Hi,
I've been an iOS developer for many years, and have just written my first Mac App (thank you SwiftUI) and am getting ready to distribute it to the Mac App Store.
I want to know if I need to do anything else to the Mac App, other then doing the usual bundling for the app store, such as creating a setup app, or can I distribute it like an iOS app, and anything else that I'd need to know? (Yes, I did read all the docs I could find on this subject).
Thanks,
Dan Uff
What is the usual bundling for the app store? I know lots of iOS developers do funky thing with something called "Application Loader". What is a "setup app"? I just do Organizer > select archive > Distribute App > App Store Connect.
Thanks for the response.
When you download some apps one has to run a setup program to install the app on a Mac.
If you’re building with Xcode and shipping to the Mac App Store, you can do your distribution using the Organizer, just like you’d do for an iOS app.
When you download some apps one has to run a setup program to install the app on a Mac.
True, but only for non-Mac App Store apps. Mac App Store apps always install directly.
Behind the scenes the submission format is quite different (iOS uses an
.ipaShare and Enjoy
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Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"Thank you.
I strongly suggest avoiding using a custom setup program. If you have components that need to be installed in system locations and/or need to run as root, then use the Apple-provided installer. You would distribute your app as an installer package. But only do this if you absolutely have to. And please include an easy way for users to remove all of the parts later. And double-check that whatever you are uninstalling, can be uninstalled by your uninstaller. For example, Apple recently introduced System Extensions that can only be uninstalled by dragging an app to the trash. But in most cases, apps installed using an installer package cannot be uninstalled by dragging an app to the trash.
Of course, none of this is allowed in the Mac App Store. If at all possible, distribute via the Mac App Store. You might find a lot of developers complaining on the internet about it and Apple 30% fee. Ignore them. Use the Mac App Store!