Publish an iOS app flashcards

Ship to the App Store like a release engineer: signing, TestFlight, privacy, App Review and CI.

Beginner friendly, starts from zero

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Publish an iOS appStart from zero · 1 of 12

What does publishing an iOS app mean, in one plain sentence?

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Getting your finished iPhone or iPad app into Apple's App Store, so anyone can find it, download it and get your updates.

From your Mac to millions of iPhones.

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All topics

What you will learn

Start from zero
- What publishing means and why Apple controls it4 cards
- Tools and accounts2 cards
- App identity, signing and build numbers3 cards
- Review, beta testing and what comes next3 cards
Core basics
- Requirements and membership4 cards
- Xcode, App Store Connect and the app record2 cards
- Bundle ID, version and build number2 cards
- Code signing2 cards
- Archiving and uploading3 cards
- TestFlight and release options2 cards
- Store listing: screenshots, text and icon3 cards
Next steps
- TestFlight in depth2 cards
- Privacy: labels, manifests, tracking and permissions5 cards
- Export compliance and review notes2 cards
- Common rejections and account rules3 cards
- Release, age ratings, review timing and ratings4 cards
- In-app purchases and testing them2 cards
Go deeper
- CI automation and signing5 cards
- Crashes, hotfixes and production-only bugs3 cards
- Payments, subscriptions and commission3 cards
- EU trader rules and handling rejections2 cards
- Store page growth and analytics4 cards

Final test and certificate

10 questions drawn fresh from the whole topic, about 15 minutes. Sign in, score 80% or more and get a free certificate with your name and a public check link anyone can open, such as an employer or a teacher. Not signed in? Try a practice test from the cards.

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About these cards

Reviewed 26 October 2026
CoversXcode 26 with the iOS 26 SDK (required for uploads)App Store Review Guidelines, 2026StoreKit 2App Store Server Notifications V2

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How these cards are made

Publish an iOS app at a glance

Publishing an iOS app means getting your finished iPhone or iPad app into Apple's App Store so anyone can download it.

Like publishing a book: register as a publisher, give the book a unique number, print a final copy, pass the editor's check and get it on the bookshop shelf.

Words you will meet

Xcode: Apple's free app on the Mac for building, signing and uploading apps
App Store Connect: Apple's website where you manage your app's store page, builds and review
Bundle ID: Your app's permanent unique name, like com.ravi.notes
Build number: A number that goes up with every upload you send to Apple
Code signing: A digital seal proving the app came from you and was not changed
Archive: The finished, packed build of your app, ready to upload
TestFlight: Apple's app for trying builds before they are public
App Review: Apple's team checking your app against its rules before it goes live

The steps

1. Start from zero (12 cards): What publishing an iPhone app involves and the words you need, in plain English.
2. Core basics (18 cards): Membership, bundle ID, versions, signing, archive, upload and the store page.
3. Next steps (18 cards): TestFlight, privacy manifests, permission strings, review rules and phased release.
4. Go deeper (17 cards): CI signing and uploads, symbols, payments rules, EU rules and store growth.

All 12 cards in Start from zero

What does publishing an iOS app mean, in one plain sentence?: Getting your finished iPhone or iPad app into Apple's App Store, so anyone can find it, download it and get your updates.
Why can you not just put an iPhone app file on a website for people to download?: iPhones install normal apps only through Apple's store (with a few exceptions in some regions). Apple checks every app first, so the process proves who you are and that the app is safe.
Where have you already met the end of this process?: Every app on your iPhone came through it, and every update you install went through it again. The store page with the name, pictures and reviews is part of publishing too.
What is a good everyday picture of publishing an app?: Publishing a book: you register as a publisher, give the book a unique number, print a final copy, an editor checks it, and a bookshop puts it on the shelf with a cover.
What are iOS, Xcode and the simulator?: iOS is the system that runs iPhones. Xcode is Apple's free app for building apps, and it runs only on a Mac. The simulator is a pretend iPhone on your Mac screen for quick tests.
What are the Apple Developer Program and App Store Connect?: The Developer Program is Apple's paid yearly membership that lets you publish. App Store Connect is the Apple website where you manage your app: its store page, test builds, price and review.
What are a bundle ID, a version and a build number?: A bundle ID is your app's permanent unique name, like com.ravi.notes. The version is the number users see, like 1.2. The build number counts each upload you send.
What is code signing, and what are a certificate and a provisioning profile?: Code signing is a digital seal proving the app came from you and was not changed. The certificate is your ID card; the provisioning profile is the permission slip saying which app and where it may run.
What are an archive, an upload and App Review?: An archive is the finished, packed build of your app. You upload it to App Store Connect. App Review is Apple's team checking the app against its rules before it goes live.
What is TestFlight, and who are beta testers?: TestFlight is Apple's app for trying builds before they are public. Beta testers are the friends, colleagues or users you invite to try them and report problems.
Your first tiny win: what do the two numbers in Xcode's General tab mean?: Before you start you need a Mac with Xcode, an Apple Account and a working app. The version is what users see on the store. The build number goes up each time you upload, even for the same version.
What will you be able to do after this topic?: Set up your Apple membership and app record, sign and upload a build, send it to testers, prepare a strong store page, and get through App Review.

Publish an iOS app cheatsheet

Build and upload

xcodebuild -scheme Notes -destination 'generic/platform=iOS' archive Release archive
xcodebuild -exportArchive -exportOptionsPlist ExportOptions.plist Export or upload .ipa
flutter build ipa --build-number=$N Flutter archive and .ipa
agvtool new-version -all 412 Set build number
fastlane run upload_to_testflight Upload to TestFlight
xcrun altool --validate-app -f Notes.ipa -t ios Validate an .ipa before upload

Identity and signing

CFBundleIdentifier Bundle ID, fixed forever
CFBundleShortVersionString Version users see, 2.1.0
CFBundleVersion Build number, rises every upload
Apple Distribution certificate Signs TestFlight and store builds
App Store provisioning profile App ID + cert + entitlements
security find-identity -v -p codesigning List signing identities in keychain

Info.plist and privacy

PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy Privacy manifest for app and SDKs
NSCameraUsageDescription Why the camera is needed
NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription Why location is needed
NSUserTrackingUsageDescription Text in the ATT prompt
ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption false skips export question
aps-environment Push entitlement, production for TestFlight

TestFlight and review

Internal testers 100 team members, no review
External testers 10,000, first build needs Beta App Review
Build expiry 90 days after upload
Phased release 7 days, pause up to 30 days
Pending Developer Release Approved, waits for your click
Expedited review Critical fixes and dated events

Store page limits

Name / subtitle 30 / 30 characters
Keywords 100 characters, comma separated
Promotional text 170, change without review
Screenshots 6.9-inch iPhone, 13-inch iPad, up to 10
Custom product pages Up to 70 variants
Age ratings 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, 18+