Expose application artifacts by Redth · Pull Request #25723 · dotnet/macios

Redth · 2026-06-17T17:59:18Z

Apple platform builds and publishes now expose their final outputs through a shared @(ApplicationArtifact) MSBuild item group. This gives custom targets, tooling, and CI a stable, structured way to discover the produced .app, .ipa, .pkg, and .xcarchive outputs instead of parsing individual scalar properties ($(AppBundleDir), $(IpaPackagePath), $(PkgPackagePath), $(ArchiveDir), …). The item group name is platform-neutral, leaving room for other SDKs to reuse the same contract.

What's exposed

One @(ApplicationArtifact) item per final artifact, whose item identity is the absolute path to the artifact.
Well-known metadata on each item:
- PackageFormat — app, ipa, pkg, or xcarchive
- IsDirectory — true for .app/.xcarchive, false for .ipa/.pkg
- PlatformName — iOS, tvOS, macOS, or MacCatalyst
- BundleIdentifier — the resolved app bundle identifier
Collected automatically during a normal build: the app bundle after Codesign, the IPA after CreateIpa, the PKG after _CreateInstaller, and the Xcode archive after Archive — so artifacts gated by BuildIpa, CreatePackage, or ArchiveOnBuild are surfaced when those are enabled.

How to query

GetApplicationArtifacts builds the project and returns @(ApplicationArtifact); Publish returns the same group (and enables BuildIpa/CreatePackage as appropriate):

$ dotnet build MyApp.csproj -t:GetApplicationArtifacts -getItem:ApplicationArtifact
$ dotnet build MyApp.csproj -t:Publish -getItem:ApplicationArtifact

Extensibility

GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn is a post-build extension point so later SDK layers (for example .NET MAUI) can enrich the metadata on the platform-created items, or add items for additional artifacts.
Build is a hard-coded dependency of GetApplicationArtifacts, outside the overridable property, so overwriting GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn can never skip platform artifact population. Platform metadata stays limited to the four well-known values above; extension targets own anything richer and should update the platform-created items rather than duplicate them.

Windows (Pair to Mac)

On Windows the .ipa/.xcarchive are produced on the paired Mac and only copied back afterwards, so the collectors are anchored on the public CreateIpa/Archive wrapper targets (which complete after the copy-back) instead of the internal _ZipIpa/_CoreArchive. The archive collector prefers the local $(ArchiveDir) and falls back to the copied-back $(ArchivePath). The .app stays on the Mac during a remote build, so it is intentionally not surfaced there (guarded by IsRemoteBuild); surfacing the Windows .app and the IsAppDistribution IPA is left for a follow-up.

App-extension fix

Adding a Returns attribute (on GetApplicationArtifacts) surfaced a subtle MSBuild behavior: once any target in a .targets file uses Returns, that file's other targets stop returning their Outputs to <MSBuild> callers. That silently emptied the legacy GetAppExtensionBundlePath/BuildAndGetAppExtensionBundlePath getters, so app extensions were no longer embedded into their container app's PlugIns folder. Both targets now declare Returns explicitly (equal to their previous Outputs), restoring extension embedding while keeping the new feature.

Tests

A dedicated MySimpleAppWithArtifactMetadata test project (rather than mutating a shared one) exercises the GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn extension/override behavior so the tests can run in parallel.
PostBuildTest item-query tests for .app, .ipa, .pkg, and .xcarchive, extension-added metadata, publish-target augmentation, an overwritten GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn, and the target dependency graph — asserted both from the binlog and via -getItem.
[Category("RemoteWindows")] tests validating that the .ipa and .xcarchive are surfaced after Pair-to-Mac copy-back.

Docs

docs/building-apps/build-items.md — @(ApplicationArtifact) and its metadata.
docs/building-apps/build-properties.md — GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn.
docs/building-apps/build-targets.md — the GetApplicationArtifacts contract and -getItem query examples.

Validation

xmllint --noout msbuild/Xamarin.Shared/Xamarin.Shared.targets msbuild/Xamarin.Shared/Xamarin.iOS.Common.targets
git diff --check
Built the product (make all install) and ran the @(ApplicationArtifact) query tests and the app-extension build tests for iOS/tvOS/macOS: artifacts are populated with absolute paths and correct metadata, and app extensions are embedded into their container app.
The RemoteWindows IPA/archive tests run on the Windows CI leg.

Add public MSBuild item groups for final MaciOS build and publish artifacts so custom targets and CI can consume app bundles, IPA files, PKG installers, and Xcode archives with metadata. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Collapse MaciOS artifact and published artifact item groups into ApplePackageOutput, matching AndroidPackageOutput naming and reducing metadata to the package contract. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Make ApplePackageOutput Signed reflect app code signing only, and expose separate PackageSigned metadata for .pkg installer package signing. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Drop Signed and PackageSigned from ApplePackageOutput since Apple builds do not emit parallel signed and unsigned package outputs that need to be distinguished. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Drop AppBundlePath from ApplePackageOutput so the public contract focuses on the final artifact item identity and stable package metadata. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Add direct GetApplePackageOutputs coverage using MSBuild item query output for IPA, PKG, app bundle, and xcarchive artifacts. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Rename the public artifact item group and query target to ApplicationArtifact and GetApplicationArtifacts so the surface can be shared across platforms. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Add GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn so later SDKs such as MAUI can enrich ApplicationArtifact metadata before GetApplicationArtifacts returns items. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Validate that GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn extension targets can observe platform-produced ApplicationArtifact items before adding metadata, and verify both app and package artifacts receive the augmented metadata. Restore the injected sample project content after the test to avoid leaving dirty files on failure. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Route Publish through GetApplicationArtifacts after _PrePublish so targets appended with GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn can augment ApplicationArtifact metadata before Publish returns items. Add publish-target coverage that validates a MAUI-like extension sees platform artifacts before updating metadata. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Document that GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn extension targets should update platform-produced ApplicationArtifact items when adding metadata, while only adding new items for additional artifacts. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Make Build a mandatory GetApplicationArtifacts dependency instead of part of the overridable GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn property. Extension targets still run after platform artifacts are produced, and tests now overwrite the property to prove Build cannot be removed while metadata augmentation still applies to GetApplicationArtifacts and Publish. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Update ApplicationArtifact target-result examples to use dotnet build with -getTargetResult for GetApplicationArtifacts and Publish. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Resolve conflict in Xamarin.Shared.targets by keeping the ApplicationArtifact query target and the new PrepareAssemblies targets from main. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

dalexsoto · 2026-06-17T18:03:53Z

/azp run

azure-pipelines · 2026-06-17T18:04:17Z

Azure Pipelines successfully started running 3 pipeline(s).

Redth · 2026-06-17T18:23:56Z

Android equivalent: dotnet/android#11674

…ationArtifact) Adding the GetApplicationArtifacts target (with Returns="@(ApplicationArtifact)") to Xamarin.Shared.targets regressed app-extension embedding: a plain 'dotnet build' of an app that references an app extension stopped copying the .appex into the container app's PlugIns folder, failing DotNetProjectTest.BuildProjectsWithExtensions on iOS, tvOS and macOS. The cause is an MSBuild behavior: once any target in a .targets file uses the 'Returns' attribute, MSBuild no longer treats the 'Outputs' attribute of that file's other targets as their return value - those targets return an empty set to <MSBuild> callers. GetAppExtensionBundlePath and BuildAndGetAppExtensionBundlePath relied on 'Outputs="@(_AppExtensionBundlePath)"' being returned (they are invoked cross-project by _ResolveAppExtensionReferences / _ResolveWatchAppReferences, which capture TargetOutputs into _ResolvedAppExtensionReferences). After GetApplicationArtifacts introduced the first 'Returns' in the file, those two targets returned nothing, so _ResolvedAppExtensionReferences was empty and _CopyAppExtensionsToBundle copied nothing. Fix by giving both targets an explicit Returns equal to their Outputs, restoring their previous return value, and add a comment documenting the pitfall. The @(ApplicationArtifact) feature (GetApplicationArtifacts / Publish) is unchanged. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

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vs-mobiletools-engineering-service2 · 2026-06-20T04:45:08Z

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iOS: vsdrops gist ( No breaking changes )
tvOS: vsdrops gist ( No breaking changes )
MacCatalyst: vsdrops gist ( No breaking changes )
macOS: vsdrops gist ( No breaking changes )

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iOS: vsdrops gist ( No breaking changes )
tvOS: vsdrops gist ( No breaking changes )
MacCatalyst: vsdrops gist ( No breaking changes )
macOS: vsdrops gist ( No breaking changes )

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vs-mobiletools-engineering-service2 · 2026-06-20T13:20:13Z

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✅ cecil: All 1 tests passed. Html Report (VSDrops) Download
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✅ dotnettests (tvOS): All 1 tests passed. Html Report (VSDrops) Download
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✅ linker (macOS): All 21 tests passed. Html Report (VSDrops) Download
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rolfbjarne · 2026-06-22T13:31:54Z

+			var result = DotNet.AssertBuild (project_path, properties, timeout: TimeSpan.FromMinutes (15));
+
+			// The .ipa is built on the paired Mac and copied back to this Windows machine, so it must be
+			// surfaced in @(ApplicationArtifact) with the local (Windows) path. The .app bundle stays on the
+			// Mac, so it's intentionally not surfaced as an artifact on Windows.
+			var ipaPath = Path.Combine (appPath, "..", $"{project}.ipa");
+			Assert.That (ipaPath, Does.Exist, "ipa creation");
+			AssertApplicationArtifact (result.BinLogPath, ipaPath, platform, "ipa", isDirectory: false);
+		}
+
+		[Test]
+		[Category ("RemoteWindows")]
+		[TestCase (ApplePlatform.iOS, "ios-arm64")]
+		public void ArchiveOnRemoteWindowsTest (ApplePlatform platform, string runtimeIdentifiers)
+		{
+			var project = "MySimpleApp";
+			var configuration = "Release";
+			Configuration.IgnoreIfIgnoredPlatform (platform);
+			Configuration.AssertRuntimeIdentifiersAvailable (platform, runtimeIdentifiers);
+			Configuration.IgnoreIfNotOnWindows ();
+
+			var project_path = GetProjectPath (project, runtimeIdentifiers: runtimeIdentifiers, platform: platform, out var appPath, configuration: configuration);
+			Clean (project_path);
+			var properties = GetDefaultProperties (runtimeIdentifiers);
+			properties ["ArchiveOnBuild"] = "true";
+			properties ["Configuration"] = configuration;
+
+			var result = DotNet.AssertBuild (project_path, properties, timeout: TimeSpan.FromMinutes (20));


NDB, and this could be fixed in a follow-up PR if desired: building remotely is slow, so would it be possible to merge these two tests into one so that we only build one test app remotely? Setting both ArchiveOnBuild + BuildIpa seems like it could accomplish that.

@copilot make open issue so we do not forget please

Created #25769 to track merging the two remote Windows tests into a single build.

Redth and others added 14 commits June 16, 2026 16:16

Expose MaciOS artifact outputs

7463e2e

Add public MSBuild item groups for final MaciOS build and publish artifacts so custom targets and CI can consume app bundles, IPA files, PKG installers, and Xcode archives with metadata. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Rename Apple artifact output items

672e66c

Collapse MaciOS artifact and published artifact item groups into ApplePackageOutput, matching AndroidPackageOutput naming and reducing metadata to the package contract. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Split Apple package signing metadata

4cb54a5

Make ApplePackageOutput Signed reflect app code signing only, and expose separate PackageSigned metadata for .pkg installer package signing. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Remove Apple package signing metadata

8298e84

Drop Signed and PackageSigned from ApplePackageOutput since Apple builds do not emit parallel signed and unsigned package outputs that need to be distinguished. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Remove Apple app bundle path metadata

d5e41ec

Drop AppBundlePath from ApplePackageOutput so the public contract focuses on the final artifact item identity and stable package metadata. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Test Apple package output query target

b0e26ef

Add direct GetApplePackageOutputs coverage using MSBuild item query output for IPA, PKG, app bundle, and xcarchive artifacts. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Rename application artifact item group

fc92ec2

Rename the public artifact item group and query target to ApplicationArtifact and GetApplicationArtifacts so the surface can be shared across platforms. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Make application artifact target extensible

4bd1e60

Add GetApplicationArtifactsDependsOn so later SDKs such as MAUI can enrich ApplicationArtifact metadata before GetApplicationArtifacts returns items. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Merge branch 'main' into redth/apple-artifacts-plan

778f75a

Use dotnet build artifact query examples

8beec2d

Update ApplicationArtifact target-result examples to use dotnet build with -getTargetResult for GetApplicationArtifacts and Publish. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Redth mentioned this pull request Jun 17, 2026

Expose application artifacts #25707

Closed

Merge main into apple artifacts plan

10ad74d

Resolve conflict in Xamarin.Shared.targets by keeping the ApplicationArtifact query target and the new PrepareAssemblies targets from main. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

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Redth marked this pull request as ready for review June 17, 2026 18:23

Redth requested a review from mauroa as a code owner June 17, 2026 18:23

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings June 17, 2026 18:23

Redth requested a review from rolfbjarne as a code owner June 17, 2026 18:23

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of Redth June 17, 2026 18:23 View session

Redth mentioned this pull request Jun 17, 2026

Expose Android package output items dotnet/android#11674

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Merge branch 'main' into dev/redth/apple-artifacts-plan

129743c

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dalexsoto requested a review from rolfbjarne June 22, 2026 13:10

rolfbjarne approved these changes Jun 22, 2026

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[tests] Merge BuildIpaOnRemoteWindowsTest and ArchiveOnRemoteWindowsTest into a single remote build #25769

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dalexsoto merged commit 34d480d into main Jun 22, 2026
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dalexsoto deleted the dev/redth/apple-artifacts-plan branch June 22, 2026 16:08

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What's exposed

How to query

Extensibility

Windows (Pair to Mac)

App-extension fix

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vs-mobiletools-engineering-service2 commented Jun 20, 2026

✅ [PR Build #ee63ecc] Build passed (Detect API changes) ✅

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✅ [PR Build #ee63ecc] Build passed (Build packages) ✅

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vs-mobiletools-engineering-service2 commented Jun 20, 2026

✅ [PR Build #ee63ecc] Build passed (Build macOS tests) ✅

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vs-mobiletools-engineering-service2 commented Jun 20, 2026

🚀 [CI Build #ee63ecc] Test results 🚀

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Redth commented Jun 17, 2026 •

edited by dalexsoto

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