OpenFruit — Build iOS apps on Windows

From Xcode project to signed IPA.

OpenFruit reads your .xcodeproj or .xcworkspace as Xcode does, with Apple's original SDK, and runs the whole pipeline natively on Windows. Your project is never patched: the build environment adapts to it.

PowerShell — openfruit

01

Projectpbxproj · xcconfig

02

PackagesSwiftPM · Pods

03

CompileSwift · ObjC · C++

04

Macrosoriginal plugins

05

Resourcesassets · storyboards

06

LinkMach-O arm64

07

Signyour profile

08

IPAinstall over USB

Architecture.

A single native CLI drives the whole pipeline. Tools and toolchains are installed once under %LOCALAPPDATA%\OPENFRUIT; your configuration and credentials stay under %USERPROFILE%\.OPENFRUIT.

openfruit.exe

native C++ CLI · orchestrates every stage

BUILD PIPELINE

Project

build settings

Dependencies

SwiftPM · Pods

Compile

Swift · ObjC · C++

Resources

assets · storyboards

Link

Mach-O

Bundle

app · frameworks

Signing

provisioning

IPA

signed

MACROS AND COMPILER PLUGINS · IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE

Native host

plugin built from source for Windows

Darwin host

original Mach-O plugin, emulated with Unicorn

Unsupported

an explicit error, never a substitute

MANAGED STATE

%LOCALAPPDATA%

bin · sdk · toolchains · cache

%USERPROFILE%

config · credentials · journals

01

Project interpretation

Reads .pbxproj, .xcconfig and schemes like Xcode, keeping Base SDK and deployment target apart.

02

Package engine

Resolves and builds SwiftPM graphs in isolated, cached workspaces; CocoaPods and Carthage too.

03

Compiler proxy

Runs the official Swift and Clang drivers with explicit modules and a shared compilation cache.

04

Resource compilers

Asset catalogs, Icon Composer icons, Core Data, strings and storyboards through OpenIB.

05

Build driver

Incremental per target: unchanged modules and links are skipped, edits rebuild only what changed.

06

Packaging & signing

Bundles frameworks and extensions, signs with your certificate and profile, writes the IPA.

Two projects, one goal.

The engine that builds, and the IDE that makes it approachable. Both free, both open source.

// the engine

OpenFruit Core

A native Windows CLI, written in C++, that builds existing iOS projects end to end.

Swift, Objective-C, C and C++ for iOS arm64
SwiftPM and CocoaPods dependencies
Asset catalogs, Icon Composer icons, storyboards
Incremental, cached builds

Download Core0.1.0-dev · prerelease

// the IDE

OpenFruit Studio

An IDE built on top of OpenFruit, for people who want to experiment, write the code themselves and learn how software really works.

Edit, build and run from one place
Powered by the OpenFruit engine
Made for learning and curiosity
Free, for Windows

Download Studio0.1.0-dev · prerelease

Tested on real apps.

Unmodified upstream projects, built with the iOS 27.2 SDK.

CampUS SwiftUI

Delta emulator

VLC for iOS media player

Swiftfin Jellyfin client

Nextcloud SwiftUI + storyboards

Get started.

Windows 10 or 11, x64
Git for Windows
Visual Studio Build Tools with C++ and CMake, only to build OpenFruit from source
An Apple Developer account: the iOS SDK is downloaded from Apple with your own account, and apps are signed with your certificate and profile
The Apple Devices app or iTunes, to install over USB

Install

git clone https://github.com/ssilvestri15/openfruit.git
cd openfruit
.\openfruit\windows\build.ps1 -WithTests
openfruit bootstrap

Build and install an app

openfruit build C:\path\to\MyApp.xcodeproj --scheme MyApp
openfruit devices
openfruit device install C:\path\to\MyApp-signed.ipa --udid <UDID>

Known limitations.

OpenFruit is experimental. This is what it does not do yet.

iOS onlywatchOS and visionOS targets and assets are not built.
Extensions need a matching profileExtensions your provisioning profile does not authorize are removed from the signed app.
Flattened Icon Composer iconsLayers and tints are composed into one image; Liquid Glass effects are not rendered.
Some package resourcesResources SwiftPM leaves to the build system, such as a package's asset catalog, are not built yet.
Swift 4 packagesApp targets in Swift 4 mode build as Xcode does; packages still in Swift 4 mode can fail.
Team-only capabilitiesApp groups and similar entitlements can only be provisioned by the team that owns them.

Questions.

Do I need a Mac?

No. The whole pipeline runs natively on Windows, without macOS, virtual machines or WSL. You do need an Apple Developer account for the SDK and for signing.

Does OpenFruit redistribute Apple software?

No. Xcode, the iOS SDK and Apple's compiler plugins are downloaded by each user from Apple with their own account. OpenFruit ships only its own code and open-source components.

Do I have to change my project?

No, and OpenFruit will never patch it. It reads the same project files Xcode reads; when something fails, the fix goes into OpenFruit as general Xcode semantics, never into your project or its dependencies.

How fast is it?

A first build compiles everything and downloads what it needs. After that, builds are incremental and cached: a warm rebuild of Nextcloud takes about 40 seconds, and editing one file recompiles and relinks only what changed.

Can I install the app on my iPhone?

Yes, over USB: openfruit device install talks to the device natively. The app is signed with your own certificate and provisioning profile.

Knowledge belongs to everyone. Always.

— and it should always be accessible.