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Releasing Sauci Mobile App

This guide covers local release builds for Android and iOS.

OTA update or full store release?

Decide the delivery mechanism first — they are different pipelines:

  • OTA update (Mobile over-the-air updates) ships only the JavaScript bundle and assets to already-installed builds. No store review, live in minutes, rolled back by repointing the XPREM channel. Valid only for changes that leave the native binary untouched (no native code, native dependencies, ios//android/ project changes, permissions, entitlements, Expo SDK, or expo.version bump). OTA reaches only installs of the current expo.version, because the runtime version is synchronized with the app version.
  • Full store release (this document) builds a new signed binary and ships it through App Store Connect and Google Play, including store review. It is required for anything OTA cannot carry. Rollback is coarser: halt a Play staged rollout, pause an iOS phased release, or supersede with the next version (an OTA update can often patch a bad JS-level regression in a live store build immediately).

Prefer OTA when the change qualifies, and always report which mechanism was used.

Prerequisites

  • Java JDK 17 - Required for Android Gradle builds
  • Android Studio - For SDK and build tools (including Android SDK/NDK)
  • Xcode - For iOS builds (macOS only)
  • EAS CLI - npm install -g eas-cli
  • Expo account - Run eas login to authenticate

EAS Build Local (Recommended)

The --local flag runs the EAS build process on your machine instead of Expo's cloud servers. This automatically handles signing credentials and produces the same output as cloud builds.

Quick Start

cd apps/mobile

# Android - produces .aab file (for Play Store)
npm run release:android

# iOS - produces .ipa file (for App Store)
npm run release:ios

Output files are placed in the current directory by default.

These scripts create signed artifacts only. An explicit request for a mobile release authorizes the complete pipeline for the stated platforms: build, verification, store upload, review submission, and rollout — including full production rollout. Rollout is recoverable (staged-rollout halt, phased-release pause, OTA supersession, or the next version), so agents should execute the whole requested pipeline and report, rather than pausing for re-confirmation. A request that explicitly narrows scope ("upload only", "TestFlight only", a named track) still bounds the work. Building an artifact alone does not authorize an upload.

Before every production build, run the deterministic source gate:

cd apps/mobile
npm run release:preflight

It checks public and OTA runtime version parity, iOS app/widget build parity, and that the public OTA certificate is tracked and not excluded by root archive rules. It does not replace inspection of the exported artifact.

Ship a verified artifact

Credentials are never committed: production submission credentials are managed by EAS, and the Fastlane iOS lanes read an App Store Connect API key from the environment (ASC_KEY_ID, ASC_ISSUER_ID, ASC_KEY_PATH). Never add .p8 files, Google service-account JSON files, or local credential paths to the repository or eas.json.

Ship only an independently verified artifact by its exact absolute path. Before upload, verify and report the platform, exact path, bundle/package identifier, version, build number, signing identity, SHA-256 digest, and destination — then proceed through upload, review submission, and rollout without asking for a second confirmation.

Full release (upload + review submission + rollout)

cd apps/mobile

# Android: commits the release on the production track. Play review runs
# automatically and rollout proceeds on approval.
bundle exec fastlane android release aab:/absolute/path/to/sauci.aab
# Optional: track:beta, rollout:0.1 (10% staged rollout)

# iOS: uploads, creates the App Store version, submits for App Review, and
# releases automatically on approval.
bundle exec fastlane ios release ipa:/absolute/path/to/sauci.ipa release_notes:"What's new..."
# Optional: phased_release:true (7-day phased release), automatic_release:false

Upload only (when the request stops short of review)

cd apps/mobile

# Android internal-track draft; does not roll out the release.
eas submit --platform android --profile production --path /absolute/path/to/sauci.aab --wait

# App Store Connect/TestFlight; does not submit for App Review.
eas submit --platform ios --profile production --path /absolute/path/to/sauci.ipa --wait

Agents must not upload an unverified artifact, whether they use EAS, Fastlane, Xcode Organizer, or a store console. Before upload, they must verify and report the platform, exact path, bundle/package identifier, version, build number, signing identity, SHA-256 digest, and destination. Once those details match the user's stated scope, proceed without asking for a second confirmation.

Before an iOS upload, inspect App Store Connect for automatic TestFlight distribution. If upload will add the build to existing groups or testers, report them before proceeding. If the effect cannot be established, stop. Changing automatic-distribution settings is a separate action and requires its own authorization.

App Store Connect API group association alone does not reveal whether automatic distribution is enabled. Verify the switch in an authenticated App Store Connect UI session before upload. If the UI cannot be checked, stop instead of inferring the effect from API data.

Do not use --latest; always pass the exact verified path. After upload or submission, read back the resulting state from Google Play Console or App Store Connect (track/rollout status, App Store version state) and report it. Two things still need their own authorization, because neither is part of shipping the requested release: distributing to additional TestFlight groups, and re-uploading after an ambiguous result. If a command returns an ambiguous result, inspect EAS and the store first; do not retry unless the user explicitly authorizes another upload.

Source integrity

Sauci commits its native ios/ and android/ projects. Start a release from a clean worktree whose HEAD matches its fetched upstream, and do not run expo prebuild before a routine release build. EAS detects the native projects and packages the checked-in sources directly.

After the build, inspect git diff. Only the expected local EAS version fields may change: app.json, the platform native version file, and the iOS widget Info.plist for an iOS build. Any widget implementation, resource, or Xcode project rewrite means the source was regenerated and the artifact must be rebuilt from the clean tracked sources.

Accept an artifact only after independent inspection. Verify Android package, version, signer, all four ABIs, required Worklets/Reanimated/Skia libraries, forbidden media-read permissions, OTA runtime/channel/certificate, and SHA-256. Verify the iOS IPA's app and every extension version/build/signature after export. Quarantine or remove a rejected artifact before presenting any artifact for upload. Tag the exact verified build-source commit, then promote it through staging and main only after the release gates pass.

The committed Android Gradle ordering fix makes Prefab inputs available before dependent native tasks. Preserve that explicit dependency ordering. Do not try to solve Gradle task validation by removing Firebase or cycling dependency versions.

After Android upload, EAS Submit FINISHED, the exact internal/DRAFT/no-rollout submit configuration, and the retained artifact digest are the authoritative available read-back when direct Play track inspection would require creating an edit. Never create an edit merely to claim read-only verification.

Android media permission policy

Sauci uses the Android system photo picker for user-selected images and videos. Android release manifests must not contain READ_MEDIA_IMAGES or READ_MEDIA_VIDEO. Gallery save flows request add-only access and must not add broad read access. After any Expo, media-library, image-picker, or native Android change, run :app:processReleaseMainManifest and inspect the merged release manifest before building an artifact for Google Play.

Building an APK (for Testing)

The production profile creates an AAB (Android App Bundle), which can't be directly installed on devices. To build an APK for testing:

# Use the preview profile (configured for APK output)
eas build --platform android --profile preview --local

Or add a custom profile to eas.json:

{
  "build": {
    "local-apk": {
      "android": {
        "buildType": "apk"
      }
    }
  }
}

Then run:

eas build --platform android --profile local-apk --local

Installing the APK

# Via ADB (device connected via USB)
adb install ./build-*.apk

# Or drag-and-drop onto Android Emulator

Build Profiles

Profile Output Use Case
production .aab Play Store / App Store submission
preview .apk Internal testing, device installation
development .apk Dev client with hot reload

Environment Variables

Useful for debugging build issues:

Variable Purpose
EAS_LOCAL_BUILD_SKIP_CLEANUP=1 Keep build directory after completion
EAS_LOCAL_BUILD_WORKINGDIR=/path Custom build directory (default: /tmp)
EAS_LOCAL_BUILD_ARTIFACTS_DIR=/path Output directory for build artifacts

Example with debugging enabled:

EAS_LOCAL_BUILD_SKIP_CLEANUP=1 \
EAS_LOCAL_BUILD_WORKINGDIR=~/eas-builds \
eas build --platform android --profile production --local

For local builds, choose stable ignored working and artifact directories and retain them with the command log until the artifact is accepted or rejected. Check free disk space first. ENOSPC, EAS plugin startup, archive construction, and dependency installation failures occur before native compilation: fix and preflight those inputs without starting another build. Make one meaningful build per newly proven input state.

Report provider progress by phase: packaging, native compilation, submission queue, or store processing. Do not describe every failure as a rebuild.

If the normal EAS invocation cannot find its local-build plugin, use a matching CLI and plugin version and set EAS_LOCAL_BUILD_PLUGIN_PATH to that plugin's executable bin/run, not its package directory. Do not commit or document a machine-specific package-cache path. Run npm run release:preflight:local-eas after setting the variable. See https://docs.expo.dev/build-reference/local-builds/ and https://github.com/expo/eas-cli/issues/2787.

Limitations of Local Builds

  • Single platform only - Can't use --platform all
  • Software versions ignored - node, yarn, ndk, image fields in eas.json are ignored
  • No caching - Each build starts fresh
  • Secret env vars not available - Set them in your local environment instead
  • macOS/Linux only - Windows requires WSL (unsupported)

Troubleshooting Local Builds

Java version mismatch:

# Check Java version (should be 17)
java -version

# On macOS, switch Java version
export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17)

Gradle daemon issues:

cd android && ./gradlew --stop && cd ..

Native regeneration after dependency changes:

Treat expo prebuild as a source change, not a release step. Run it separately only when native dependencies intentionally changed, review the full native diff, verify it, and commit it before starting the release from a clean worktree. Use expo prebuild --clean (see docs/mobile-ota.md); as of @bacons/apple-targets 5.x, a non-clean prebuild against an already-generated iOS project fails while updating the widget's Xcode target.

Out of memory:

# Increase Gradle memory
echo "org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx4g" >> android/gradle.properties

Manual Android Release Build

Step 1: Get the Production Keystore

The production keystore is stored in EAS. Download it:

cd apps/mobile
eas credentials --platform android

Select:

  1. production
  2. Keystore
  3. Download Keystore

Save the keystore file and note the password and alias shown.

Step 2: Configure Signing

Ensure android/gradle.properties has the keystore configuration:

MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE=sauci-release.keystore
MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_ALIAS=<alias from EAS>
MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_PASSWORD=<password from EAS>
MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_PASSWORD=<password from EAS>

Important: Never commit these credentials to git.

Step 3: Confirm tracked native sources

The committed android/ project is the release source. If native dependencies changed, regenerate and review that project as a separate change before release.

Step 4: Build the Release Bundle

cd android
./gradlew bundleRelease

The AAB file will be at:

android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab

Step 5: Upload to Play Store

Apply the artifact-verification policy above before opening or changing the release. A release request covers the rollout, so carry it through to the track the request named. Prefer the Fastlane android release lane; when using the console:

  1. Go to Google Play Console
  2. Select Sauci app
  3. Go to the track named in the request (Production for a release request)
  4. Create new release
  5. Upload the .aab file
  6. Add release notes and roll out the release — Play review runs automatically and the rollout proceeds on approval
  7. Read back the track and rollout state; halt the rollout if the read-back does not match what was uploaded

A release request includes review submission and rollout; a bad rollout is halted from the same release page or superseded by the next version.

Verifying Keystore Fingerprint

To verify you're using the correct keystore:

keytool -list -v -keystore android/sauci-release.keystore -storepass <password>

Expected EAS production upload-key SHA1: F0:60:26:C7:54:B0:46:F2:80:FE:AC:43:8A:69:10:BD:9A:62:B4:59

iOS Release Build

Step 1: Confirm tracked native sources

The committed ios/ project is the release source. If native dependencies changed, regenerate and review that project as a separate change before release.

Step 2: Install Pods

cd ios
pod install
cd ..

Step 3: Build Archive in Xcode

  1. Open ios/Sauci.xcworkspace in Xcode
  2. Select Any iOS Device (arm64) as the build target
  3. Go to Product → Archive
  4. Wait for the build to complete

Step 4: Upload to App Store

Apply the artifact-verification policy above before using Xcode Organizer.

  1. In Xcode Organizer (Window → Organizer), select the archive
  2. Click Distribute App
  3. Select App Store Connect → Upload
  4. Follow the prompts to upload

Step 5: Submit in App Store Connect

A release request includes App Review submission and release on approval. Submission is recoverable: it can be cancelled while waiting for review, and a phased release can be paused after approval. Prefer the Fastlane ios release lane, which does all of this in one step; manually:

  1. Go to App Store Connect
  2. Select Sauci
  3. Create a new version or select the uploaded build
  4. Fill in release notes and submit for review, with automatic release on approval unless the request says otherwise
  5. Read back the version state and report it

Version Management

Version is managed locally by EAS with appVersionSource: "local" in apps/mobile/eas.json. Production builds auto-increment the platform build number and synchronize the tracked native version file. For a public-version bump, use the release version script rather than editing individual sources: it updates and verifies app.json, the explicit Expo runtime string, and the checked-in iOS and Android public/runtime values together.

node .codex/skills/generate-release/scripts/set_version.mjs --version 1.0.7
node .codex/skills/generate-release/scripts/set_version.mjs --check

To inspect or deliberately set versions:

# Check current version
eas build:version:get

# Set version manually
eas build:version:set --platform android --version 1.0.1
eas build:version:set --platform ios --version 1.0.1

The user-facing version remains in app.json:

{
  "expo": {
    "version": "1.0.1"
  }
}

And for Android, update android/app/build.gradle:

versionCode 2
versionName "1.0.1"

Troubleshooting

Wrong Keystore Error

If Play Store rejects with "signed with wrong key":

  1. Run eas credentials --platform android
  2. Download the correct keystore
  3. Verify fingerprint matches expected SHA1
  4. Replace your local keystore file

Build Failures After Dependency Changes

# Clean the existing tracked Android project and rebuild it
cd android && ./gradlew clean && cd ..
cd android && ./gradlew bundleRelease

If native regeneration is genuinely required, do it as a separate reviewed and committed source change before running the release build.

iOS Signing Issues

Ensure your Apple Developer certificates and provisioning profiles are up to date in Xcode:

  • Xcode → Settings → Accounts → Download Manual Profiles

For a checked-in entitlement, first read the corresponding Apple App ID capability state. EAS capability sync can report success while Apple rejects a malformed update, as tracked in https://github.com/expo/eas-cli/issues/3986. Read back Associated Domains, regenerate only the affected profile, and decode the replacement profile to confirm com.apple.developer.associated-domains before rebuilding. With noninteractive managed App Store Connect key auth, set EXPO_APPLE_TEAM_ID when the command cannot otherwise select the correct team. Preserve existing certificates and unrelated target profiles.

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