What is ipa in iPhone / Creating ipa file in iPhone

What is ipa ?

A .ipa file is an iOS application archive file which stores an iOS app. It is usually encrypted with Apple's FairPlay DRM technology. Each .ipa file is compressed with a binary for the ARM architecture and can only be installed on an iOS-device.

.IPA files cannot be installed on the iPhone Simulator because they do not contain a binary for the x86 architecture. 

How to create ipa?

There are multiple ways you can create the ipa file .

1.With the help of iTunes

1. Select device as target  in Xcode and make build.
2. Go to Products in xcode  , select yourAppName.app. Right click and show in finder.
3. Launch itunes
4. Drag & drop  provisioning  profile and .app file to itunes's app section.
5. Select app in iTunes and right click to show in Finder. And there you can get the .ipa file.

2.With the Xcode

1. 1. Select device as target  in Xcode and make build.
2. XCode choose Build > Build & Archive in old xcode  (in xcode 5 goto product -> Archive)
3. in Xcode window-> organiser . You will get your archived apps
4. Select one, hit 'Share...' and 'Save to Disk'

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