Release documentation

How to release the app

Create a release branch and increase the version number

• create a new release branch by using GitFlow with the name <next_version_number>
• increase the version number to <next_version_number>
  • in https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-app/blob/develop/package.json for the JavaScript-Code
  • in https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-app/blob/develop/android/app/build.gradle for the Android app - also increase the versionCode to the next number
  • in https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-app/blob/develop/ios/TreecounterApp.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj for the iOS app - you can also increase the bundle version MARKETING_VERSION to the next number
• commit the increase of the version number with a suitable message

License information

• Whenever new libraries (node modules) are used, maybe the license file should get an update. Generate an temporary list of licenses with ./node_modules/license-checker/bin/license-checker --production --relativeLicensePath --direct --json > license.json and then copy the license from that file to https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-app/blob/develop/app/components/AboutUs/LicenseInfo.json - currently only all licenses from modules loaded in the section dependencies of package.json are listed.

Routing information (work in progress)

• Whenever the routing information for the API changes the files https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-platform/blob/develop/web/js/fos_js_routes.json in the treecounter-platform backend repository and the file https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-app/blob/develop/app/server/routes/fos_js_routes.json in the treecounter-app repository have to be synchronized.

Form information (work in progress)

• JSON representations are generated by the backend
• use JSON to JS to convert the schema into a JS object (https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-app/tree/develop/app/server)
• For using Formik we use the function generateFormikSchemaFromFormSchema (https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-app/blob/5e0ac5faafe970393e63c3e08aba4171c5b815ae/app/helpers/utils.js#L578) to generate validation schemata and initial values needed?
• For using Tcomb we use this code https://github.com/Plant-for-the-Planet-org/treecounter-app/blob/develop/app/server/parserLiformToTcomb.js?

Release the Android app

• use Android Studio with the menu Build->Generate Signed Bundle/APK to generate a signed AAB
  • create a new Alpha, Beta or Production release in the Google Play Store console
  • upload the AAB into Google Play Store Console
  • add a release note
  • publish the release

Release the iOS app

• Use menu Product->Archive in the TreecounterApp(.env.production) scheme with the Generic iOS Device device to create a new archive for releasing the app
  • use the Organizer to distribute the app (method iOS App Store) to App Store Connect
  • wait for the build to be processed by Apple
• for TestFlight the processed build has to be activated by added an Export Compliance
• for distribution a new version with <next_version_number> has to be created
  • choose the processed build for this version
  • add a release note
  • push the release into the review process with manual release
  • after the review process succeeds release the app

Release of the web client

• Merge the release branch into the master and default branch by using GitFlow. This should be done anyway after the release is completed.
• Optionally merge the default branch develop also into fixtures to update all backends.
• As Cloudflare is caching the web client, the cache of Cloudflare should be purged for that parts of the app which are not versioned.

Source Maps

• Run the script ./release/upload-native-source-maps.sh (in the app repository) to upload source maps to Bugsnag for the native client within the time the apps got processed in the App Stores.
• Optionally download the dSYMs for the iOS from App Store Connect for the latest build and upload it to Bugsnag as described in the script ./release/upload-native-source-maps.sh
• Source maps for the web client will be uploaded automatically within the CircleCI build of the master branch.