iosbinary

Iosbinary is a term used to refer to the compiled executable component of iOS software. In practical terms, an iOS binary is the Mach-O executable that runs inside an app bundle or a system component. iOS apps are distributed as bundles containing a main executable, resources, and frameworks. The binary is produced by the Xcode toolchain from Swift or Objective-C source code and is built for specific device architectures, such as arm64.

Key characteristics include code signing and provisioning. iOS binaries must be code-signed with a development or distribution certificate and tied to a provisioning profile. This signature ensures the app’s identity and integrity and is checked by iOS during installation and execution. The binaries are packaged within an app bundle and are executed in a sandboxed environment, with access to resources governed by entitlements and the operating system’s security model.

Execution and loading involve dynamic linking. At launch, the iOS binary is loaded by the dynamic linker (dyld), which resolves references to system and third-party frameworks and libraries. Binaries may include or link against dynamic libraries and frameworks, and they must conform to platform requirements and App Store policies for distribution.

Security, signing, and crash reporting are integral to iOS binaries. Binaries may be stripped of debugging symbols in production, while separate symbol files (dsym) can be retained for crash analysis. iOS binaries, whether for consumer apps or internal use, are subject to Apple’s review processes and ecosystem rules.

See also: Mach-O, iOS development, App Store, code signing, provisioning profiles.