macOS App Development
App Types
macOS confusingly supports many different types of apps including:
- Native macOS apps built with AppKit.
- Native macOS apps built with SwiftUI.
- Mac Catalyst apps.
- iOS apps running natively on Apple silicon macs:
Distribution
Mac apps can be distributed on the Mac App Store or they can be distributed outside the app store.
Distributing on Mac App Store
All apps on the app store are sandboxed.
Distributing outside the Mac App Store
Apps distributed outside the Mac App store must still be notarized or else macOS will provide a very poor user experience.
Sandboxing
macOS App Development
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On this page
App Types
Distribution
Distributing on Mac App Store
Distributing outside the Mac App Store
Sandboxing