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Mood Tracker App - App Store Deployment Guide

This guide outlines the complete process for deploying the Mood Tracker app to the Apple App Store.

Prerequisites

  • macOS with Xcode: Latest version of Xcode installed
  • Apple Developer Account: Active paid Apple Developer Program membership ($99/year)
  • Flutter SDK: Installed and configured for iOS development
  • Physical iOS Device: For testing (recommended)
  • Transporter App: Apple's official app for uploading to App Store Connect
  • Valid Apple ID: Associated with your developer account
  • Code Signing Certificates: Properly configured in Xcode/Keychain

Step 1: Apple Developer Portal Setup

1.1 Create App Identifier

  1. I open the Apple Developer Portal
  2. Navigated to "Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles" & created a new identifier for this project
  3. Fill in the details:
    • Bundle ID: com.capturedHeart.moodTracker (Explicit)
    • App Services: Select required capabilities (In my case, there was no special capabilities to set, the app is basic)

Important Notes:

  • Bundle ID must match exactly with your Xcode project configuration
  • Cannot be changed after first App Store submission
  • Must be unique across the entire App Store

Step 2: App Store Connect Setup

2.1 Create New App

  1. I open the App Store Connect website
  2. Created a "New App"
  3. And finally completed the required information:
    • Platforms: iOS
    • Name: Mood Tracker (Cordelia)
    • Primary Language: English (U.S.)
    • Bundle ID: Select com.capturedHeart.moodTracker
    • SKU: Unique identifier

2.2 App Information Setup

I didn't have to set app information for Internal testingon TestFlight

Step 3: Xcode Project Configuration

3.1 Bundle Identifier Configuration

I ensured the bundle identifier matches across all configurations:

Current Configuration:

  • Bundle Identifier: com.capturedHeart.moodTracker
  • Display Name: Mood Tracker (Cordelia)
  • Bundle Name: Mood Tracker (Cordelia)
  • Version Number: i set the version and build number 0.0.2+2

3.3 Device Orientation Settings

Configured supported orientations in Info.plist:

<key>UISupportedInterfaceOrientations</key>
<array>
    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait</string>
    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortraitUpsideDown</string>
    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft</string>
    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeRight</string>
</array>

3.4 App Display Name

Set in Info.plist:

<key>CFBundleDisplayName</key>
<string>Mood Tracker (Cordelia)</string>
<key>CFBundleName</key>
<string>Mood Tracker (Cordelia)</string>

Step 4: Code Signing and Certificates

4.1 Automatic Code Signing (Recommended)

  1. Open Xcode project: ios/Runner.xcworkspace and on the "Runner" target
  2. I went to "Signing & Capabilities" tab and checked "Automatically manage signing", and also selected my development team
  3. Finally, i ensured the bundle identifier matches: com.capturedHeart.moodTracker

Step 5: App Icons and Assets

5.1 App Icon Requirements

I made use of Icon Kitchen on the web to generate AppIcon for both Android and iOS

Step 6: Build Process

6.1 Clean and Build IPA

Execute the following commands in sequence:

# Clean all previous builds
flutter clean
# Install/update all dependencies
flutter pub get
# Build IPA for distribution
flutter build ipa

Build Process Details:

  • Build Location: build/ios/archive/Runner.xcarchive
  • IPA Location: build/ios/ipa/mood_tracker_assessment.ipa

Step 7: App Distribution Using Transporter

7.1 Using the Transporter App

  1. I signed in my Apple account and follow the steps to upload the IPA file.
  2. Clicked on "Verify" after uploading to Transporter, and when the verification passed, i finalize the proocess by clicking on "Deliver"

Step 8: App Store Connect Final Steps

8.1 Build Processing

After successful upload via Transporter:

  1. I go to App Store Connect,I navigated to "TestFlight" and confirmed the build was successful delivered from Transporter. Note: The build processing (can take up to 30 minutes - 2 hours)

  2. The build will appear under "iOS Builds"

8.2 TestFlight Internal Testing

  1. I wil add internal testers basedon requests

Current Deployment Status

✅ Completed Steps:

  • Apple Developer Portal app identifier created
  • App Store Connect app created and configured
  • Xcode project configured with proper bundle ID and display name
  • Device orientations configured (supports all orientations)
  • App bundle name and version updated
  • Release build successfully generated using flutter build ipa
  • IPA file uploaded to App Store Connect via Transporter app
  • App ready for TestFlight or App Store review

🔄 Next Steps:

  • Complete App Store Connect metadata (screenshots, description, etc.)
  • Internal testing via TestFlight (optional)
  • Submit for App Store review
  • Monitor review status and respond to any feedback