orta / sparkle

A software update framework for OS X

Sparkle

An easy-to-use software update framework for Cocoa developers.

Changes since 1.5b

• Up-to-date with 10.11 SDK and Xcode 7. Supports OS X 10.7+.
• Cleaned up and modernized code, using ARC and Autolayout.
• Merged bugfixes, security fixes and some features from multiple Sparkle forks.
• Truly automatic background updates (no UI at all) when user agreed to "Automatically download and install updates in the future."
• Ability to mark updates as critical.
• Progress and status notifications for the host app.
• Name of finish_installation.app can be configured to match your app's name.
• Upgraded and more reliable binary delta and code signing verification.

Features

• True self-updating—the user can choose to automatically download and install all updates.
• Displays a detailed progress window to the user.
• Supports authentication for installing in secure locations.
• Supports Apple Code Signing and DSA signatures for ultra-secure updates.
• Easy to install. Sparkle requires no code in your app, so it's trivial to upgrade or remove the framework.
• Uses appcasts for release information. Appcasts are supported by 3rd party update-tracking programs and websites.
• Displays release notes to the user via WebKit.
• Sparkle doesn't bug the user until second launch for better first impressions.
• Seamless integration—there's no mention of Sparkle; your icons and app name are used.
• Deep delegate support to make Sparkle work exactly as you need.
• Optionally sends system information to the server when checking for updates.
• Supports bundles, preference panes, plugins, and other non-.app software. Can install .pkg files for more complicated products.
• Supports branches due to minimum OS version requirements.

Requirements

• Runtime: OS X 10.7 or greater
• Build: Xcode 5 and 10.8 SDK or greater
• HTTPS server for serving updates (see App Transport Security)

API

Sparkle is built with -fvisibility=hidden -fvisibility-inlines-hidden which means no symbols are exported by default. If you are adding a symbol to the public API you must decorate the declaration with the SU_EXPORT macro (grep the source code for examples).

Building the distribution package

cd to the root of the Sparkle source tree and run make release. Sparkle-VERSION.tar.bz2 will be created in a temporary directory and revealed in Finder after the build has completed.

Alternatively, build the Distribution scheme in the Xcode UI.

Project Sponsor

Bandwidth Hog is a service from MaxCDN that allows you to push software updates to your customers for only 1¢ a gigabyte. Best part is there are no contracts, it is all Pay-as-you-Go.