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Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

david.dev

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Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#41

Post by MauranKilom »

plorkyeran wrote: post #32
thomascgalvin wrote: post #22

The basic concept isn't too disturbing; Apple packages private APIs that have no guaranteed behavior or expectation of support. If you depend on those APIs, it's very possible that your app will break in a future OS update. This is conceptually no different than calling something in the sun.* packages in Java. For years it was ok, and then ... it wasn't. This, however, is draconian: > Continuing to use or conceal non…

What's bullshit about banning someone who has been notified that they are in violation of the rules and then tries to hide their use of private APIs rather than stop using them? That's exactly what I would do in Apple's position. Resubmitting the same thing and hoping that it doesn't get caught the next time isn't an honest mistake.

> then tries to hide their use of private APIs rather than stop using them [...] Resubmitting the same thing and hoping that it doesn't get caught the next time isn't an honest mistake.

This is missing the point of the post you are replying to. Say you identify five closed API dependencies and remove them. Do you resubmit? If you missed any others, you and all your apps might be banned.

Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#42

Post by kjksf »

plorkyeran wrote: post #32
thomascgalvin wrote: post #22

The basic concept isn't too disturbing; Apple packages private APIs that have no guaranteed behavior or expectation of support. If you depend on those APIs, it's very possible that your app will break in a future OS update. This is conceptually no different than calling something in the sun.* packages in Java. For years it was ok, and then ... it wasn't. This, however, is draconian: > Continuing to use or conceal non…

What's bullshit about banning someone who has been notified that they are in violation of the rules and then tries to hide their use of private APIs rather than stop using them? That's exactly what I would do in Apple's position. Resubmitting the same thing and hoping that it doesn't get caught the next time isn't an honest mistake.

"use or conceal"

"use"

If this was "don't conceal or we'll ban you for life", it would be somewhat understandable.

But it's "use or we'll ban you for life" which is just insane. Apple is at the height of their arrogance towards developers.

Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#44

Post by jbverschoor »

ajross wrote: post #27
outworlder wrote: post #11

> I did write back to Apple trying to explain that I am using Electron and I can't really change any of these public-framework usage Yeah. So? By linking a framework that's using private APIs, this becomes your problem now. And Electron's problem, by extension. Go bug them, not Apple.

Wouldn't a more reasonable path be for Apple to talk directly to Electron and Chromium about the issue and work out a path forward before rattling a banhammer at app developers, though? I mean, did Electron or Google just refuse to fix this? Are these private APIs things that actually get exercised in the apps being threatened? It's not so much about culpability or Apple's right to control their app deployment enviro…

Why? It’s very clear what’s wrong. Don’t use private APIs.

Thank you Apple for keeping things clean!!

Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#45

Post by freehunter »

plorkyeran wrote: post #32
thomascgalvin wrote: post #22

The basic concept isn't too disturbing; Apple packages private APIs that have no guaranteed behavior or expectation of support. If you depend on those APIs, it's very possible that your app will break in a future OS update. This is conceptually no different than calling something in the sun.* packages in Java. For years it was ok, and then ... it wasn't. This, however, is draconian: > Continuing to use or conceal non…

What's bullshit about banning someone who has been notified that they are in violation of the rules and then tries to hide their use of private APIs rather than stop using them? That's exactly what I would do in Apple's position. Resubmitting the same thing and hoping that it doesn't get caught the next time isn't an honest mistake.

Because Electron developers might say "we fixed it" and the app developer might resubmit based on that and now they're banned due to a mistake made by an upstream dependency.

It's not like this app developer is intentionally using private APIs. "Resubmitting the same thing and hoping that it doesn't get caught" seems to be a strawman.

Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#46

Post by ComputerGuru »

Good. It’s time app developers began to treat Electron like the Goliath of a dependency that it is rather than a cost-free shortcut to launching a cross-platform GUI product.

It’s no different than any other library or toolkit you would link against normally. You wouldn’t be hearing these complaints from a “native” app developer that intentionally picked any other library or runtime that (ab)used private frameworks.

Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#47

Post by BoorishBears »

philwelch wrote: post #15
outworlder wrote: post #11

> I did write back to Apple trying to explain that I am using Electron and I can't really change any of these public-framework usage Yeah. So? By linking a framework that's using private APIs, this becomes your problem now. And Electron's problem, by extension. Go bug them, not Apple.

Exactly. An application developer chooses his dependencies and has to take responsibility for them. Even if the app store is going to let you pass the buck, it's going to make your customers unhappy.

How is it going to make customers unhappy if your app isn't using the features?

Apple is within their rights here, but please, let's not pretend this is about user experience.

It's about the Apple machine doing what it wants, and rolling over who it wants, because it can.

That would explain why Apple developer relations (read: humans) had previously backpedalled after the same rejection in the past:

https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/20027

Most likely these rejections were not intentionally resumed, but because the machine that is app stores these days is completely non-deterministic, this could still be a big problem.

This time the wrong developer could reach out to the wrong channel and trip some sort of trap that turns this into a "known issue: won't fix + always send automated reply", instead of someone with the right connections getting to the right person and having them go and flip a switch that fixes everything with their pinky finger.

Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#48

Post by megous »

plorkyeran wrote: post #32
thomascgalvin wrote: post #22

The basic concept isn't too disturbing; Apple packages private APIs that have no guaranteed behavior or expectation of support. If you depend on those APIs, it's very possible that your app will break in a future OS update. This is conceptually no different than calling something in the sun.* packages in Java. For years it was ok, and then ... it wasn't. This, however, is draconian: > Continuing to use or conceal non…

What's bullshit about banning someone who has been notified that they are in violation of the rules and then tries to hide their use of private APIs rather than stop using them? That's exactly what I would do in Apple's position. Resubmitting the same thing and hoping that it doesn't get caught the next time isn't an honest mistake.

Presumably you can't check for violation yourself without submitting.

Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#49

Post by jbverschoor »

duxup wrote: post #26
rvz wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its looks as if the Electron team had the assumption that developers would be unlikely to distribute their Electron Mac apps via the App Store, but instead as a DMG or zip which doesn't require Apple reviewing private APIs.

But they had to know it was happening at some point right?

Ofcourse. But developers things they’re above anyone else and know better. At least most of them. And now someone says no to them, so they cry and post stuff.

Re: Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store

#50

Post by saagarjha »

throwGuardian wrote: post #24
outworlder wrote: post #11

> I did write back to Apple trying to explain that I am using Electron and I can't really change any of these public-framework usage Yeah. So? By linking a framework that's using private APIs, this becomes your problem now. And Electron's problem, by extension. Go bug them, not Apple.

This summarizes Apple's attitude to developers. Eventually, you'll run foul of some obscure nonsensical Apple policy, and Apple will not hesitate to show you the finger. And Shame you for your dev choices.

Calling private API is not nonsensical Apple policy, and you're reducing the instances in which rejection is nonsensical Apple policy.
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