Sparkle

Sparkle provides a framework that enables macOS applications to receive and install updates automatically. It integrates with the operating system’s modern APIs, supporting features such as WebKit 2, Touch Bar, Dark Mode, and XPC, and works on macOS 10.13 and newer. The framework is open source under the MIT license and is maintained by a community of contributors on GitHub.

Security is handled through EdDSA signatures and optional Apple Code Signing, allowing updates for sandboxed apps and installation in protected locations. Developers can use the built‑in tools to generate delta updates, reducing download size and speed, while the framework can operate with no code changes or be extended via delegate callbacks and custom user interfaces.

The solution is designed to be flexible across different UI toolkits—including Cocoa, SwiftUI, Qt, and Xamarin—while preserving the application’s own branding and icons. It powers thousands of macOS apps, delivering silent background updates that users can enable to occur automatically.