These are also straightforward, as you get what you ask for: set SYSTEM_VERSION_COMPAT=1 for 10.16, or leave that variable unset for 11.0.Īny language compiled outside the Xcode SDK should be built against an SDK equivalent, and the first rule applies. Thus, AppleScript apps should get what they expect, according to the SDK against which they’re built. Returns 11.0, as will that code inside an AppleScript app built on Big Sur.īuild an AppleScript app on 10.15, though, and when that runs on Big Sur, it sees the system version as 10.16. Move a script across to Big Sur, and it will be compiled in the 11.0 environment, so This is a good example of knowing how to interpret those rules. Set SYSTEM_VERSION_COMPAT=1 and Big Sur returns 10.16 leave that variable unset, or SYSTEM_VERSION_COMPAT=0, and it returns 11.0. In scripted languages which run within a shell environment, there’s an environmental variable which controls the version number given.When built against the 10.15 SDK or earlier, Big Sur returns 10.16 for compatibility with previous numbering and all existing apps when built against the 11.0 SDK, it returns 11.0 for forward compatibility. In compiled languages, the version returned by macOS depends on the SDK which the software has been built against.There are two fundamental rules which Apple has provided: It turns out that, despite another of Apple’s sleights of hand, things aren’t always as straightforward. A couple of weeks ago, it all looked settled and simple: Big Sur is both macOS 10.16 and 11.0 according to the context of the question.

Mac os list version info