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

1. Inspect the artifact.

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

1. Inspect signing and runtime prerequisites.

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

1. 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