Application Package
iOS apps are distributed in IPA (iOS App Store Package) archives. The IPA file is a ZIP-compressed archive that contains all the code and resources required to execute the app.
At a high level, the IPA file has the following structure:
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
Payload | Directory | This directory contains all the application data. |
Payload/MyApp.app | Directory | |
Payload/MyApp.app/MyApp | File | This file contains the application's executable code |
Payload/MyApp.app/embedded.mobileprovision | File | This plist file contains the provisioning profile for an application. |
Payload/MyApp.app/Info.plist | File | This file is the manifest of the iOS application. |
iTunesArtwork | File | PNG image used as the application's icon |
iTunesMetadata.plist | File | This file contains various bits of information, including the developer's name and ID, the bundle identifier, copyright information, genre, the name of the app, release date, purchase date, etc. |
WatchKitSupport/WK | Directory | This specific bundle contains the extension delegate and the controllers for managing the interfaces and responding to user interactions on an Apple Watch. |
META-INF | Directory | This directory contains metadata about what program was used to create the IPA. |
References
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