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I’m happy to announce the provision of Fastlane in your AWS CodeBuild for macOS environments. AWS CodeBuild is a totally managed steady integration service that compiles supply code, runs assessments, and produces ready-to-deploy software program packages.
Fastlane is an open supply software suite designed to automate numerous facets of cell utility growth. It gives cell utility builders with a centralized set of instruments to handle duties equivalent to code signing, screenshot technology, beta distribution, and app retailer submissions. It integrates with standard steady integration and steady deployment (CI/CD) platforms and helps each iOS and Android growth workflows. Though Fastlane provides vital automation capabilities, builders might encounter challenges throughout its setup and upkeep. Configuring Fastlane might be advanced, notably for groups unfamiliar with the syntax and package deal administration system of Ruby. Maintaining Fastlane and its dependencies updated requires ongoing effort, as a result of updates to cell platforms or third-party providers might necessitate changes to present workflows.
When we launched CodeBuild for macOS in August 2024, we knew that one in every of your challenges was to put in and preserve Fastlane in your construct atmosphere. Though it was attainable to manually set up Fastlane in a customized construct atmosphere, at AWS, we take away the undifferentiated heaving lifting out of your infrastructure so you may spend extra time on the facets that matter for what you are promoting. Beginning at present, Fastlane is put in by default, and you should use the acquainted command fastlane constructin your buildspec.yaml file.
Fastlane and code signing
To distribute an utility on the App Retailer, builders should signal their binary with a personal key generated on the Apple Developer portal. This personal key, together with the certificates that validates it, have to be accessible throughout the construct course of. This could be a problem for growth groups as a result of they should share the event personal key (which permits deployment on chosen check units) amongst crew members. Moreover, the distribution personal key (which permits publishing on the App Retailer) have to be accessible throughout the signing course of earlier than importing the binary to the App Retailer.
Fastlane is a flexible construct system in that it additionally helps builders with the administration of growth and distribution keys and certificates. Builders can use fastlane match to share signing supplies in a crew and make them securely and simply accessible on particular person builders’ machines and on the CI atmosphere. match permits the storage of personal keys, the certificates, and the cell provisioning profiles on a secured share storage. It makes certain that the native construct atmosphere, whether or not it’s a developer laptop computer or a server machine within the cloud, stays in sync with the shared storage. At construct time, it securely downloads the required certificates to signal your app and configures the construct machine to permit the codesign utility to choose them up.
match permits the sharing of signing secrets and techniques by means of GitHub, GitLab, Google Cloud Storage, Azure DevOps, and Amazon Easy Storage Service (Amazon S3).
When you already use one in every of these and also you’re migrating your initiatives to CodeBuild, you don’t have a lot to do. You solely want to verify your CodeBuild construct atmosphere has entry to the shared storage (see step 3 within the demo).
Let’s see the way it works
When you’re new to Fastlane or CodeBuild, let’s see the way it works.
For this demo, I begin with an present iOS challenge. The challenge is already configured to be constructed on CodeBuild. You may check with my earlier weblog publish, Add macOS to your steady integration pipelines with AWS CodeBuild, to be taught extra particulars.
I’ll present you tips on how to get began in three steps:
- Import your present signing supplies to a shared personal GitHub repository
- Configure
fastlaneto construct and signal your challenge - Use
fastlanewith CodeBuild
Step 1: Import your signing supplies
Many of the fastlane documentation I learn explains tips on how to create a brand new key pair and a brand new certificates to get began. Though that is definitely true for brand new initiatives, in actual life, you in all probability have already got your challenge and your signing keys. So, step one is to import these present signing supplies.
Apple App Retailer makes use of completely different keys and certificates for growth and distribution (there are additionally advert hoc and enterprise certificates, however these are exterior the scope of this publish). It’s essential to have three recordsdata for every utilization (that’s a complete of six recordsdata):
- A
.mobileprovisionfile which you could create and obtain from the Apple developer console. The provisioning profile hyperlinks your id, the app id, and the entitlements the app might need. - A
.cerfile, which is the certificates emitted by Apple to validate your personal key. You may obtain this from the Apple Developer portal. Choose the certificates, then choose Obtain. - A
.p12file, which accommodates your personal key. You may obtain the important thing while you create it within the Apple Developer portal. When you didn’t obtain it however have it in your machine, you may export it from the Apple Keychain app. Observe that the KeyChain.app is hidden in macOS 15.x. You may open it withopen /System/Library/CoreServices/Functions/Keychain Entry.app. Choose the important thing you need to export and proper click on to pick Export.
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When you may have these recordsdata, create a fastlane/Matchfile file with the next content material:
git_url("https://github.com/sebsto/secret.git")
storage_mode("git")
sort("growth")
# or use appstore to make use of the distribution signing key and certificates
# sort("appstore")Make sure to exchange the URL of your GitHub repository and be sure this repository is personal. It can function a storage in your signing key and certificates.
Then, I import my present recordsdata with the fastlane match import --type appstore command. I repeat the command for every atmosphere: appstore and growth.
The very first time, fastlane prompts me for my Apple Id username and password. It connects to App Retailer Hook up with confirm the validity of the certificates or to create new ones when crucial. The session cookie is saved in ~/.fastlane/spaceship/.
fastlane match additionally asks for a password. It makes use of this password to generate a key to crypt the signing supplies on the storage. Don’t overlook this password as a result of will probably be used at construct time to import the signing supplies on the construct machine.
Right here is the command and its output in full:
fastlane match import --type appstore
[✔] 🚀
[16:43:54]: Efficiently loaded '~/amplify-ios-getting-started/code/fastlane/Matchfile' 📄
+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Detected Values from './fastlane/Matchfile' |
+--------------+--------------------------------------+
| git_url. | https://github.com/sebsto/secret.git |
| storage_mode | git |
| sort | growth |
+--------------+--------------------------------------+
[16:43:54]: Certificates (.cer) path:
./secrets and techniques/sebsto-apple-dist.cer
[16:44:07]: Non-public key (.p12) path:
./secrets and techniques/sebsto-apple-dist.p12
[16:44:12]: Provisioning profile (.mobileprovision or .provisionprofile) path or go away empty to skip
this file:
./secrets and techniques/amplifyiosgettingstarteddist.mobileprovision
[16:44:25]: Cloning distant git repo...
[16:44:25]: If cloning the repo takes too lengthy, you should use the `clone_branch_directly` choice in match.
[16:44:27]: Trying out department grasp...
[16:44:27]: Enter the passphrase that must be used to encrypt/decrypt your certificates
[16:44:27]: This passphrase is particular per repository and will probably be saved in your native keychain
[16:44:27]: Make certain to recollect the password, as you will want it while you run match on a special machine
[16:44:27]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[16:44:30]: Kind passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword : The desired merchandise already exists within the keychain.
[16:44:31]: 🔓 Efficiently decrypted certificates repo
[16:44:31]: Repo is at: '/var/folders/14/nwpsn4b504gfp02_mrbyd2jr0000gr/T/d20250131-41830-z7b4ic'
[16:44:31]: Login to App Retailer Join (sebsto@mac.com)
[16:44:33]: Enter the passphrase that must be used to encrypt/decrypt your certificates
[16:44:33]: This passphrase is particular per repository and will probably be saved in your native keychain
[16:44:33]: Make certain to recollect the password, as you will want it while you run match on a special machine
[16:44:33]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[16:44:37]: Kind passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword : The desired merchandise already exists within the keychain.
[16:44:39]: 🔒 Efficiently encrypted certificates repo
[16:44:39]: Pushing modifications to distant git repo...
[16:44:40]: Completed importing recordsdata to Git Repo [https://github.com/sebsto/secret.git]
I confirm that Fastlane imported my signing materials to my Git repository.
I may configure my native machine to make use of these signing supplies throughout the subsequent construct:
» fastlane match appstore
[✔] 🚀
[17:39:08]: Efficiently loaded '~/amplify-ios-getting-started/code/fastlane/Matchfile' 📄
+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Detected Values from './fastlane/Matchfile' |
+--------------+--------------------------------------+
| git_url | https://github.com/sebsto/secret.git |
| storage_mode | git |
| sort | growth |
+--------------+--------------------------------------+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Abstract for match 2.226.0 |
+----------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| sort | appstore |
| readonly | false |
| generate_apple_certs | true |
| skip_provisioning_profiles | false |
| app_identifier | ["com.amazonaws.amplify.mobile.getting-started"] |
| username | xxxx@xxxxxxxxx |
| team_id | XXXXXXXXXX |
| storage_mode | git |
| git_url | https://github.com/sebsto/secret.git |
| git_branch | grasp |
| shallow_clone | false |
| clone_branch_directly | false |
| skip_google_cloud_account_confirmation | false |
| s3_skip_encryption | false |
| gitlab_host | https://gitlab.com |
| keychain_name | login.keychain |
| power | false |
| force_for_new_devices | false |
| include_mac_in_profiles | false |
| include_all_certificates | false |
| force_for_new_certificates | false |
| skip_confirmation | false |
| safe_remove_certs | false |
| skip_docs | false |
| platform | ios |
| derive_catalyst_app_identifier | false |
| fail_on_name_taken | false |
| skip_certificate_matching | false |
| skip_set_partition_list | false |
| force_legacy_encryption | false |
| verbose | false |
+----------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
[17:39:08]: Cloning distant git repo...
[17:39:08]: If cloning the repo takes too lengthy, you should use the `clone_branch_directly` choice in match.
[17:39:10]: Trying out department grasp...
[17:39:10]: Enter the passphrase that must be used to encrypt/decrypt your certificates
[17:39:10]: This passphrase is particular per repository and will probably be saved in your native keychain
[17:39:10]: Make certain to recollect the password, as you will want it while you run match on a special machine
[17:39:10]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[17:39:13]: Kind passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword : The desired merchandise already exists within the keychain.
[17:39:15]: 🔓 Efficiently decrypted certificates repo
[17:39:15]: Verifying that the certificates and profile are nonetheless legitimate on the Dev Portal...
[17:39:17]: Putting in certificates...
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Put in Certificates |
+-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Person ID | XXXXXXXXXX |
| Widespread Title | Apple Distribution: Sebastien Stormacq (XXXXXXXXXX) |
| Organisation Unit | XXXXXXXXXX |
| Organisation | Sebastien Stormacq |
| Nation | US |
| Begin Datetime | 2024-10-29 09:55:43 UTC |
| Finish Datetime | 2025-10-29 09:55:42 UTC |
+-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
[17:39:18]: Putting in provisioning profile...
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Put in Provisioning Profile |
+---------------------+----------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| Parameter | Surroundings Variable | Worth |
+---------------------+----------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| App Identifier | | com.amazonaws.amplify.cell.getting-starte |
| | | d |
| Kind | | appstore |
| Platform | | ios |
| Profile UUID | sigh_com.amazonaws.amplify.cell.getting-s | 4e497882-d80f-4684-945a-8bfec1b310b9 |
| | tarted_appstore | |
| Profile Title | sigh_com.amazonaws.amplify.cell.getting-s | amplify-ios-getting-started-dist |
| | tarted_appstore_profile-name | |
| Profile Path | sigh_com.amazonaws.amplify.cell.getting-s | /Customers/stormacq/Library/MobileDevice/Provis |
| | tarted_appstore_profile-path | ioning |
| | | Profiles/4e497882-d80f-4684-945a-8bfec1b310 |
| | | b9.mobileprovision |
| Improvement Staff ID | sigh_com.amazonaws.amplify.cell.getting-s | XXXXXXXXXX |
| | tarted_appstore_team-id | |
| Certificates Title | sigh_com.amazonaws.amplify.cell.getting-s | Apple Distribution: Sebastien Stormacq |
| | tarted_appstore_certificate-name | (XXXXXXXXXX) |
+---------------------+----------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
[17:39:18]: All required keys, certificates and provisioning profiles are put in 🙌 Step 2: Configure Fastlane to signal your challenge
I create a Fastlane construct configuration file in fastlane/Fastfile (you should use fastlane init command to get began):
default_platform(:ios)
platform :ios do
before_all do
setup_ci
finish
desc "Construct and Signal the binary"
lane :construct do
match(sort: "appstore", readonly: true)
fitness center(
scheme: "getting began",
export_method: "app-store"
)
finish
finish
Make it possible for the setup_ci motion is added to the before_all part of Fastfile for the match motion to operate appropriately. This motion creates a short lived Fastlane keychain with right permissions. With out this step, you might encounter construct failures or inconsistent outcomes.
And I check an area construct with the command fastlane construct. I enter the password I used when importing my keys and certificates, then I let the system construct and signal my challenge. When every thing is appropriately configured, it produces an analogous output.
...
[17:58:33]: Efficiently exported and compressed dSYM file
[17:58:33]: Efficiently exported and signed the ipa file:
[17:58:33]: ~/amplify-ios-getting-started/code/getting began.ipa
+---------------------------------------+
| fastlane abstract |
+------+------------------+-------------+
| Step | Motion | Time (in s) |
+------+------------------+-------------+
| 1 | default_platform | 0 |
| 2 | setup_ci | 0 |
| 3 | match | 36 |
| 4 | fitness center | 151 |
+------+------------------+-------------+
[17:58:33]: fastlane.instruments completed efficiently 🎉Step 3: Configure CodeBuild to make use of Fastlane
Subsequent, I create a challenge on CodeBuild. I’m not going into the step-by-step information that can assist you to take action. You may check with my earlier publish or to the CodeBuild documentation.
There is only one Fastlane-specific configuration. To entry the signing supplies, Fastlane requires entry to a few secret values that I’ll move as atmosphere variables:
MATCH_PASSWORD, the password I entered when importing the signing materials. Fastlane makes use of this password to decipher the encrypted recordsdata within the GitHub repositoryFASTLANE_SESSION, the worth of the Apple Id session cookie, situated at~/.fastlane/spaceship/. The session is legitimate from a few hours to a number of days. When the session expires, reauthenticate with the command/cookie fastlane spaceauthout of your laptop computer and replace the worth ofFASTLANE_SESSIONwith the brand new worth of the cookie.MATCH_GIT_BASIC_AUTHORIZATION, a base 64 encoding of your GitHub username, adopted by a colon, adopted by a private authentication token (PAT) to entry your personal GitHub repository. You may generate PAT on the GitHub console in Your Profile > Settings > Builders Settings > Private Entry Token. I take advantage of this command to generate the worth of this atmosphere variable:echo -n my_git_username:my_git_pat | base64.
Observe that for every of those three values, I can enter the Amazon Useful resource Title (ARN) of the key on AWS Secrets and techniques Supervisor or the plain textual content worth. We strongly suggest utilizing Secrets and techniques Supervisor to retailer security-sensitive values.
I’m a security-conscious consumer, so I retailer the three secrets and techniques in Secrets and techniques Supervisor with these instructions:
aws --region $REGION secretsmanager create-secret --name /CodeBuild/MATCH_PASSWORD --secret-string MySuperSecretPassword
aws --region $REGION secretsmanager create-secret --name /CodeBuild/FASTLANE_SESSION --secret-string $(cat ~/.fastlane/spaceship/my_appleid_username/cookie)
aws --region $REGION secretsmanager create-secret --name /CodeBuild/MATCH_GIT_BASIC_AUTHORIZATION --secret-string $(echo -n my_git_username:my_git_pat | base64)
In case your construct challenge refers to secrets and techniques saved in Secrets and techniques Supervisor, the construct challenge’s service function should permit the secretsmanager:GetSecretValue motion. When you selected New service function while you created your challenge, CodeBuild consists of this motion within the default service function in your construct challenge. Nonetheless, should you selected Present service function, you should embody this motion to your service function individually.
For this demo, I take advantage of this AWS Id and Entry Administration (IAM) coverage:
{
"Model": "2012-10-17",
"Assertion": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"secretsmanager:GetSecretValue"
],
"Useful resource": [
"arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-2:012345678912:secret:/CodeBuild/*"
]
}
]
}After I created the challenge within the CodeBuild part of the AWS Administration Console, I enter the three atmosphere variables. Discover that the worth is the title of the key in Secrets and techniques Supervisor.
You too can outline the atmosphere variables and their Secrets and techniques Supervisor secret title in your buildpsec.yaml file.
Subsequent, I modify the buildspec.yaml file on the root of my challenge to make use of fastlane to construct and signal the binary. My buildspec.yaml file now appears like this one:
# buildspec.yml
model: 0.2
phases:
set up:
instructions:
- code/ci_actions/00_install_rosetta.sh
pre_build:
instructions:
- code/ci_actions/02_amplify.sh
construct:
instructions:
- (cd code && fastlane construct)
artifacts:
title: getting-started-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).ipa
recordsdata:
- 'getting began.ipa'
base-directory: 'code'The Rosetta and Amplify scripts are required to obtain the Amplify configuration for the backend. When you don’t use AWS Amplify in your challenge, you don’t want these.
Discover that there’s nothing within the construct file that downloads the signing key or prepares the keychain within the construct atmosphere; fastlane match will try this for me.
I add the brand new buildspec.yaml file and my ./fastlane listing to Git. I commit and push these recordsdata. git commit -m "add fastlane help" && git push
When every thing goes effectively, I can see the construct operating on CodeBuild and the Succeeded message.
Pricing and availability
Fastlane is now pre-installed at no additional price on all macOS pictures that CodeBuild makes use of, in all Areas the place CodeBuild for macOS is obtainable. On the time of this writing, these are US East (Ohio, N. Virginia), US West (Oregon), Asia Pacific (Sydney), and Europe (Frankfurt).
In my expertise, it takes a little bit of time to configure fastlane match appropriately. When it’s configured, having it engaged on CodeBuild is fairly simple. Earlier than making an attempt this on CodeBuild, be certain it really works in your native machine. When one thing goes unsuitable on CodeBuild, triple-check the values of the atmosphere variables and ensure CodeBuild has entry to your secrets and techniques on AWS Secrets and techniques Supervisor.
Now go construct (on macOS)!