The productbuild command-line tool is a powerful utility in the macOS environment for creating installer packages (.pkg files). These packages are essential for distributing software, as they ensure that applications are installed correctly and securely on macOS systems. Understanding how to use productbuild is crucial for developers and systems engineers who need to distribute their software to macOS users. This article will guide you through the process of using productbuild to create installer packages, complete with practical examples and sample commands.

Examples:

1. Basic Package Creation: To create a basic installer package, you need a directory containing the files you want to distribute. For example, let's say you have an application in the directory MyApp.

   productbuild --component /path/to/MyApp /Applications MyAppInstaller.pkg

   This command will create an installer package named MyAppInstaller.pkg that installs the MyApp application into the /Applications directory.

2. Specifying a Distribution XML: You can also use a distribution XML file to define more complex installation behaviors, such as requiring specific macOS versions or displaying custom license agreements.

   Create a distribution XML file, distribution.xml, with the following content:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <installer-gui-script minSpecVersion="1">
      <title>MyApp Installer</title>
      <options customize="never" require-scripts="false"/>
      <domains enable_anywhere="true"/>
      <choices-outline>
          <line choice="default">
              <line choice="myapp"/>
          </line>
      </choices-outline>
      <choice id="default"/>
      <choice id="myapp" title="MyApp">
          <pkg-ref id="com.mycompany.myapp"/>
      </choice>
      <pkg-ref id="com.mycompany.myapp" installKBytes="0" version="1.0.0" auth="root">#myapp.pkg</pkg-ref>
   </installer-gui-script>

   Then, use the productbuild command to create the installer package:

   productbuild --distribution distribution.xml --package-path /path/to/packages MyAppInstaller.pkg

3. Adding a Certificate: To sign your installer package with a certificate, you can use the --sign option with productbuild. This ensures the authenticity and integrity of your package.

   productbuild --component /path/to/MyApp /Applications --sign "Developer ID Installer: Your Name (Team ID)" MyAppInstaller.pkg

   Replace "Developer ID Installer: Your Name (Team ID)" with your actual Developer ID certificate name.