What is the difference betwen .ipa and .app format in iOS?

Question

I tried Adobe flash professional CS5 based to develop an iPhone application in windowsOS but when I publish it's out will be .ipa format. Will this work properly for an iPhone?

Can anyone explain .ipa and .app?

And also is it possible to develop an iPhone application in Adobe flash professional CS5 and how can we get .app format ?

Emaemaciate

Answer 1

Disclaimer: my answer comes completely from digging around the files themselves.

.apps are application bundles. They contain the executable file, an Info.plist file, an icon, a launch image, and some other application resources. Application bundles are the only ones that actually get installed onto your device.

.ipas are archives that contain .app bundles as well as some other files meant only for iTunes to use, for instance iTunesArtwork. They are how iTunes manages applications, and as far as I can tell have little to do with the applications themselves other than App Store information.

I haven't worked with Flash CS5's export to iPhone feature, but you should be able to just drag your .ipa file to iTunes and it'll appear in the Apps list.

And also is it possible to develop iphone application in Adobe flash professional cs5?

It is possible in the sense that your iPhone software won't crash permanently or something, but as phwd and David have said, your app will not make it to the App Store.

Religion

Thank you very much for your information BoltColock . Could u tell me is it possible we can get output of application (.app) format using Adobe flash professional cs5? This is very important; if you clear me i'll be very happy – Emaemaciate

You can always use WinZip or similar to open the .ipa that Flash creates for you, but I'm not sure if you'll find an .app bundle inside (on Windows the app bundle appears as a folder). I guess you should, but I don't know how Flash exports .ipa files at all. – Religion

we can't open similar like winzip of ipa format in windows , Any have Thanks lot BoltClock . – Emaemaciate

3.3.1 — Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited). – Billy

as far as I am aware, it is forbidden to make iPhone apps in Flash CS5, there was a major argument going on about it in the last few months - so the chance of your app getting approved is zero if compiled using Flash. – Painting

@David Schiefer is right please do not ask any more questions about this. You can do testing. But as said... many many times across the internet, the iPhone app will never be accepted by the App Store. The correct way will be to publish using .ipa (desktop would be easiest place) , drag the file to itunes with your iPhone connected and Sync. Here is a video showing the process gotoandlearn.com/play?id=116 – Billy

Edited my answer to clarify that creating the .ipa is possible but App Store publishing is a straight no. Props to both of you. – Religion

Answer 2

iOS app formats

iOS supports next app formats:

.deb - Debian package. Since iOS is based on Darwin (BSD) Unix family it is *possible to run such Linux format. For example Cydia package manager uses .deb for sharing applications on jailbroked devices.

.app - during development when you build your application for simulator or real device the .app is generated. You can find it in Products group. Sometimes .app is used to share application thought iOS simulators^[About]

.ipa - iOS App Store Package for iOS devices. When you publish/distribute or download an app using App Store your operates .ipa files. This container includes .app and other metadata. Actially it is an archive with .app. And to create it you should Product -> Archive -> ...

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