Typically, what would be the steps to get software & files from public repository in github (for ios)(with a BSD-3-Clause License), and put it in a usable format like an app and onto an iphone for testing?
- Fist step download github with Xcode Installed.
- Clone or download the GitHub repository that you want to use, by clicking the green Code button.
Here are two different terms while I say Cloning and downloading.
1- Cloning means copying the entire repository to your local machine.
2- Downloading means getting a ZIP file of the repository.
Many thanks for your reply.
Just to be clear, regarding the first step, you are saying download github to an ios device that has Xcode installed on that ios device?
I have read at mac apple store: “Xcode includes everything developers need to create great applications for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Watch”. But then saw a comment “xcode can be used to compile for all the apple devices, but it only runs on a mac”. Do I need just compiling?
Also regarding, “Clone or download the GitHub repository”, what is better? What would you do?
I look forward to your reply.
Not sure if they changed something but in the past you first needed an apple developer account which costs 100$ a year
I would advise learning the basics of git/GitHub and cloning the repo. Once you understand what you are doing, it’s by far the best way. And I would also go so far as to say that it is a “must have” skill for web devs.
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You are right It will only work with Mac but you can try Xcode to compile and run your applications on iOS devices by connected to your Mac via USB or wireless network.
I would prefer a GitHub repository, for my own project.
You ask what is typical but typical depends on whether it is just for development purposes, not to be used in production, or if it is for deployment to production.
For deployment to production (including during development), typically GitHub Workflows are used to build applications and then applications are deployed (for testing or for release) from GitHub. The following describes doing something like that.
- Deploying Xcode applications - GitHub Docs
- How to Implement a CI/CD Workflow for iOS Using GitHub Actions
- How to build an iOS app with GitHub Actions [2023] - Don’t Panic
I am a beginner to GitHub also but I assume you would need to clone the application to do that. You probably do not need to do that if it is for the purpose of development and you are the only developer and you will not be deploying to production where the application needs quality control.
I am familiar with the concept of using GitHub workflows to do a build and deploy. I am able to build and deploy an ASP.Net Core application to a Linux VM. The details of doing that for XCode are of course very different.
If you clone the repository then your code can benefit from any changes made to the repository you cloned. If you download the code and then something gets changed in the repository you downloaded from, such as a fix or an improvement, then it might be much work to update your version. If you clone the repository and work with the application as a repository then the updates might be automatic.
GitHub can be very useful but it can also be difficult to learn. If you say it is difficult to learn then other people will likely agree but that is all they will do to help. Well I admit that sometimes people can be very helpful.
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Hey!
First, fork or clone the repo, check the BSD-3-Clause License and then dive into the code. Once it’s tweaked to your liking, Xcode it up, build the app, and voilà – ready to test on your iPhone! 
