A translation layer that allows Intel-based Mac apps to run on Apple Silicon, enabling a smoother hardware transition.
Rosetta is a dynamic binary translation tool developed by Apple to ensure compatibility between Intel-based Mac applications and Apple Silicon (ARM) hardware.
First introduced with the transition to Apple Silicon in 2020, Rosetta 2 enables users to continue running apps built for Intel chips on newer Macs without developers needing to recompile their software immediately. It works in the background, translating Intel x86_64 instructions into ARM64 at runtime or during installation.
While performance isn’t always equal to native ARM versions, Rosetta offers a reliable bridge during Apple’s architectural transition. It plays an important role by allowing legacy tools, libraries, and applications to continue functioning on newer hardware. This makes it easier for development teams to maintain multilingual applications during major platform shifts, especially when localization tools or pipelines haven’t been fully optimized for native ARM support.