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:
  • iPad and iPhone apps on Apple silicon Macs - WWDC20 - Videos - Apple Developer

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