 |
I’m happy to announce the supply of Fastlane in your AWS CodeBuild for macOS environments. AWS CodeBuild is a completely managed steady integration service that compiles supply code, runs exams, and produces ready-to-deploy software program packages.
Fastlane is an open supply device suite designed to automate varied features of cell software improvement. It offers cell software builders with a centralized set of instruments to handle duties equivalent to code signing, screenshot era, beta distribution, and app retailer submissions. It integrates with fashionable steady integration and steady deployment (CI/CD) platforms and helps each iOS and Android improvement workflows. Though Fastlane affords vital automation capabilities, builders might encounter challenges throughout its setup and upkeep. Configuring Fastlane may be advanced, significantly for groups unfamiliar with the syntax and bundle 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 among your challenges was to put in and preserve Fastlane in your construct atmosphere. Though it was doable 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 features that matter for your small business. Beginning immediately, Fastlane is put in by default, and you should utilize the acquainted command fastlane constructin your buildspec.yaml file.
Fastlane and code signing
To distribute an software on the App Retailer, builders should signal their binary with a non-public key generated on the Apple Developer portal. This non-public key, together with the certificates that validates it, should be accessible through the construct course of. This generally is a problem for improvement groups as a result of they should share the event non-public key (which permits deployment on chosen take a look at gadgets) amongst staff members. Moreover, the distribution non-public key (which allows publishing on the App Retailer) should be out there through 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 improvement and distribution keys and certificates. Builders can use fastlane match to share signing supplies in a staff 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 way of GitHub, GitLab, Google Cloud Storage, Azure DevOps, and Amazon Easy Storage Service (Amazon S3).
In case you already use one among 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
In case you’re new to Fastlane or CodeBuild, let’s see the way it works.
For this demo, I begin with an present iOS undertaking. The undertaking is already configured to be constructed on CodeBuild. You possibly can discuss with my earlier weblog put up, Add macOS to your steady integration pipelines with AWS CodeBuild, to be taught extra particulars.
I’ll present you the right way to get began in three steps:
- Import your present signing supplies to a shared non-public GitHub repository
- Configure
fastlaneto construct and signal your undertaking - Use
fastlanewith CodeBuild
Step 1: Import your signing supplies
A lot of the fastlane documentation I learn explains the right way to create a brand new key pair and a brand new certificates to get began. Though that is actually true for brand new initiatives, in actual life, you most likely have already got your undertaking and your signing keys. So, step one is to import these present signing supplies.
Apple App Retailer makes use of totally different keys and certificates for improvement and distribution (there are additionally advert hoc and enterprise certificates, however these are outdoors the scope of this put up). You need to have three recordsdata for every utilization (that’s a complete of six recordsdata):
- A
.mobileprovisionfile you could create and obtain from the Apple developer console. The provisioning profile hyperlinks your identification, the app identification, and the entitlements the app might need. - A
.cerfile, which is the certificates emitted by Apple to validate your non-public key. You possibly can obtain this from the Apple Developer portal. Choose the certificates, then choose Obtain. - A
.p12file, which accommodates your non-public key. You possibly can obtain the important thing once you create it within the Apple Developer portal. In case you didn’t obtain it however have it in your machine, you may export it from the Apple Keychain app. Be aware that the KeyChain.app is hidden in macOS 15.x. You possibly can open it withopen /System/Library/CoreServices/Purposes/Keychain Entry.app. Choose the important thing you wish to export and proper click on to pick Export.
 |  |
When you have got these recordsdata, create a fastlane/Matchfile file with the next content material:
git_url("https://github.com/sebsto/secret.git")
storage_mode("git")
sort("improvement")
# or use appstore to make use of the distribution signing key and certificates
# sort("appstore")You should definitely change the URL of your GitHub repository and ensure this repository is non-public. It can function a storage to 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 improvement.
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 essential. The session cookie is saved in ~/.fastlane/spaceship/<your apple person id>/cookie.
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 | improvement |
+--------------+--------------------------------------+
[16:43:54]: Certificates (.cer) path:
./secrets and techniques/sebsto-apple-dist.cer
[16:44:07]: Personal key (.p12) path:
./secrets and techniques/sebsto-apple-dist.p12
[16:44:12]: Provisioning profile (.mobileprovision or .provisionprofile) path or depart 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 utilize the `clone_branch_directly` choice in match.
[16:44:27]: Testing department grasp...
[16:44:27]: Enter the passphrase that ought to be used to encrypt/decrypt your certificates
[16:44:27]: This passphrase is restricted per repository and shall be saved in your native keychain
[16:44:27]: Ensure to recollect the password, as you may want it once you run match on a special machine
[16:44:27]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[16:44:30]: Kind passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword <NULL>: 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 ([email protected])
[16:44:33]: Enter the passphrase that ought to be used to encrypt/decrypt your certificates
[16:44:33]: This passphrase is restricted per repository and shall be saved in your native keychain
[16:44:33]: Ensure to recollect the password, as you may want it once you run match on a special machine
[16:44:33]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[16:44:37]: Kind passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword <NULL>: The desired merchandise already exists within the keychain.
[16:44:39]: 🔒 Efficiently encrypted certificates repo
[16:44:39]: Pushing adjustments 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 through 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 | improvement |
+--------------+--------------------------------------+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 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 |
| drive | 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 utilize the `clone_branch_directly` choice in match.
[17:39:10]: Testing department grasp...
[17:39:10]: Enter the passphrase that ought to be used to encrypt/decrypt your certificates
[17:39:10]: This passphrase is restricted per repository and shall be saved in your native keychain
[17:39:10]: Ensure to recollect the password, as you may want it once you run match on a special machine
[17:39:10]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[17:39:13]: Kind passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword <NULL>: 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 |
+-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Consumer ID | XXXXXXXXXX |
| Frequent 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 | Atmosphere 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 |
| Growth Workforce 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 undertaking
I create a Fastlane construct configuration file in fastlane/Fastfile (you should utilize 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)
gymnasium(
scheme: "getting began",
export_method: "app-store"
)
finish
finish
Ensure that the setup_ci motion is added to the before_all part of Fastfile for the match motion to perform accurately. This motion creates a brief Fastlane keychain with right permissions. With out this step, you might encounter construct failures or inconsistent outcomes.
And I take a look at a neighborhood 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 undertaking. When all the pieces is accurately configured, it produces the same 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 | gymnasium | 151 |
+------+------------------+-------------+
[17:58:33]: fastlane.instruments completed efficiently 🎉Step 3: Configure CodeBuild to make use of Fastlane
Subsequent, I create a undertaking on CodeBuild. I’m not going into the step-by-step information that can assist you to take action. You possibly can discuss with my earlier put up or to the CodeBuild documentation.
There is only one Fastlane-specific configuration. To entry the signing supplies, Fastlane requires entry to 3 secret values that I’ll cross 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/<your apple person id>/cookie. The session is legitimate from a few hours to a number of days. When the session expires, reauthenticate with the commandfastlane 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 non-public GitHub repository. You possibly can generate PAT on the GitHub console in Your Profile > Settings > Builders Settings > Private Entry Token. I exploit this command to generate the worth of this atmosphere variable:echo -n my_git_username:my_git_pat | base64.
Be aware 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 advocate utilizing Secrets and techniques Supervisor to retailer security-sensitive values.
I’m a security-conscious person, 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 $(echo -n my_git_username:my_git_pat | base64)
In case your construct undertaking refers to secrets and techniques saved in Secrets and techniques Supervisor, the construct undertaking’s service function should enable the secretsmanager:GetSecretValue motion. In case you selected New service function once you created your undertaking, CodeBuild consists of this motion within the default service function to your construct undertaking. Nevertheless, for those who selected Present service function, you should embrace this motion to your service function individually.
For this demo, I exploit this AWS Identification and Entry Administration (IAM) coverage:
{
"Model": "2012-10-17",
"Assertion": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"secretsmanager:GetSecretValue"
],
"Useful resource": [
"arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-2:012345678912:secret:/CodeBuild/*"
]
}
]
}After I created the undertaking within the CodeBuild part of the AWS Administration Console, I enter the three atmosphere variables. Discover that the worth is the title of the key in Secrets and techniques Supervisor.
You may also outline the atmosphere variables and their Secrets and techniques Supervisor secret title in your buildpsec.yaml file.
Subsequent, I modify the buildspec.yaml file on the root of my undertaking to make use of fastlane to construct and signal the binary. My buildspec.yaml file now seems like this one:
# buildspec.yml
model: 0.2
phases:
set up:
instructions:
- code/ci_actions/00_install_rosetta.sh
pre_build:
instructions:
- code/ci_actions/02_amplify.sh
construct:
instructions:
- (cd code && fastlane construct)
artifacts:
title: getting-started-$(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. In case you don’t use AWS Amplify in your undertaking, 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 do 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 all the pieces goes effectively, I can see the construct operating on CodeBuild and the Succeeded message.
Pricing and availability
Fastlane is now pre-installed at no further value on all macOS photographs that CodeBuild makes use of, in all Areas the place CodeBuild for macOS is offered. 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 accurately. When it’s configured, having it engaged on CodeBuild is fairly easy. Earlier than making an attempt this on CodeBuild, make certain it really works in your native machine. When one thing goes mistaken 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)!