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voculinux/docs/UPDATE.md
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Jatin K MalikandGitHub 1e0a2a6cee chore(release): prepare v0.6.1-beta (#201)
Bump version from 0.6.0-beta to 0.6.1-beta with installation improvements:

Version Updates:
- src/vocalinux/version.py: 0.6.0-beta → 0.6.1-beta
- install.sh: Default tag and help text updated
- web/package.json: 0.6.0 → 0.6.1
- web/src/app/layout.tsx: schema.org softwareVersion updated
- web/src/app/page.tsx: version badge updated

Documentation Updates:
- README.md: New 'What's New' section for v0.6.1-beta
- docs/UPDATE.md: Added v0.6.1-beta release notes with new features
- docs/INSTALL.md: Version references updated
- docs/RELEASE_PROCESS.md: Example commands updated
- tests/distro-testing-checklist.md: Version references updated
- src/vocalinux/main.py: Error message updated

New Features in v0.6.1-beta:
- Interactive backend selection for whisper.cpp (GPU vs CPU)
- Enhanced welcome message with testing instructions
- Simplified install commands (tag-based URLs)
- Better GPU support with proper library detection

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed bash arithmetic with set -e
- Fixed TTY detection for interactive mode
- Auto-install git if missing
- Fixed GPU installation commands
2026-02-12 13:12:21 -08:00

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# Updating Vocalinux
This guide explains how to update Vocalinux to the latest version.
## What's New in v0.6.1-beta
### ✨ New Features
- **Interactive Backend Selection**: When installing whisper.cpp, you can now choose between GPU (Vulkan/CUDA) or CPU backend with intelligent hardware detection
- **Enhanced Welcome Message**: Completely redesigned end-of-installation message showing what was installed, testing instructions, and voice command examples
### 🔧 Improvements
- **Version Consistency**: Install commands now download install.sh directly from the release tag, ensuring perfect version matching
- **Simplified Install Commands**: No more `--tag` parameter needed - cleaner syntax like `curl .../v0.6.1-beta/install.sh | bash`
- **Better GPU Support**: Fixed Vulkan development library detection and installation
### 🐛 Bug Fixes
- **Fixed TTY Check**: Interactive mode now works correctly with `--interactive` flag
- **Auto-install Git**: Installer now automatically installs git if not present
- **GPU Installation**: Fixed pip command execution for GPU backend installation
- **Bash Arithmetic**: Fixed issues with `((var++))` and `set -e` compatibility
### 📚 Documentation
- Updated all install commands to use tag-based URLs
- Improved error messages with correct install instructions
- Better inline help in install script
See the [full changelog](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/releases/tag/v0.6.1-beta).
---
## Previous Versions
### v0.6.0-beta
- **whisper.cpp as default engine**: Fast, works with any GPU via Vulkan
- **Multi-language support**: Auto-detect language with manual override
- **System tray indicator**: Better desktop integration
- **Wayland support**: Full compatibility with modern Linux desktops
---
## Quick Update (Recommended)
### If You Installed via curl (One-liner)
Simply re-run the installation command with the new version tag:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/v0.6.1-beta/install.sh | bash
```
The installer will:
- Update your existing installation
- Preserve your configuration and models
- Install any new dependencies
> **Note**: The installer automatically detects and updates existing installations.
### If You Installed from Source
```bash
cd vocalinux
git fetch origin
git checkout v0.6.1-beta
./install.sh
```
Or to always get the latest main branch:
```bash
cd vocalinux
git pull origin main
./install.sh
```
---
## Detailed Update Methods
### Method 1: Reinstall via Installer (Easiest)
The installer handles everything automatically:
```bash
# From the repo (if you have it cloned)
cd vocalinux
./install.sh --tag=v0.4.1-alpha
# Or via curl (for any installation)
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/v0.6.1-beta/install.sh | bash
```
**What gets preserved:**
- Your configuration at `~/.config/vocalinux/`
- Your speech models at `~/.local/share/vocalinux/models/`
- Your custom settings and preferences
### Method 2: Manual Update (Advanced)
If you prefer manual control over the update process:
```bash
# 1. Navigate to your vocalinux directory
cd vocalinux
# 2. Pull the latest changes
git fetch origin
git checkout v0.6.1-beta
# 3. Activate your virtual environment
source venv/bin/activate
# 4. Update the package
pip install --upgrade .
# 5. Exit and restart
exit
vocalinux
```
---
## Checking Your Current Version
To see which version you have installed:
```bash
# Check the package version
python3 -c "import vocalinux; print(vocalinux.version.__version__)"
# Or check from the repo
git describe --tags
```
---
## What's New in v0.6.1-beta
### 🚀 Major Feature: whisper.cpp is Now Default!
This release brings **whisper.cpp** as the new default speech recognition engine—a game-changing upgrade!
**Key Improvements:**
- **⚡ 10x faster installation** — No more 2.3GB PyTorch downloads (~1-2 min vs ~5-10 min)
- **🎮 Universal GPU support** — Works with AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA via Vulkan (not just NVIDIA CUDA)
- **💾 Smaller footprint** — Tiny model is only ~39MB vs ~75MB
- **🔥 Better performance** — C++ optimized inference with true multi-threading (no Python GIL)
- **🌍 99+ languages** with automatic language detection
**Additional Improvements:**
- **Interactive installer**: Choose between 3 engines (whisper.cpp, Whisper, VOSK)
- **Hardware auto-detection**: Automatically detects your GPU and recommends optimal settings
- **Enhanced logging**: Comprehensive debug info for whisper.cpp troubleshooting
- **Better documentation**: Updated all docs to reflect whisper.cpp as the new default
See the [full changelog](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/releases/tag/v0.6.1-beta).
---
## Previous Versions
### v0.4.1-alpha
- **Language selector UI**: Choose from 10 languages with auto-detection support for Whisper
- **App drawer launch fix**: Desktop entry now works when installing from local repo
- **Better commit handling**: Fixed error with special characters in commit messages
- **Improved update mechanism**: Corrected git fetch syntax for tag-based updates
### v0.4.0-alpha
- **Multi-language support**: French, German, and Russian
- **Debian 13+ compatibility**: Fixed appindicator package issues
- **Python 3.12+ support**: Improved venv handling
- **Better install script**: Tag-based version selection
---
## Troubleshooting
### Update Won't Install
**Symptom:** Installation fails during update
**Solution:** Run the uninstaller first, then reinstall:
```bash
# Keep your config and models
./uninstall.sh --keep-config --keep-data
# Reinstall
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/v0.6.1-beta/install.sh | bash
```
### Old Version Still Running
**Symptom:** After update, old version is still active
**Solution:** Fully exit and restart:
```bash
# Kill any running instances
pkill -f vocalinux
# Start fresh
vocalinux
```
### Dependencies Changed
**Symptom:** New version has different system dependencies
**Solution:** The installer handles this, but if you see errors:
```bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y python3-gi python3-gi-cairo gir1.2-gtk-3.0
```
---
## Automatic Updates (Coming Soon)
We're working on an in-app update mechanism. For now, please use the manual update methods above.
To check if a new version is available:
```bash
# Check latest release
curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/releases/latest | grep "tag_name"
```
---
## Need Help?
- 📖 [Installation Guide](INSTALL.md)
- 📖 [User Guide](USER_GUIDE.md)
- 🐛 [Report Issues](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/issues)
- 💬 [Discussions](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/discussions)