Cydia

Cydia provides a graphical user interface (GUI) to jailbroken users using Advanced Packaging Tool (a package manager) repositories to install software unavailable on the App Store. Cydia is based on APT, ported to iOS as part of Jay Freeman's Telesphoreo project.{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=Jay |date=February 2008 |title=Bringing Debian APT to the iPhone |url=http://www.saurik.com/id/1 |access-date=August 2, 2011 |publisher=saurik.com |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716010440/http://www.saurik.com/id/1 |url-status=live }}

Packages are downloaded through a list of repositories. Packages are installed through the list of repositories a user has installed. Apps are installed in the same location as Apple's own applications, in the /Applications directory. Jailbroken devices can also still buy and download apps normally from the official App Store.{{Cite book |last=Goodman |first=Danny |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a09NMFdA6m0C&pg=PA6 |title=Learning the IOS 4 SDK for JavaScript Programmers: Create Native Apps with Objective-C and Xcode |year=2010 |isbn=9781449302801 |pages=6–7 |publisher="O'Reilly Media, Inc." |access-date=2020-10-25 |archive-date=2024-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524180757/https://books.google.com/books?id=a09NMFdA6m0C&pg=PA6#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }} Some jailbreaking tools install Cydia automatically, while others may not.

Some of the packages available through Cydia are standard applications, while most packages are extensions and modifications for the iOS interface and for apps in the iOS ecosystem.{{Cite web |last=Duff |first=Brandon |date=July 22, 2023 |title=How to Get the Most Out of Your Jailbroken iOS Device |url=http://lifehacker.com/5781437/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-jailbroken-ios-device |access-date=August 2, 2011 |publisher=Lifehacker |archive-date=December 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225202409/http://lifehacker.com/5781437/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-jailbroken-ios-device |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |last=Wortham |first=Jenna |date=May 12, 2009 |title=Unofficial Software Incurs Apple's Wrath |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/technology/13jailbreak.html?pagewanted=all |access-date=August 2, 2011 |archive-date=December 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222134328/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/technology/13jailbreak.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=live }} Some Cydia repositories host open source packages as well as paid modifications for jailbroken devices. These modifications are based on a framework called Cydia Substrate (formally MobileSubstrate).{{Cite web |last=Foresman |first=Chris |date=December 13, 2010 |title=iPhone jailbreaker set to bring Cydia to Mac OS X |url=https://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/12/iphone-jailbreaker-set-to-bring-cydia-to-mac-os-x.ars |access-date=August 2, 2011 |website=Infinite Loop |publisher=Ars Technica |archive-date=August 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821055315/http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/12/iphone-jailbreaker-set-to-bring-cydia-to-mac-os-x.ars |url-status=live }}

Many ports of existing POSIX-compliant command line tools are available on Cydia as well, including bash, coreutils and OpenSSH, meaning the device could potentially be used as a full-fledged BSD workstation, although missing some development tools.

In March 2009, the now-defunct blog TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) announced that the Cydia Store, the in-app software purchasing system for Cydia, had opened for sales. The announcement also mentioned that Amazon payments was the only option available, but that PayPal would be added in the future. PayPal later became a payment option as well.{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Michael |title=Cydia Store now open for jailbreak app sales |url=http://www.tuaw.com/2009/03/09/cydia-store-now-open-for-jailbreak-app-sales/ |access-date=2009-08-02 |publisher=The Unofficial Apple Weblog |archive-date=2009-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912141325/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/03/09/cydia-store-now-open-for-jailbreak-app-sales/ |url-status=live }} Cydia stopped accepting Amazon Payments in 2015, leaving PayPal as the sole payment option.{{Cite web |last=Benjamin |first=Jeff |date=2 July 2015 |title=Amazon removed as a Cydia payment option |url=http://www.idownloadblog.com/2015/07/01/amazon-removed-as-a-cydia-payment-option/ |access-date=2016-10-23 |publisher=iDownloadBlog |archive-date=2016-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007182833/http://www.idownloadblog.com/2015/07/01/amazon-removed-as-a-cydia-payment-option/ |url-status=live }} After a bug related to PayPal's digital token authorization was discovered via TechCrunch,{{Cite web |last=Statt |first=Nick |date=2018-12-16 |title=Cydia closes purchases for its iOS jailbreak store |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/16/18143422/cydia-disables-in-app-purchases-ios-jailbreak-store-apple-iphone |access-date=January 2, 2018 |publisher=The Verge |archive-date=2022-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627080751/https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/16/18143422/cydia-disables-in-app-purchases-ios-jailbreak-store-apple-iphone |url-status=live }} Freeman decided to shut down the Cydia Store on December 16, 2018.

The risks in jailbreaking are mixed. Advocates offer that developer tools installed from Cydia can help add extra security.{{Cite web |last=Dimitrov |first=Stefan |date=2013-12-13 |title=Privacy and Security Benefits of Jailbreaking iOS |url=http://www.cs.tufts.edu/comp/116/archive/fall2013/sdimitrov.pdf |url-status=live |website=www.cs.tufts.edu/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123135534/http://www.cs.tufts.edu:80/comp/116/archive/fall2013/sdimitrov.pdf |archive-date=2018-11-23 }} However, being able to install untrusted third-party software can cause data loss and malware.{{Cite web |last=Grace Johansen |first=Alison |date=2019-03-22 |title=Is jailbreaking legal and safe? |url=https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-mobile-is-jailbreaking-legal-and-safe.html |access-date=2021-05-02 |website=Norton |language=en |archive-date=2021-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502082154/https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-mobile-is-jailbreaking-legal-and-safe.html |url-status=live }} Cydia Substrate, the code injection library usually installed alongside Cydia, will detect if an installed package causes SpringBoard to crash, and will reboot it with all third-party packages temporarily disabled.{{Cite web |title=Mobile SafeMode · Cydia |url=https://cydia.saurik.com/safemode/ |access-date=2021-05-02 |website=cydia.saurik.com |archive-date=2021-04-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424092149/https://cydia.saurik.com/safemode/ |url-status=live }}

Freeman first released Cydia in February 2008 as an open-source alternative to Installer.app on [http://gitweb.saurik.com/cydia.git/blob/HEAD:/COPYING iPhone OS] 1.1.{{Cite web |last=Sadun |first=Erica |date=2008-02-28 |title=Debian-style installation arrives on iPhone |url=http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/28/debian-style-installation-arrives-on-iphone/ |access-date=September 24, 2011 |publisher=The Unofficial Apple Weblog |archive-date=2011-08-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828084309/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/28/debian-style-installation-arrives-on-iphone |url-status=live }}

In August 2009, Wired reported that Freeman claimed about 4 million, or 10 percent of the 40 million iPhone and iPod Touch owners to date, have installed Cydia.{{Cite news |last=Chen |first=Brian |date=August 6, 2009 |title=Rejected By Apple, iPhone Developers Go Underground |publisher=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/cydia-app-store/ |access-date=August 2, 2011 |archive-date=February 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223003115/https://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/cydia-app-store/ |url-status=live }}

In September 2010, SaurikIT, LLC, announced that it had acquired Rock Your Phone, Inc. (makers of Rock.app). SaurikIT and Rock Your Phone were the two largest providers of third-party apps at the time.{{Cite web |last=Sande |first=Steven |date=September 12, 2010 |title=Alliance of the jailbreakers: Cydia acquires Rock |url=http://www.tuaw.com/2010/09/11/alliance-of-the-jailbreakers-cydia-acquires-rock/ |access-date=August 2, 2011 |publisher=The Unofficial Apple Weblog |archive-date=May 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511075343/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/09/11/alliance-of-the-jailbreakers-cydia-acquires-rock/ |url-status=live }}

On December 15, 2010, SaurikIT filed a dispute with World Intellectual Property Organization against Cykon Technology Limited of Kowloon, Hong Kong over the rights to the domain name "Cydia.com", which was registered in 2002. SaurikIT contended that Cykon registered the domain name in bad faith and the domain name incorporates SaurikIT's trademark. SaurikIT initially attempted to purchase the domain, then demanded Cykon to forfeit the domain at cost asserting trademark rights followed by bringing a WIPO proceeding. The complaint was denied by WIPO.{{Cite web |title=WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2010-2193 |url=http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=d2010-2193 |website=wipo.int |access-date=2012-12-10 |archive-date=2013-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603035229/http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=d2010-2193 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=iPhone Jailbreak App Store Loses Domain Dispute For Cydia.com - Domain Name Wire - Domain Name News & Views |url=http://domainnamewire.com/2011/03/08/iphone-jailbreak-app-store-loses-domain-dispute-for-cydia-com |website=domainnamewire.com |access-date=2012-12-10 |archive-date=2012-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021192534/http://domainnamewire.com/2011/03/08/iphone-jailbreak-app-store-loses-domain-dispute-for-cydia-com/ |url-status=live }}

As of April 2011, Cydia had a $10 million in annual revenue and 4.5 million weekly users and according to Freeman's $250,000 net annual profit.{{Cite news |last=Shapira |first=Ian |date=April 6, 2011 |title=Once the hobby of tech geeks, iPhone jailbreaking now a lucrative industry |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/once-the-hobby-of-tech-geeks-iphone-jailbreaking-now-a-lucrative-industry/2011/04/01/AFBJ0VpC_story.html |access-date=August 2, 2011 |archive-date=March 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324072952/http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/once-the-hobby-of-tech-geeks-iphone-jailbreaking-now-a-lucrative-industry/2011/04/01/AFBJ0VpC_story.html |url-status=live }}

On August 18, 2011,{{Cite web |title=SaurikIT v. Cydia.com |url=https://domainnamewire.com/wp-content/cydia.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=October 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203104306/http://domainnamewire.com/wp-content/cydia.pdf |archive-date=2011-12-03 }} SaurikIT filed a lawsuit against Hong Kong owner of Cydia.com regarding the same domain name.{{Cite web |date=22 August 2011 |title=iPhone Jailbreak Site Files Lawsuit Over Domain Name - Domain Name Wire - Domain Name News & Views |url=http://domainnamewire.com/2011/08/22/iphone-jailbreak-site-files-lawsuit-over-domain-name/ |website=domainnamewire.com |access-date=10 December 2012 |archive-date=17 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117082355/http://domainnamewire.com/2011/08/22/iphone-jailbreak-site-files-lawsuit-over-domain-name/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Matt Brian |date=23 August 2011 |title=Cydia creator files lawsuit over Cydia.com domain name |url=https://thenextweb.com/apple/2011/08/23/cydia-creator-files-lawsuit-over-cydia-com-domain-name/ |website=The Next Web |access-date=18 June 2018 |archive-date=8 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508171431/https://thenextweb.com/apple/2011/08/23/cydia-creator-files-lawsuit-over-cydia-com-domain-name/ |url-status=live }}

In early 2013, Saurik announced that all of the SHSH data that Cydia had saved for users with devices on iOS 6.0 through iOS 6.1.2 had been corrupted; iOS 6.1.3 SHSH data were unaffected.{{cite web |url=https://www.iclarified.com/28970/saurik-mistake-renders-all-of-the-aptickets-cydia-saved-for-ios-6x-useless |title=Saurik: Mistake Renders All of the APTickets Cydia Saved for iOS 6.x 'Useless' |date=9 April 2013 |access-date=30 August 2023 |archive-date=30 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830004052/https://www.iclarified.com/28970/saurik-mistake-renders-all-of-the-aptickets-cydia-saved-for-ios-6x-useless |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Cydia Updated With New TSS Center To Save SHSH And APTicket |date=11 April 2013 |url=https://ijunkie.com/cydia-new-tss-center-save-shsh-apticket/ |access-date=30 August 2023 |archive-date=30 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830004452/https://ijunkie.com/cydia-new-tss-center-save-shsh-apticket/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Freeman |first1=Jay |title=Where did my iOS 6 TSS data go? |url=https://www.saurik.com/apticket.html |access-date=30 August 2023 |archive-date=30 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830004452/https://www.saurik.com/apticket.html |url-status=live }} The TSS Center within Cydia had a notice titled, Where is my "iOS 6.0–6.1.2"? (with a sad face emoji at the end). There was no TSS Center before this incident.

On December 24, 2013, Cydia was updated to run on iOS 7 and iOS 7.1.{{Cite web |date=24 December 2013 |title=Cydia updated for iOS 7 |url=http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/12/24/cydia-updated-for-ios-7/ |access-date=24 March 2014 |archive-date=5 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505092432/http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/12/24/cydia-updated-for-ios-7/ |url-status=live }}

On October 22, 2014, the Chinese jailbreaking team, Pangu Team, released a jailbreak for iOS 8.0 - 8.1. In response, Saurik quickly updated Cydia to 1.1.13, which added support for iOS 8 and pushed the update to apt.saurik.com for manual download.{{Cite web |title=saurik comments on [Release] Pangu8. jailbreak for ios8-8.1 |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/2jz7nm/release_pangu8_jailbreak_for_ios881/clgfslz |website=reddit |date=22 October 2014 |access-date=26 August 2017 |archive-date=1 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201200601/https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/2jz7nm/release_pangu8_jailbreak_for_ios881/clgfslz/ |url-status=live }}

On February 26, 2018, CoolStar launched the initial release of Electra, giving access to Cydia from iOS versions 11.0-11.1.2. Alongside Electra for iOS 11, CoolStar released several patches for Cydia, creating a Cydia version compatible with the Electra jailbreak, as Electra had been released while Saurik was still working on updates for Cydia. Saurik eventually released the update, and pushed the update to iOS devices running iOS 11 with Cydia at the time. CoolStar's patched version of Cydia turned out to be incompatible with Saurik's new update.

• Linux on Apple devices

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• {{commons category-inline|Cydia (software)}}
• {{Official website}}

{{Software digital distribution platforms}}

Category:Unix package management-related software

Category:Dpkg

Category:Homebrew software

Category:IOS jailbreaking

Category:Mobile software distribution platforms

Category:Free application software

Category:Software using the GNU General Public License