Why Apple’s Open‑Source Code Contains a Mysterious WeChat Comment

Open‑source projects from major tech companies are key learning resources for developers.

Because the source is widely read, mistakes are often spotted, such as the 2018 incident where Huawei Cloud’s Service Comb was accused of copying Go Micro.

Companies therefore perform thorough reviews before open‑sourcing code to avoid brand damage.

Recently, a Twitter user named LOLgrep claimed to have found a file in Apple’s open‑source code that appears to be added for compatibility with Tencent’s WeChat.

The file, make_tapi_happy.h, resides under libmalloc and references the Tencent API (TAPI).

Inside the file is a comment:

/* WeChat references this, only god knows why.  This symbol does nothing. */

The comment, translated, humorously says “only god knows why,” reflecting the programmer’s frustration.

The snippet also declares extern int stack_logging_enable_logging;, whose purpose is unclear to the author.

Background: In 2017 Apple and WeChat nearly went to court over a “reward” feature that conflicted with Apple’s App Store policies requiring in‑app purchases, which take a ~30% cut. Tencent argued the feature was for user engagement, not profit.

After negotiations stalled, WeChat temporarily disabled the reward function, but by 2018 an agreement was reached and the feature was restored—the same year the make_tapi_happy.h file was created.

It suggests Apple may have added compatibility code for WeChat, illustrating how business interests can influence open‑source contributions.

What other amusing code comments have you encountered?