Archify Rust

A modern Rust implementation of Archify for removing unnecessary ARM64e/ARM64 code from macOS universal binaries. This tool helps reduce disk space usage by removing unwanted architectures from applications.

Features

• Reclaim Disk Space: Easily remove unused binary architectures (like x86_64 or arm64e) from macOS applications to free up gigabytes of storage.
• Smart App Detection: Scans your /Applications directory to identify universal binaries, displaying the exact amount of space you can save.
• On-Demand Elevation: Prompts for administrative privileges only when processing system apps.
• Modern User Interface: A native, responsive macOS application list with crisp high-DPI icons and a real-time progress log.
• Flexible Processing: Thin multiple applications at once, filter by App Store downloads, or process custom files and folders outside standard directories.
• Safety First: Only modifies fat binaries in place and automatically signs them afterward to ensure they run correctly on your Mac.

Screenshots

 

 

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Installation

Prerequisites

• macOS 10.15 or later.
• Administrator privileges (prompted on-demand when processing protected system folders like /Applications).

Building from Source

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/archify-rust.git
   cd archify-rust

2. Build the application:

   ./build.sh

3. Install the app bundle:

   # Copy to Applications folder
   cp -r target/release/bundle/osx/Archify.app /Applications/
   
   # Or run directly
   open target/release/bundle/osx/Archify.app

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Usage

GUI Mode (Recommended)

1. Launch Archify from Applications or your build directory.
2. Scan Applications:
   • Click "Scan Applications" to discover fat binaries in /Applications.
   • Add custom scan directories in Settings.
   • Toggle filters to only list Universal/Fat binaries or Mac App Store apps.
3. Select & Estimate:
   • Check the apps you want to thin.
   • Review the calculated total size and estimated savable space.
4. Process:
   • Click "Process Selected".
   • If any chosen app is in a protected system folder, macOS will display a single prompt requesting your administrator password.
   • Monitor detailed, step-by-step progress under the Logs tab.

Manual Thinning Tab

For binaries located outside scanned paths:

1. Navigate to the Manual Thinning tab.
2. Drag or select individual .app bundles.
3. Click "Process Selected Binaries".

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Configuration

Settings Tab

• Target Architecture: Choose between x86_64, arm64, or arm64e.
• Signing Options: Choose codesign or ldid to automatically resign thinned binaries.
• Scan Locations: Add or remove custom folders to include in searches.

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Development

Project Structure

archify-rust/
├── src/
│   ├── main.rs              # Main application entry point
│   ├── app.rs               # GUI application layout and logic
│   ├── bin/helper.rs        # Privileged helper CLI binary
│   ├── file_operations.rs   # Universal binary detection and local file operations
│   ├── privileged_helper.rs # Elevated on-demand script wrapping (osascript)
│   ├── types.rs             # Data structures and enums
│   └── icon_loader.rs       # Native Cocoa high-DPI icon loader (Retina support)
├── assets/                  # PNG and ICNS graphics assets
├── build.sh                 # Unified build and packaging script
└── Cargo.toml              # Cargo crate configuration

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License

This project is licensed under the GPL-3.0 License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Original Archify project for the concept and approach.
• goblin crate for fast Mach-O parsing.
• egui and eframe for the GUI framework.
• objc2 for type-safe native Apple Cocoa bindings.
• cargo-bundle for macOS app bundle staging.