How do I distribute excel office add-in(w/ office.js) in privately?

Question

Q1. Are there any method to distribute excel office add-in(w/ office.js) in privately? (Will office.js add-in also be distributed like VSTO's .exe OR .xla/.xlam macro files with password?)

Q2. If I run office add-in server(node.js) on my on-premise server, What will have to be distributed to the end-users? (I want to hide the core source logic unlike VBA macro.)

I am now developing an excel office add-in. But there seems to be some limitation to deploy to the end-users in my company.(We are now testing environment for pilot, and using office 365 but it is restricted by IT's policy)

When I refer to the official documentation below, the docs says that the way to deploy add-in in privately are Microsoft 365 admin center OR SharePoint catalog.(AppSource is publicly for everyone.)

refer. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/publish/publish

However, it seems that it have to use Microsoft's services or components like SharePoint or admin center. I don't want to use these items because I want to flexibly cope with various environments.

I have also read the article as below.

refer. How to distribute private office add-ins?

But the reply thread seems that the writer couldn't get the appropriate answer what I also want to know.

I want to know the other ways to distribute excel office add-in(w/ office.js) without unveiling my core source logic and what is the minimum materials I have to provide to the end-users(i.g. manifest or something).

Answer 1

Typically, as you have already know, you need to host the add-in's source code on the web server anywhere. The manifest file just refers to the place where the sources are stored. And the single file which should be provided to be able to side-load add-ins locally is the manifest file. Everything else is hosted under your control.

Due to the nature of the web technology you can't hide the source code from users. The add-in acts like a regular web page. The best what you could do is to obfuscate your code.