Publishing and Distribution

Publishing and distributing React Native apps involves several steps and requires meeting the guidelines of both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Here’s an explanation of the key aspects you mentioned.

Aspect	iOS	Android
Developer Account Cost	$99/year	$25 (one-time fee)
Signing	Requires provisioning profiles and certificates	Requires a keystore for signing
Review Time	Longer 1–7 days (review required), stricter	Shorter, more automated (A few hours to 1 day)
Distribution Options	App Store, Ad-Hoc, Enterprise	Google Play, APK sharing
Submission Tool	Xcode or Transporter	Google Play Console
Staged Rollout	Not officially supported	Supported
Pricing & Availability	Configured in App Store Connect	Configured in Play Console
App File Type	.ipa	.apk or .aab

Apple Store Distribution

1. Create an App Store entry in App Store Connect. Set up app metadata (description, screenshots, categories, etc.).

2. Switch to the Release scheme (Product → Scheme → Edit Scheme, set Configuration to Release), then:

   • Archive the app (Product → Archive) for distribution.
   • Press Distribute App (Product → Distribute App).
   • Select App Store Connect.
   • Sign it with the appropriate provisioning profile and distribution certificate.

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Xcode includes an app validation step when you archive your app for distribution. It checks:

• Provisioning profiles and certificates.
• App Store guidelines compliance.
• Missing or invalid settings in the app’s metadata.

3. Upload the app binary. Now you can find it in the App Store Connect under TestFlight.

4. Apple manually reviews the app to ensure compliance with guidelines. Approval typically takes a few days, though it may vary.

5. Once approved, publish the app or schedule a release date.

Provisioning Profile and Distribution Certificate

• When building an app, you sign it using a certificate.
• Then, you associate that signed app with a provisioning profile.

Provisioning Profiles are Apple-specific and are a key component of Apple’s app development and distribution process. They are required to run apps on physical devices (for testing) and to distribute apps via the App Store or TestFlight.

Types of provisioning profiles:

Type	Purpose	Includes Device UDIDs?
Development	Run and debug apps on real devices via Xcode	Yes
Ad Hoc	Distribute to testers outside the App Store	Yes (max 100 devices)
App Store	Submit app to App Store	No (open to public)
Enterprise	Internal distribution within an organisation	No

Do Android Apps Have an Equivalent?

Not directly. Android apps don’t use provisioning profiles, but they do require:

• keystore: A digital file that holds the key used to sign your app.
• Proper permissions and target API levels to ensure compatibility with devices.

Android’s distribution process is more open and less restrictive compared to Apple’s, making provisioning profiles unnecessary in the Android ecosystem.

The distribution certificate proves to Apple and devices that the app was created by a trusted developer.

• Created in the Apple Developer Portal or via Xcode.
• Identifies the developer or organization that published the app.
• Ensures that the app has not been tampered with after being signed.
• Is required to build and sign the app for distribution.

You can only have two active iOS Distribution Certificates at once (per team).

Types:

• Development Certificate: For testing apps on real devices.
• Distribution Certificate: For distributing apps either to the App Store or via Ad Hoc/Enterprise channels.

When creating a build for distribution (App Store or Enterprise), the app must be signed using the Distribution Certificate associated with your Apple Developer Account.

Google Play Distribution

1. In Google Play Console, create your app entry and configure app details (name, description, graphics, etc.).

2. Android requires signing with a release key. Generate one with keytool

   keytool -genkey -v -keystore my-release-key.keystore -alias alias_name -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

   • keystore: A file that holds the key used to sign your app.
   • alias: A unique identifier for the key.
   • keyalg: The algorithm used to generate the key (RSA).
   • keysize: The size of the key (2048 bits).
   • validity: The duration for which the key is valid (10000 days, ~27 years).

   This creates my-upload-key.keystore (valid ~27 years). Keep the keystore and passwords safe. Place the .keystore in android/app/ and reference it in ~/.gradle/gradle.properties to avoid committing.

   MYAPP_RELEASE_STORE_FILE=my-release-key.keystore
   MYAPP_RELEASE_KEY_ALIAS=alias_name
   MYAPP_RELEASE_STORE_PASSWORD=your_store_password
   MYAPP_RELEASE_KEY_PASSWORD=your_key_password

3. Generate a Signed App Bundle. Use tools like Android Studio to build a signed release APK (not recommended) or AAB (Android App Bundle, preferred).

4. Upload signed build to Play Console. Fill in release notes etc.

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   Play Console performs checks during the APK or AAB upload process. This includes verifying target API levels, permissions, and adherence to Android Developer Guidelines.

5. Once approved, publish your app or roll out in phases (via staged rollout).

Tools for Simplifying Distribution:

1. Expo: If using Expo Managed Workflow, you can use expo build and eas submit for app creation and submission.
2. Fastlane: Automate the app building, signing, and submission process for both platforms.