iOS static framework and static library

Question

This link discusses how to create iOS static framework, and they said

With static libraries, everything else (including the header files) you must distribute separately.

Actually I found no difference between using static lib and framework, you can look at the Admob SDK ( https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/ ), what they ask is just pull all the files in the XCode project, so I really don't understand why we need to use framework over just plain static lib, or am I missing something?

Answer 1

Basically a framework is a collection of static libraries (eg one for i386, one for ARM) and the header files. Furthermore a framework also is a special folder with a very well defined structure.

I am not quit sure what you mean by 'just add the folder in Xcode'... If you mean adding a folder containing all the source code or a folder containing the static library including the header files you are right and there (very often) is no really big difference (depending on the library to include).

Using a framework is primarily a usability thing. Adding a framework, which means adding one single artifact, is less error prone than adding a bunch of files. For example it is not possible to accidentally omit one header file.