# sparkle-project/Sparkle

A software update framework for macOS

Repository: https://github.com/sparkle-project/Sparkle
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/sparkle
Homepage: https://sparkle-project.org
Language: Objective-C
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Topics: update, software-update, macos, framework
Last push: 2026-08-24T03:39:17+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 95/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 86, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 6231, "days_push": 9, "days_rel": 17, "gap_med": 32.5, "n_releases_24m": 13}
- flags: no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 9567, forks 1127 (observed 2026-08-28T04:10:31.993532+00:00)

## What it is
Sparkle is a secure and reliable software update framework for macOS applications, serving as the de-facto standard used by thousands of apps. It supports EdDSA and Apple Code Signing verification, delta updates, sandboxed apps, custom update UIs, and RSS-based appcasts for release distribution.

## Use cases
- add automatic software updates to a macos app
- deliver delta updates to reduce download size
- sign and verify app updates securely
- support beta update channels and phased rollouts
- update sandboxed macos applications
- serve release notes via rss appcast

## When to choose
- you ship a macOS application and need reliable, secure self-updating
- you want delta updates and atomic installs without writing update code
- you need sandboxing support, beta channels, or custom update UIs

## When to avoid
- your app targets platforms other than macOS
- you distribute exclusively through the Mac App Store, which handles updates itself

## Facets
- artifact type: framework
- maturity: stable
- function: sdk, security, deployment
- domain: operating-systems, developer-tools, desktop-applications, security
- platform: cpp
- tags: software-update, appcasting, delta-updates, eddsa-signatures, code-signing, sandboxed-apps, objective-c, self-updating, macos, swift

## Member repositories
- sparkle-project/Sparkle (main) score 95

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:31.993532+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:21:56.224331+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/sparkle-project/Sparkle (fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:31.993532+00:00, sha 2d6febeb4fee)
  - homepage: https://sparkle-project.org (fetched 2026-08-29T08:21:30.693361+00:00, sha 1cd78fdc72b9)
  - site_page: https://sparkle-project.org/about (fetched 2026-08-29T08:21:30.702888+00:00, sha f37f0e31a225)
  - site_page: https://sparkle-project.org/documentation (fetched 2026-08-29T08:21:30.704792+00:00, sha cbbacd13eeee)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.