App Center is Shutting Down: Here's How to Host Your iOS App on a Static Website

With App Center shutting down, many developers are left searching for alternatives to distribute iOS apps efficiently. Hosting your iOS app on a static website might not seem like an obvious choice, but it's a powerful and straightforward solution. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to host an installable iOS app on a static website and demonstrate how the impaktfull Dashboard simplifies this process with built-in support.

Why Static Hosting for iOS Apps?Static websites are lightweight, cost-effective, and incredibly easy to maintain. By hosting your iOS app as a static file, you bypass the need for complex deployment infrastructure while keeping full control over your distribution.

Key Advantages

• Simplicity: Host your .ipa and plist files directly.
• Cost-Efficient: No complex server setup or hosting overhead.
• Scalable: Static websites handle high traffic effortlessly.

However, it’s worth noting that setting this up manually still requires a fair amount of effort. From configuring the manifest file to ensuring proper links and folder structures, it’s a process that can quickly become repetitive and time-consuming.

Folder Structure

‍To host your iOS app, your static website should have the following structure:

/myapp/alpha/latest.plist
/myapp/alpha/latest.ipa

• latest.plist: The manifest file that contains metadata about your app.
• latest.ipa: The actual iOS app binary.

These files should be publicly accessible via HTTPS.

Creating the Manifest File (latest.plist)

‍Apple requires a manifest file (.plist) for over-the-air installation. Below is an example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>items</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>assets</key>
            <array>
                <dict>
                    <key>kind</key>
                    <string>software-package</string>
                    <key>url</key>
                    <string>https://appstore.impaktfull.com/myapp/alpha/latest.ipa</string>
                </dict>
            </array>
            <key>metadata</key>
            <dict>
                <key>bundle-identifier</key>
                <string>com.impaktfull.myapp.alpha</string>
                <key>bundle-version</key>
                <string>1.0.0</string>
                <key>kind</key>
                <string>software</string>
                <key>title</key>
                <string>MyApp Alpha</string>
            </dict>
        </dict>
    </array>
</dict>
</plist>

• url: Direct link to the .ipa file.
• bundle-identifier: Your app's unique identifier.
• title: The app name displayed during installation.

Upload this file to /myapp/alpha/latest.plist.

How to make the app instalable?

‍To allow users to install your app, provide them with this special link:

itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=https://appstore.impaktfull.com/myapp/alpha/latest.plist

When users open this link on their iOS devices, they’ll be prompted to install the app directly.

Using impaktfull Dashboard for Streamlined Hosting The impaktfull Dashboard makes hosting and distributing your iOS apps effortless. Here’s how:

1. Upload your .ipa and .plist files.
2. Generate the installation link directly from the dashboard.
3. Share the link with your testers or users.

With built-in support for static hosting, impaktfull Dashboard eliminates the guesswork and reduces setup time. Instead of handling each step manually, our platform automates the process, allowing you to focus on building great apps.

Testing Your Setup

1. Open the install link on an iOS device.
2. Accept the installation prompt.
3. Verify the app appears on the home screen.
4. Launch the app and confirm everything works as expected.

Alternatives

• Firebase
• AppStore & Testflight
• impaktfull dashboard

Conclusion

‍Static hosting is a powerful and reliable way to distribute your iOS app, especially in light of App Center’s shutdown. But it does not provide you with user access control. This is where the impaktfull dashboard comes in. We offer a scalable, cost-efficient, and easy-to-manage solution.

Sign up now to join the waitlist for impaktfull Dashboard and be among the first to access our public launch!

Happy Hosting! 🚀