What is an IPA file?
An IPA (iOS App Store Package) file is the archive an iPhone or iPad app is distributed in. It is a zip file holding the compiled app, its icons and resources, and its code signature. App Store downloads, TestFlight builds and apps installed outside the App Store all arrive as one.
More about IPA file
An IPA only runs on a device it is signed for. Putting one on an iPhone by hand needs a tool that can install it and, outside the App Store and TestFlight, a provisioning profile that covers that device.
IPA file with Borel
Borel builds the app on its own Mac, so you never have to pass an IPA around. Borel Companion installs the app on your iPhone over a cable or Wi-Fi, and Borel's publish flow uploads the build to App Store Connect for you.
Related terms
Make your iPhone app in Borel
Describe it in your own words. Borel writes it in Swift, builds it on its own Mac and puts it on your iPhone.