Xcode Build and Export

Use this skill when you need to build an app from source and prepare it for upload to App Store Connect.

Preconditions

• Xcode installed and command line tools configured
• Valid signing identity and provisioning profiles (or automatic signing enabled)

Manage version and build numbers with

asc

Before archiving, prefer

asc xcode version ...

over manual

pbxproj

edits when you need to inspect or bump app versions.

asc xcode version view
asc xcode version edit --version "1.3.0" --build-number "42"
asc xcode version bump --type build
asc xcode version bump --type patch

Notes:

• Use

  --project-dir "./MyApp"

  when you are not running from the project root.
• Use

  --target "App"

  for deterministic reads in multi-target projects.
• These commands support both legacy

  agvtool

  projects and modern

  MARKETING_VERSION

  /

  CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION

  setups.

iOS Build Flow

1. Clean and Archive

xcodebuild clean archive \
  -scheme "YourScheme" \
  -configuration Release \
  -archivePath /tmp/YourApp.xcarchive \
  -destination "generic/platform=iOS"

2. Export IPA

xcodebuild -exportArchive \
  -archivePath /tmp/YourApp.xcarchive \
  -exportPath /tmp/YourAppExport \
  -exportOptionsPlist ExportOptions.plist \
  -allowProvisioningUpdates

A minimal

ExportOptions.plist

for App Store distribution:

<?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>teamID</key>
    <string>YOUR_TEAM_ID</string>
</dict>
</plist>

3. Upload with asc

asc builds upload --app "APP_ID" --ipa "/tmp/YourAppExport/YourApp.ipa"

macOS Build Flow

1. Archive

xcodebuild archive \
  -scheme "YourMacScheme" \
  -configuration Release \
  -archivePath /tmp/YourMacApp.xcarchive \
  -destination "generic/platform=macOS"

2. Export PKG

xcodebuild -exportArchive \
  -archivePath /tmp/YourMacApp.xcarchive \
  -exportPath /tmp/YourMacAppExport \
  -exportOptionsPlist ExportOptions.plist \
  -allowProvisioningUpdates

3. Upload PKG with asc

macOS apps export as

.pkg

files. Upload with

asc

:

asc builds upload \
  --app "APP_ID" \
  --pkg "/tmp/YourMacAppExport/YourApp.pkg" \
  --version "1.0.0" \
  --build-number "123"

Notes:

• --pkg

  automatically sets platform to

  MAC_OS

  .
• For

  .pkg

  uploads,

  --version

  and

  --build-number

  are required (they are not auto-extracted like IPA uploads).
• Add

  --wait

  if you want to wait for build processing to complete.

Build Number Management

Each upload requires a unique build number higher than previously uploaded builds.

In Xcode project settings:

• CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION

  - build number (e.g., "316")

• MARKETING_VERSION

  - version string (e.g., "2.2.0")

Check existing builds:

asc builds list --app "APP_ID" --platform IOS --limit 5

Troubleshooting

"No profiles for bundle ID" during export

• Add

  -allowProvisioningUpdates

  flag
• Verify your Apple ID is logged into Xcode

Build rejected for missing icon (macOS)

macOS requires ICNS format icons with all sizes:

• 16x16, 32x32, 128x128, 256x256, 512x512 (1x and 2x)

CFBundleVersion too low

The build number must be higher than any previously uploaded build. Increment it with

asc xcode version bump --type build

, or resolve a remote-safe number with

asc builds next-build-number --app "APP_ID" --version "2.2.0" --platform IOS

and then apply it with

asc xcode version edit --build-number "NEXT_BUILD"

before rebuilding.

Notes

• Always clean before archive for release builds
• Use

  xcodebuild -showBuildSettings

  to verify configuration
• For submission issues (encryption, content rights), see

  asc-submission-health

  skill