name: packaging-notarization description: Prepare and troubleshoot packaging, signing, and notarization workflows for macOS distribution. Use when asked to archive a Mac app, validate bundle structure, reason about notarization readiness, or explain distribution-only failures.

Packaging & Notarization

Quick Start

Use this skill when the work is about shipping the app rather than merely running it locally: archives, exported app bundles, notarization readiness, hardened runtime, or distribution validation.

Workflow

1. Confirm the distribution goal.

   • Local archive validation
   • Signed distributable app
   • Notarization troubleshooting

2. Inspect the artifact.

   • Validate app bundle structure.
   • Check nested frameworks, helper tools, and entitlements.

3. Inspect signing and runtime prerequisites.

   • Hardened runtime
   • Signing identity
   • Nested code signatures
   • Required entitlements

4. Explain notarization readiness or failure.

   • Separate packaging issues from trust-policy symptoms.
   • Point to the minimum follow-up validation commands.

Guardrails

• Do not present notarization as required for ordinary local debug runs.
• Call out when you lack the actual exported artifact and are inferring from project settings.
• Keep advice concrete and verifiable.

Output Expectations

Provide:

• what artifact or settings were inspected
• whether the app looks distribution-ready
• the top missing prerequisite or failure mode
• the next validation or repair step