I am often asked "what does it take to get a program featured". I am therefore writing this guide to try to make this process more transparent.

Please note that any package may be hosted in Cydia: there is no centralized control over the many repositories that you may choose to install on your device.

These requirements are only for making me feel comfortable putting my endorsement on the package and listing it under Featured.

1) Does not "Patch" Files

If a package does any modifications to the code of any other process this modification must be done using techniques from MobileSubstrate (runtime code modification) rather than directly patching the file.

2) Is Generally Interesting

Your package must be of interest to a "non-niche" user community. This means it cannot, for example, be a language support package.

3) Has No Backup/Restore Steps

Under no circumstance should a package backup/restore an existing file from disk and replace it with a different file during installation, uninstallation, or during normal usage.

4) Supports Mobile Safe Mode

If the package injects any code what-so-ever into SpringBoard it must be loaded by MobileSubstrate so that, in case of instability, Mobile Safe Mode can unload the extension and return the device to a usable state.

This particular requirement may be lifted, but only if it is a requirement of the fundamental functionality of the application: that it couldn't possibly be implemented in a way that didn't (this is very rare: typically supporting Mobile Safe Mode takes 5 minutes, even if you weren't previously using MobileSubstrate at all for anything).

5) Is Reasonably Popular

People have to already be rather interested in this package. I often hear about this sort of thing through "the grapevine", but may attempt Google searches to find the package.

Note that this means that packages that have just been released will hardly ever be featured.

This is the one requirement that does not apply to Sponsoring Applications.

6) Is Firmware Agnostic

Packages need to not just work somewhere, they have to work reasonably everywhere and not have any glaring "this couldn't possibly work on a new firmware" features.

For the inevitable change, the packagers need to be on their game for matching Apple's new revisions.

Please note that not all packages under Featured currently have all of these properties as this list was just published on September 19th, 2008.

I am, however, working with all of the developers to make certain that they will all be compliant within the next few versions of their products.

Also, please understand that these requirements may need to change from time to time in order to guarantee the positive experience that Cydia is attempting to provide.