In case you’ve been living under a rock, there are now three major full-fledged jailbreak tools floating around in the wild:Chimera,Electra, andunc0ver. So which one should you be using?
Answering this question is challenging, and given the seemingly volatile state of the jailbreak community at the time of this writing, I’ve been hesitant to answer it; but I think it’s finally time, especially since folks now have more choices to pick from than ever before.
Should I use Chimera, Electra, or unc0ver?
So you’re ready tojailbreakand you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 11.0-12.1.2, which tool do you choose? Let’s discuss a few important aspects to help you decide.
Software and hardware support
TheElectrajailbreak, perhaps unsurprisingly developed by the CoolStar-led Electra Team,supports all iOS 11.0-11.4.1 devices. Electracan also jailbreak the Apple TVon the equivalent tvOS firmware versions.
TheChimerajailbreak, which was also developed by the Electra Team,supports all iOS 12.0-12.1.2 devices. Chimeracan also jailbreak the Apple TVon tvOS 12.0-12.1.1.
Theunc0verjailbreak was developed by Pwn20wnd with the help of Sam Bingner, and itsupports most iOS 11.0-12.1.2 devices. The lone exception to this statement is thatA12(X) devices are only ‘partially’ supported, which means SSH must be used instead of a full-fledged package manager with tweak injection. TheApple TV is not supportedby unc0ver.
Cydia or Sileo?
TheElectrajailbreakinstallsSileoby default, but youcan still install Cydia manuallyalongside Sileo if you wanted to. This would allow you to have dual package managers on your jailbreak.
TheChimerajailbreakexclusively supports Sileo, a decision made by the Electra Team since it aims to move forward with the new age of software.
Theunc0verjailbreakcurrently exclusively supports the tried and trueCydia, but LaughingQuoll and other developersare currently working on a version of Sileo that will be compatible with other jailbreaks, including unc0ver. There’s no ETA for that release at the time of this writing.
Cydia Substrate or Substitute?
TheElectrajailbreaktakes advantage of Substitutefor tweak injection since Cydia Substrate isn’t open source and can’t be adapted to Electra.
TheChimerajailbreakuses Substitutefor tweak injection for similar reasons as Electra.
Theunc0verjailbreakuses Cydia Substratefor tweak injection since it was the only jailbreak to receive Saurik’s endorsement. On the other hand,A12(X) devices will soon get support for Substitutesince itmight not be possible to get Cydia Substrate working on those devices. There’s no ETA for this newfangled substitute support at the time of this writing.
I tested theElectrajailbreak for a long time before unc0ver was ever released and when Pwn20wnd was still a member of the Electra Team, and I never had any issues with it. Several updates later, I can only assume that the jailbreak has become more stable since then.
I have a device running theChimerajailbreak right now, and I haven’t experienced a single crash or issue with it since the release.
I have a device running theunc0verjailbreak right now, and I haven’t experienced a single crash or issue with it since the v3.0.0 betas first debuted.
Jailbreak tweak support
TheElectrajailbreakmay see fewer supportedjailbreak tweakssince many are made to work with Cydia Substrate instead of Substitute. But this is changing with each passing day as developers add support.
TheChimerajailbreak would see thesame circumstances as the Electra jailbreaksince it utilizes Substitute instead of Cydia Substrate.
Theunc0verjailbreakhas the best jailbreak tweak compatibilitysince most jailbreak tweaks are made with Cydia Substrate in mind. It should be noted, however, that Substitute will soon be implemented for A12(X) devices, and this has the same implications for compatibility as it does for Chimera and Electra.
Developer support
Getting support for theElectrajailbreak is as easy asTweeting to the Electra Team. They are generally fast to respond, although it can be challenging to get help if your problem is withsoftwarethey haven’t created, such as Cydia, since they’re really pushing for the jailbreak community to use their own software (Sileo).
Getting support for theChimerajailbreak is the same as Electra above, and because the tool only supports the Electra Team’s integrated software, it’s easier to get support when problems arise involving Sileo, Substitute, or the jailbreak itself.
Getting support for theunc0verjailbreak is easy-peasy. Justcontact Pwn20wnd via Twitterorfile a bug report on the official GitHub page. Pwn20wnd is known for implementing bug fixes like clockwork and for going beyond the call of duty to implement user suggestions,suchas blocking software updates and blocking beta prompts, among other things.
The bottom line
Now that some of the most important differences between the jailbreak tools have been outlined, you can make a more educated decision about which one you should use.
I try to comment from the perspective of a jailbreak user, and not as someone who talks to the developers regularly. Both groups are guilty of mud-slinging one another over social media, but at the end of the day, both groups also display incredible talents and have produced stable, usable jailbreaks that the public can download and use.
Obviously, those who need to jailbreak theApple TVwill have no choice but to use the Electra Team’s Chimera or Electra jailbreak tool(s), but if you’re wanting to jailbreak an iOS device,then you really can’t go wrong with any of them.
We have made tutorials for each, which I will link for your convenience below:
All the jailbreak tools mentioned in this piece aresemi-tetheredjailbreaks and are installed in similar ways, but you’ll need to do your homework and decide if your setup would perform better with Cydia and Cydia Substrate or with Sileo and Substitute. Apart from that, the other factors discussed above provide an inch of additional wiggle room for interpretation.
Which jailbreak have you decided to go with? Share a comment below elaborating your position.
