/ios-archive

iOS Archive Command

Create an archive of the iOS app for App Store submission or Ad Hoc distribution.

Context

Current project:

!ls -la *.xcodeproj *.xcworkspace 2>/dev/null

Build settings:

!xcodebuild -showBuildSettings 2>/dev/null | grep -E "(PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER|MARKETING_VERSION|CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION)" | head -10

Your Task

Create an archive following these steps:

1. Discover project - Use discover_projs to find Xcode project/workspace

2. List schemes - Use list_schemes to find the main app scheme

3. Verify configuration:

   • Check show_build_settings for bundle ID, version
   • Verify code signing configuration
   • Check for Release configuration

4. Clean build (recommended):

   xcodebuild clean -scheme "AppScheme" -configuration Release
   

5. Create archive:

   xcodebuild archive \
       -workspace MyApp.xcworkspace \
       -scheme "MyApp" \
       -configuration Release \
       -archivePath ./build/MyApp.xcarchive \
       -destination "generic/platform=iOS"
   

6. Export IPA (if requested):

   For App Store:

   xcodebuild -exportArchive \
       -archivePath ./build/MyApp.xcarchive \
       -exportPath ./build/AppStore \
       -exportOptionsPlist ExportOptions.plist
   

   ExportOptions.plist for App Store:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
   <plist version="1.0">
   <dict>
       <key>method</key>
       <string>app-store-connect</string>
       <key>destination</key>
       <string>upload</string>
       <key>signingStyle</key>
       <string>automatic</string>
       <key>uploadSymbols</key>
       <true/>
   </dict>
   </plist>
   

   ExportOptions.plist for Ad Hoc:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
   <plist version="1.0">
   <dict>
       <key>method</key>
       <string>ad-hoc</string>
       <key>signingStyle</key>
       <string>automatic</string>
       <key>thinning</key>
       <string>&lt;none&gt;</string>
   </dict>
   </plist>
   

7. Upload to App Store Connect (if requested):

   xcrun altool --upload-app \
       -f ./build/AppStore/MyApp.ipa \
       -t ios \
       --apiKey YOUR_API_KEY \
       --apiIssuer YOUR_ISSUER_ID
   

8. Generate report:

   ## Archive Summary
   
   **App**: MyApp
   **Version**: 1.0.0 (1)
   **Bundle ID**: com.example.myapp
   **Archive Path**: ./build/MyApp.xcarchive
   **IPA Path**: ./build/AppStore/MyApp.ipa (if exported)
   
   ### Next Steps
   1. Open Xcode Organizer to view archive
   2. Upload to App Store Connect
   3. Submit for review
   
   ### Checklist Before Submission
   - [ ] Privacy manifest included
   - [ ] App icons complete
   - [ ] Screenshots prepared
   - [ ] Release notes written
   

Archive Types

Method	Use Case
app-store-connect	App Store submission
ad-hoc	Testing on registered devices
enterprise	Internal distribution (requires enterprise account)
development	Development testing

Common Issues

Code Signing:

• Ensure certificates are installed
• Check provisioning profile is valid
• Verify team ID in build settings

Version Numbers:

• Increment CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION for each upload
• MARKETING_VERSION must be unique per submission

Tips

• Always clean before archiving for release
• Use automatic signing for simplicity
• Test the exported IPA on a device before uploading
• Keep archives for symbolication of crash reports