How can I get IPA of any app which is available on App Store ?
Access to an IPA files from the AppleStore is possible from the macOS Apple Configurator application. To download an IPA file, you will need Apple Configuration application, a macOS and iOS devices.
Procedure:
1. On your iOS device, download an app which’s IPA you would like to download on your macOS device
2. Install Apple Configurator (“AC”) application on your macOS device
3. Connect the AC app with your AppleID account “Account->Sign In…”
4. Connect your iOS device to the macOS device
5. Right click on a device in the AC app, and select an action “Add->Apps…”
6. Select an app to download and click a button “Add”
7. Once the app is downloaded on you macOS device you will be asked to select an action in AC app. Do nothing at this moment
8. In Finder app go to folder “~/Library/Group Containers/K36BKF7T3D.group.com.apple.configurator/Caches/Assets/TemporaryItems/MobileApps”. In one of subfolders you will find the downloaded application
How to open an IPA file?
An IPA file is an ZIP archive with a custom extension.
Procedure:
- To unzip it, change the extension to “zip” and select an “unarchive” action in a right click context menu
How do I find out if an IOS app uses frameworks/framework libraries?
In an unarchived app, go to a “payload” folder and under a right mouse click menu, select an action “Show package contents”. The frameworks used by the app are in “Frameworks” folder.
Example:
The Overcast iOS app doesn’t use any third party frameworks, is written in Objective-C and UI written in the code and not in InterfaceBuilder.
