Does the .app folder contain private data or get user modified?

[templekarm]

I've installed MyApp.app from Play Store, which goes to /Applications/MyApp.app and appears alsoon my user account.

The doubt I have, the MyApp.app is the same for everyone that download it, or puts inside something related to my account? The folder under my user account is a symlink to /Applications or is a copy of its own for each user?

 

[Intell]

.app folders rarely, if ever, contain anything other than their own needed runtime data. Most user data is stored within the user's own folder or within the system Library folder.

 

[templekarm]

I've checked myself, and indeed, the apps shown on my account are really those in /Applications with its corresponding permissions. In fact, asks me for admin/root password to do that.

It doesn't make sense to have personal data if is to be shared among all users.

 

[Intell]

You're not reading my post correctly. The .app folder doesn't contain personal data. All personal data is kept in within your /Users/{username}/ folder. If you have a application within the /Users/{username}/Applications/ folder, then there is still no personal data with that .app.

 

[benwiggy]

The folder under my user account is a symlink to /Applications or is a copy of its own for each user?

By default, there is no Applications folder in the USER domain. However, it's easy enough to create one, and applications can be run from there.

Normally, when anyone buys an app, it gets installed into /Applications -- at the TOP level of the hard drive, not in the user domain. ANY user on that Mac can run the app.

When the app runs, it creates preference files in the user account that is active.