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Roadmap

🎯 Project Vision​

ipsw aims to be the most comprehensive and user-friendly toolkit for iOS and macOS research, reverse engineering, and device management. Our goal is to democratize Apple platform analysis while maintaining professional-grade capabilities.

✅ Major Milestones Achieved​

🔥 Recent Breakthroughs (2024-2025)​

  • AI-Powered Decompiler - Integration with OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Ollama, and GitHub Copilot
  • Comprehensive Device Support - Full iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, and Apple TV support
  • App Store Connect Integration - Complete API for certificates, devices, and app management
  • Modern iOS Compatibility - Support for latest iOS versions and features
  • Enhanced Performance - Significant speed improvements across all tools

🏗️ Core Foundation (Completed)​

  • MachO Analysis - Complete read/write support with ARM v9-a disassembly
  • dyld_shared_cache - Advanced parsing, extraction, and analysis
  • Kernelcache Support - KEXT extraction, symbolication, and analysis
  • Device Interaction - Comprehensive idev subsystem for iOS device management
  • Multiple Download Sources - IPSW, OTA, Developer Portal, RSS, and more
  • Firmware Analysis - IMG4, iBoot, SEP, and co-processor support
  • Cross-Platform - macOS, Linux, Windows support with native packages

🛠️ Infrastructure & Tooling​

  • jtool2 Feature Parity - Complete compatibility and beyond
  • Documentation Site - Comprehensive guides with Docusaurus
  • REST API - Full API with OpenAPI/Swagger documentation
  • Secure Credential Storage - Multi-platform keyring integration
  • USB Device Detection - Automatic device discovery and management
  • Modern Database Support - SQLite/PostgreSQL support with migrations

🚧 Current Development​

🔬 Research & Analysis​

  • Enhanced AI Models - Integration with newer and specialized models
  • Automated Vulnerability Detection - AI-assisted security analysis
  • Cross-Reference Analysis - Advanced symbol and function relationship mapping
  • Pattern Recognition - AI-powered code pattern detection and classification
  • emulator ideas: qemu, qemu, lxd, qemu-t8030
  • finish APFS parser and integrate into partialzip downloader (remove need for apfs-fuse)

📱 Device & Platform Support​

  • Real-time Device Monitoring - Live system analysis and debugging
  • Advanced Backup Analysis - Deep dive into iOS backup structures
  • CarPlay/HomeKit Analysis - Extended ecosystem device support

⚡ Performance & Scalability​

  • Distributed Analysis - Multi-core and distributed processing
  • Memory Optimization - Handle massive firmware files efficiently
  • Incremental Analysis - Smart caching and diff-based updates
  • Parallel Downloads - Faster firmware acquisition with aria2
  • Speed up JSON encode/decode with simdjson-go

🔮 Future Vision​

🎓 Advanced Features​

  • Visual Analysis Tools - GUI for complex reverse engineering workflows
  • Emulation Framework - Full iOS/macOS system emulation capabilities
  • Automated Reporting - Generate comprehensive analysis reports
  • Plugin Architecture - Community-driven extensibility

🌐 Ecosystem Integration​

  • IDE Plugins - VSCode, Xcode, and other editor integrations
  • CI/CD Integration - Automated firmware analysis in development pipelines
  • Cloud Analysis - Distributed processing and collaboration features
  • Community Platform - Sharing analysis results and techniques

🔍 Research Frontiers​

  • Machine Learning Pipeline - Custom models trained on Apple binaries
  • Automated Exploit Detection - AI-driven vulnerability discovery
  • Behavioral Analysis - Dynamic analysis of firmware behavior
  • Supply Chain Analysis - Deep component and dependency tracking

📊 Success Metrics​

  • Adoption: Used by major security research teams worldwide
  • Performance: Handle 100GB+ firmware files in reasonable time
  • Accuracy: AI decompiler achieves >90% semantic accuracy
  • Community: Active contributor base and documentation
  • Innovation: Pioneer new analysis techniques and methodologies

🤝 How to Contribute​

We welcome contributions in all areas:

  • Core Development - Enhance parsing, analysis, and AI capabilities
  • Documentation - Improve guides, examples, and tutorials
  • Testing - Verify compatibility across devices and iOS versions
  • Research - Explore new analysis techniques and methodologies
  • Community - Help users, share knowledge, and spread the word

This roadmap is a living document that evolves with the project and community needs. Major items are prioritized based on community feedback, research value, and practical impact.