Signing iOS Apps
iOS applications require code signing using certificates and provisioning profiles issued through your Apple Developer account, verifying your identity as the app’s publisher.
Understanding the Signing Components
- Certificate – Verifies your identity as a developer or organization.
- App ID – A unique identifier for your specific application.
- Provisioning Profile – Links your certificate, App ID, and allowed devices together.
Creating a Distribution Certificate
Distribution certificates are created through the Apple Developer portal or automatically managed by Xcode when using Automatic Signing.
Using Automatic Signing in Xcode
Manual Signing Configuration
For CI/CD pipelines or more controlled environments, manual signing allows you to explicitly specify which certificate and provisioning profile to use for each build configuration.
Creating a Provisioning Profile
Provisioning profiles are created through the Apple Developer portal, associating your App ID with a distribution certificate and, for Ad Hoc distribution, a list of registered test devices.
Common Signing Errors
- Expired certificates or provisioning profiles
- Mismatched App ID between the profile and project bundle identifier
- Missing devices registered for Ad Hoc distribution
Using Fastlane match for Team Signing
Fastlane’s match tool helps teams share and synchronize signing certificates and provisioning profiles securely across multiple developers and CI environments.
Conclusion
Properly configuring certificates and provisioning profiles, whether through Xcode’s automatic signing or a manual, team-based approach with Fastlane match, is essential for successfully building and distributing iOS React Native applications.
