# How to Search for iOS Apps Using IPATool: Command-Line Guide

> Learn to search for iOS apps using IPATool from your terminal. This command-line guide covers querying the App Store for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and visionOS applications efficiently.

- Repository: [Majd/ipatool](https://github.com/majd/ipatool)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-09-01

---

**IPATool provides a dedicated `search` subcommand that queries the Apple App Store for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and visionOS applications directly from your terminal.**

The `majd/ipatool` open-source utility enables developers to search, download, and manage iOS IPA files without launching iTunes or the App Store app. Learning how to search for iOS apps using IPATool involves understanding its CLI flags and the underlying request architecture that communicates with Apple's servers according to the repository source code.

## How the IPATool Search Command Works

The search functionality follows a four-phase pipeline implemented in [`cmd/search.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/cmd/search.go) and [`pkg/appstore/appstore_search.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/pkg/appstore/appstore_search.go).

### Account Discovery

First, the tool verifies authentication by fetching the current Apple ID account information via `dependencies.AppStore.AccountInfo()`. This ensures the search request originates from a valid session before contacting Apple's servers.

### Platform Parsing

The optional `--platform` flag is processed by `appstore.ParsePlatform` in [`pkg/appstore/platform.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/pkg/appstore/platform.go), which maps string values like `iphone`, `ipad`, `appletv`, or `visionos` to internal constants. If omitted, the search defaults to all platforms.

### Request Construction

For standard platforms (iOS, iPadOS, tvOS), IPATool builds an iTunes search request using `searchRequest` → `searchURL` and dispatches it via `searchClient`. However, visionOS requires special handling: the tool issues a `searchVisionOS` storefront request followed by a lookup request to hydrate the results with complete metadata.

### Result Handling

Responses are unmarshaled into a `SearchOutput` struct containing a count and a slice of `App` structs. The CLI formats these results for console display, showing app names, versions, and bundle identifiers.

## Search Command Flags and Options

IPATool supports two primary flags to refine queries:

- **`-l, --limit`**: Sets the maximum number of results to display. The default is `5`. Note that visionOS searches are capped at `12` results maximum due to API constraints.
- **`--platform`**: Restricts the search to a specific device family. Valid options are `iphone`, `ipad`, `appletv`, or `visionos`.

## Practical Code Examples

Basic usage requires only the search term:

```bash
ipatool search Telegram

```

To retrieve more results and filter for iPhone-only apps:

```bash
ipatool search Telegram -l 10 --platform iphone

```

For visionOS applications (limited to 12 results):

```bash
ipatool search "AR Experience" --platform visionos

```

## Key Implementation Files

The search functionality is distributed across three main files in the `majd/ipatool` repository:

- **[`cmd/search.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/cmd/search.go)**: Defines the CLI interface, handles flag parsing, and orchestrates the search operation workflow.
- **[`pkg/appstore/platform.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/pkg/appstore/platform.go)**: Contains the `ParsePlatform` function that validates and converts platform strings to internal constants.
- **[`pkg/appstore/appstore_search.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/pkg/appstore/appstore_search.go)**: Implements the core HTTP client logic, including `searchRequest`, `searchVisionOS`, and response unmarshaling into `SearchOutput`.

## Summary

- IPATool's `search` command queries the App Store through a dedicated CLI interface defined in [`cmd/search.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/cmd/search.go).
- The tool validates your Apple ID session via `AccountInfo()` before executing searches.
- Platform filtering uses `ParsePlatform` in [`pkg/appstore/platform.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/pkg/appstore/platform.go) to support `iphone`, `ipad`, `appletv`, and `visionos` targets.
- visionOS searches require a special two-step process (`searchVisionOS` followed by lookup) unlike standard iTunes searches.
- Results are structured as `SearchOutput` containing `App` structs with metadata.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the maximum number of results IPATool can return?

By default, IPATool returns `5` results, but you can increase this using the `-l` flag. However, visionOS searches are strictly limited to `12` results maximum due to App Store API constraints.

### Can I search for iPad-only apps using IPATool?

Yes. Use the `--platform ipad` flag to restrict results to iPadOS applications. The `ParsePlatform` function in [`pkg/appstore/platform.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/pkg/appstore/platform.go) handles this mapping internally.

### Why does visionOS search behave differently than iOS search?

According to the source code in [`pkg/appstore/appstore_search.go`](https://github.com/majd/ipatool/blob/main/pkg/appstore/appstore_search.go), visionOS requires a special `searchVisionOS` storefront request followed by a lookup request to populate complete app metadata, whereas iOS/iPadOS/tvOS use standard iTunes search endpoints.

### Do I need to log in before searching for apps?

Yes. The search command calls `dependencies.AppStore.AccountInfo()` to verify an active Apple ID session before querying the App Store, ensuring authenticated access to search endpoints.