“Our mobile builds are automatically version tagged, signed, and pushed directly to the Play Store from the moment that we cut a release to the moment that it gets into the Play Store for testing and beta.”
Nick Wilson | VP of Technical Operations at GoSpotCheck
What is CircleCI and how does it support mobile development?
CircleCI is a CI/CD platform that automates software development processes. For mobile developers, CircleCI offers robust environments for building, testing, and deploying iOS and Android apps, ensuring that changes are integrated smoothly and efficiently.
Can CircleCI build iOS and Android apps?
Yes, CircleCI supports building both iOS and Android applications. It provides pre-configured Docker images for Android environments and macOS virtual machines equipped with Xcode for iOS builds, ensuring compatibility and ease of setup.
What tools does CircleCI provide for mobile testing?
For Android, you can use frameworks like Espresso and UI Automator. For iOS, tools like XCTest and XCUITest are supported. CircleCI also allows you to integrate with third-party testing services like BrowserStack or Sauce Labs for comprehensive mobile testing.
How does CircleCI handle code signing for mobile apps?
You can store and manage signing keys and certificates using restricted contexts and environment variables. For an even more secure approach, use self-hosted runners to automatically sign mobile builds without the risk of exposing sensitive information.
Can I deploy mobile apps directly from CircleCI?
Yes, CircleCI supports automated deployment to various distribution platforms. For Android, configure automatic deployments to Google Play Store using Gradle plugins or Fastlane. For iOS, use Fastlane to automate deployments to TestFlight and the App Store.
