy with a special flag. If this applies to you, run this command instead:

worka bundle --with-zigbuild

This uses a tool called cargo-zigbuild under the hood to handle the complexities of cross-compilation for you.

Step 4: The .aip File​

After the command finishes, you will find one or more new files in your pack's directory with the .aip extension. The file name follows a clear convention:

pack.<tenant>-<name>-<version>.<architecture>.aip

If you cross-compiled, you will see multiple files, one for each target architecture (e.g., x86_64-unknown-linux-musl and aarch64-unknown-linux-musl).

This .aip file is your finished product. It's a self-contained, portable archive that you can send to another Worka user to install, or that you could upload to a future marketplace.

Congratulations! You have now completed the entire end-to-end development cycle of a basic Worka AI Pack. You have learned how to:

  • Set up your environment.
  • Scaffold, run, and view a pack in development.
  • Build a UI with React and the worka-sdk.
  • Implement a backend tool in Rust.
  • Create a final, distributable bundle.

In the following parts of this guide, we will move from this tutorial format to a more detailed exploration of specific topics, diving deeper into the powerful features of the Worka platform.