iOS - Compile your native iOS app

- A valid Apple Developer Account is required to compile your iOS app.
If you don't already have one, here is the online help to Create an Apple Developer Account.
Apple may take a few days to activate your Apple Developer Account after your enrollment. We advise you to enroll ahead of time before starting the compilation of your iOS app.

- This online help explains how to compile a brand new app that was never published in App Store Connect.
If your app already exists in App Store Connect, and you want to replace it with this GoodBarber app while keeping your existing users, follow this online help instead .

- Before you start the compilation process described below:
1. Make sure that the texts for the app permission popups have been customized in the Settings > Compilation Settings menu in your back office accordingly with the features of your app.
2. Proceed with the recommended verifications  to make sure your app is compliant with the App Store Review Guidelines.

To begin with: 
1. Go to Publish > iOS app > Publish in your back office.
2. Click the green button “Begin submission” under the Ninja picture. 
3. At "Step 0 : First time?", select "First Submission"
4. Go to the Next step. 

1. Select Create a new distribution certificate. 
2. Go to the Next step.

2.1 Register as an Apple Developer
If you already have a valid Apple Developer Account, go to step 2.2.

2.2 Certificate Signing Request
Click the green button to generate a .CSR file and download it.

2.3 Distribution certificate request
1. In your Apple Developer Account, go to Certificates, Identifiers and Profiles > Certificates  
2. Create a new certificate using the + sign and select "iOS Distribution (App Store and Ad Hoc)" 
3. Upload the .CSR file that you downloaded from the back office at step 2.2
4. Generate the certificate

2.4 Download the ios_distribution.cer file  from your Apple Developer account. 

2.5 Send the ios_distribution.cer file
In your back office , upload the ios_distribution.cer file that you've just downloaded from your Apple Developer Account.

3.1 Universal Links
Choose whether you want to activate Universal Links , in your iOS app

3.2 Create a New App ID
1. In your Apple Developer Account, go to Certificates, Identifiers and Profiles > Identifiers  
2. Create a new identifier using the + sign and select "App IDs" 
3. When asked to select a type, choose "App" 

3.3 App ID Information
1. In the field "Description", register the name of your app (no special characters allowed) 
2. In the field "Bundle ID", make sure "Explicit" is selected and register the bundle ID of your app at the required format (for example: com.domainname.appname). 
Note that GoodBarber provides a default bundle ID in the back office, but you can create a different one in your Apple Developer Account, as long as the format is accepted by Apple.
3. Scroll down in the list of Capabilities and select "Push notifications" 
3b. Optional - Only if you want to activate Universal Links , also select the capability "Associated Domains".  

3.4 Validate your App ID
Click "Continue" at the top right. 

Go back to your back office  and go to the next step.
You will now create your Push Certificate, so your iOS app can receive push notifications.

4.1: Generate goodbarber.csr file
Click the green button to generate a .CSR file and download it.

4.2 Add Push Certificate
1.  In your Apple Developer Account > Certificates, Identifiers and Profiles > Identifiers , select the App ID you created at the previous step and scroll down to the Push Notifications capability.  
2. Click the "Configure" button that has appeared on the line 

4.3 Select type
Under "Production SSL Certificate", click "Create Certificate".  

4.4 Generate the certificate 
Upload the CSR file that you just downloaded from the back office.

4.5 Retrieve aps.cer file
Generate and download the Push certificate from your Apple Developer account.  

4.6 Send aps.cer file
In your back office , upload the aps.cer file that you downloaded from your Apple Developer Account.

5.1 Create your provisioning profile
1. Go to Certificates, Identifiers and Profiles > Profiles  
2. Create a new profile by clicking on the + sign 
3. Under Distribution, select "App Store" and click "Continue" 
4. Select the App ID of your app created earlier.
5. Select the Distribution Certificate created earlier - if you have more than one on the list, select the one with today's date. 

5.2 Generate your provisioning profile
Give the provisioning profile a name (we provide a default name in the back office but you can use the name of your choice) and generate the file.

5.3 Download your provisioning profile

5.4 Send your app's mobile provision file
In your back office , upload the file called "yourapp".mobileprovision that you downloaded from your Apple Developer Account.

Click the button to start the generation of your app. 
After a few minutes, a new screen will appear to inform you your iOS app has been compiled.  

You will be able to download the .ipa file of your app. 

The next step will be to send this file to App Store Connect in order to test your app with Testflight  if you want, and ultimately, submit your app to Apple's review .