Balackburn/Apollo: AltStore Sources for Apollo-Reborn

What Balackburn/Apollo Actually Distributes

Balackburn/Apollo solves a distribution problem for users who want Apollo for Reddit with the Apollo-Reborn tweak through third-party installation apps. It does not present itself as the source code of the Reddit client or the tweak. The repository identifies Christian Selig's Apollo as the base application and Apollo-Reborn as the community-maintained tweak that injects it.

The repository also hosts a website. Its `package.json` names the package `apollo-website`, marks it private, and defines a Vite development server, build command, and preview server. That makes the JavaScript project partly an information site and partly a collection of app manifests, rather than a conventional package intended for publication to an npm registry.

This distinction matters when deciding whether to depend on the repository. Someone looking for tweak implementation should follow the Apollo-Reborn project. Someone already subscribed to this AltStore source wants the releases to remain mirrored there so AltStore, SideStore, and Feather can continue auto-updating without a source change.

Four Apollo-Reborn Distribution Choices

The repository offers four source manifests, and choosing between them requires checking both the installed Apple platform and the signing account. The Standard source injects Apollo with Apollo-Reborn and retains extensions. It is presented as the suitable default for most users.

The No Extensions source also injects Apollo-Reborn, but removes extensions. The README says it is intended for free Apple Developer accounts and uses fewer App IDs: one instead of seven. This is the clearest operational distinction in the repository. It may reduce signing pressure, at the cost of the extension features present in the Standard package. The available documentation does not enumerate every feature difference caused by removing extensions.

The GLASS source adds Apollo's Liquid Glass UI patch and the Liquid Glass alternate-icon catalog. The README limits this choice to iOS 26 and later. Standard and No Extensions retain Apollo's classic UIKit appearance, including the bottom-tab swipe-back gesture. The fourth manifest, No Extensions plus Liquid Glass, combines the reduced App ID count with the iOS 26 visual option.

The advertised version follows the Apollo-Reborn tweak version. That makes the tweak release line the relevant version boundary for adopters, even though this repository merely mirrors its official IPAs.

Manifest and Release Flow Behind Auto-Updates

The top-level repository layout shows the delivery path clearly. It contains `apps.json`, `apps_noext.json`, `apps_glass.json`, `apps_noext_glass.json`, a `release-manifest.json`, update scripts, and a Vite website. The standard source points installation apps at the raw `apps.json` file on the `main` branch. Each package variant has its own raw manifest, allowing an installer to request a specific build line.

The README says the IPAs published through Apollo-Reborn are mirrored into this repository's releases. Existing AltStore, SideStore, and Feather subscribers therefore do not need to replace the source when a new official build appears. The source's role is to preserve a stable subscription endpoint while release artifacts are copied into that endpoint's ecosystem.

This design also creates a clear diagnostic boundary. If the installed Apollo-Reborn behavior or a tweak crash is involved, the README directs users to Apollo-Reborn's issue tracker before filing here because this source only distributes the software. If a manifest fails to resolve or a release is missing from the mirror, those are matters for this repository instead. The documentation does not describe a rollback command, release retention policy, or automatic mirror recovery process.

Adding the Standard Apollo-Reborn Source

Start with the Standard manifest if the documentation's default applies to your setup. The README provides AltStore, Feather, SideStore, and direct URL options. This is an installation tutorial by subscription, not a command-line installation. First install the third-party app named in the source section, then enter the corresponding manifest URL through that app's source interface.

For AltStore, the documented direct source URL is `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Balackburn/Apollo/refs/heads/main/apps.json`. Enter that address through AltStore's source interface rather than adding it to a shell or package manager. The expected result is that Apollo for Reddit appears as an installable or refreshable item.

For SideStore, the README provides an `altstore`-style source action using the `sidestore://source?url=` link for the same `apps.json` manifest. Feather has a corresponding `feather://source/` action. Because these links are shown as source buttons on the project website, the safest first step is to open the repository's Standard Source section and select the button for the installation app already in use.

The README does not document a package manager command, a supported simulator workflow, or a headless installation procedure. Existing subscribers should keep their current source URL because the repository says it will continue receiving mirrored updates.

Choosing No Extensions or Liquid Glass

Use the No Extensions route when signing capacity is the immediate constraint. Its direct manifest address is `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Balackburn/Apollo/refs/heads/main/apps_noext.json`. The README also provides source actions for AltStore, Feather, and SideStore.

The expected result is the same Apollo application with Apollo-Reborn, packaged without extensions and with one App ID rather than seven. This is not an official Apollo distribution route. It is a repackaging choice made by this source for a specific account type.

For iOS 26 or later, the GLASS direct manifest is `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Balackburn/Apollo/refs/heads/main/apps_glass.json`. It selects the Liquid Glass redesign and includes the matching alternate-icon catalog. Do not choose it merely because the option is available, because the README explicitly scopes it to iOS 26+.

The combined variant is exposed through `apps_noext_glass.json`. Its filename establishes the combination, while the source table states that it is intended for iOS 26 and free accounts. The README does not explain whether changing manifests transfers accounts or settings between these variants. Avoid assuming that switching package types is a transparent in-place operation.

Recent Apollo-Reborn Changes and Maintenance Burden

The repository is not archived, and its last push was on 2026-10-10. Recent releases show a short sequence of package updates: v3.9.0 on 2026-10-10, v3.8.5 on 2026-09-29, and v3.8.0 on 2026-09-25. Their release notes mention rate-limit changes, a subreddit switcher, True Black Keyboard, search, RedGIFs, Save All Media, Action Menus, account switching, automatic backups, and crash fixes.

These changes come from Apollo-Reborn rather than from an independently documented Apollo-Reborn implementation inside this repository. Adopters therefore need to distinguish package refresh cost from release selection cost. The first is handled by the existing source subscription, according to the README. The second requires users to choose a manifest that matches their platform and signing constraints.

Upgrade cost cannot be reduced to the tap count of an AltStore refresh. Users may need to change source URLs when deliberately moving between Standard, No Extensions, Glass, and combined variants. The README does not document configuration migration, rollback, compatibility matrices, or data retention between those packages. It also does not identify the IPAs' license. The repository's license is listed as unknown, so the available documentation does not support a conclusion about redistribution rights for the binary artifacts.

Why Apollo-Reborn or Official Apollo May Be Better

The real alternative is to use Apollo-Reborn's own website and sources at `apolloreborn.app` rather than this mirror. The approach is similar at the installation layer because both distribute Apollo-Reborn packages, but ownership differs. Apollo-Reborn states that it builds the official IPAs and runs its own source infrastructure, while Balackburn/Apollo mirrors those IPAs to preserve existing subscriptions here.

Apollo-Reborn is also the correct destination for questions about tweak code, Apollo-Reborn issues, or new advertised versions. Balackburn/Apollo cannot independently explain those changes because the README explicitly says it only distributes the software. Official Apollo is the relevant upstream project for the base Reddit client itself.

This repository is therefore a compatibility and continuity layer. It is useful to subscribers, but it adds less value to a new user who has no reason to preserve these source URLs and wants the project's newest canonical source. It is also the wrong tool for maintaining Apollo-Reborn, signing troubleshooting at the tweak layer, or judging whether a feature belongs upstream.

Editorial conclusion

Existing AltStore, SideStore, or Feather users should adopt the source that matches their device and account constraints, while users seeking tweak development or a documented rollback procedure should use Apollo-Reborn or the official Apollo project instead. Verify first that the selected manifest matches the required iOS version, extension configuration, and update source.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. Balackburn/Apollo on GitHub
2. Issues
3. Project website
4. README
5. Releases