Building for macOS

macOS is the most developed target today. This page covers what is specific to building there yourself.

Prerequisites#

• Xcode Command Line Tools: xcode-select --install. This provides the C/C++ compiler plus codesign and notarytool.
• An Apple Silicon Mac. Builds are architecture-specific, and desktop x86_64 is still being built out.
• The rest of the standard requirements.

Build#

every build
# → dist/Notes.app  (double-clickable, nothing to install)
# → dist/notes      (the raw pressed binary)

The .app is a normal macOS application bundle. On the machine that built it, it runs straight away.

The Gatekeeper problem#

Hand that unsigned .app to someone else and Gatekeeper refuses to open it: "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified." That is Apple's policy for any app downloaded from outside the App Store, not a RubyEverywhere limit.

To give the app to other people you need to sign it with an Apple Developer ID certificate and notarize it with Apple. every release does both. That is the next page.

No Mac to sign and notarize on? The RubyEverywhere Platform holds your signing credentials and signs and notarizes builds on hosted macOS runners. You still need your own paid Apple Developer account, which Apple charges $99 a year for. The Platform uses your credentials; it does not replace them.

Next: signing and notarization.