AWS CodeBuild for macOS provides assist for Fastlane


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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 checks, and produces ready-to-deploy software program packages.

Fastlane is an open supply software suite designed to automate numerous points of cell utility growth. It supplies cell utility builders with a centralized set of instruments to handle duties resembling code signing, screenshot technology, beta distribution, and app retailer submissions. It integrates with widespread steady integration and steady deployment (CI/CD) platforms and helps each iOS and Android growth workflows. Though Fastlane affords vital automation capabilities, builders could encounter challenges throughout its setup and upkeep. Configuring Fastlane might be complicated, notably for groups unfamiliar with the syntax and package deal administration system of Ruby. Preserving Fastlane and its dependencies updated requires ongoing effort, as a result of updates to cell platforms or third-party providers could necessitate changes to current 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 setting. Though it was doable to manually set up Fastlane in a customized construct setting, at AWS, we take away the undifferentiated heaving lifting out of your infrastructure so you may spend extra time on the points that matter for your corporation. Beginning immediately, 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 non-public key generated on the Apple Developer portal. This personal key, together with the certificates that validates it, have to be accessible through the construct course of. This generally is a problem for growth groups as a result of they should share the event personal key (which permits deployment on chosen check units) amongst staff members. Moreover, the distribution personal key (which allows publishing on the App Retailer) have to be obtainable 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 growth 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 setting. 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 setting, 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 select them up.

match permits the sharing of signing secrets and techniques by GitHub, GitLab, Google Cloud Storage, Azure DevOps, and Amazon Easy Storage Service (Amazon S3).

In the event 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 ensure your CodeBuild construct setting has entry to the shared storage (see step 3 within the demo).

Let’s see the way it works
In the event you’re new to Fastlane or CodeBuild, let’s see the way it works.

For this demo, I begin with an current iOS challenge. The challenge is already configured to be constructed on CodeBuild. You may confer 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 best way to get began in three steps:

  • Import your current signing supplies to a shared personal GitHub repository
  • Configure fastlane to construct and signal your challenge
  • Use fastlanewith CodeBuild

Step 1: Import your signing supplies

A lot of the fastlane documentation I learn explains the best 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 in all probability have already got your challenge and your signing keys. So, step one is to import these current signing supplies.

Apple App Retailer makes use of totally different keys and certificates for growth and distribution (there are additionally advert hoc and enterprise certificates, however these are exterior the scope of this put up). You will need to have three information for every utilization (that’s a complete of six information):

  • A .mobileprovision file that you would be able to 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 .cer file, 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 .p12 file, which accommodates your personal key. You may obtain the important thing if you create it within the Apple Developer portal. In the event 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 may open it with open /System/Library/CoreServices/Functions/Keychain Entry.app. Choose the important thing you wish to export and proper click on to pick out Export.
Export p12 files from Keychain

When you could have these information, 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 you change the URL of your GitHub repository and be certain this repository is personal. It can function a storage in your signing key and certificates.

Then, I import my current information with the fastlane match import --type appstore command. I repeat the command for every setting: 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 needed. 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         | 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]: 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 will likely be saved in your native keychain
[16:44:27]: Ensure that to recollect the password, as you will want it if you run match on a unique machine
[16:44:27]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[16:44:30]: Sort passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword <NULL>: The required 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 ought to be used to encrypt/decrypt your certificates
[16:44:33]: This passphrase is restricted per repository and will likely be saved in your native keychain
[16:44:33]: Ensure that to recollect the password, as you will want it if you run match on a unique machine
[16:44:33]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[16:44:37]: Sort passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword <NULL>: The required 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 information to Git Repo [https://github.com/sebsto/secret.git]

I confirm that Fastlane imported my signing materials to my Git repository.

Fastlane match - github repo after import

I may also 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         | 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                                   |
| 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 use 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 will likely be saved in your native keychain
[17:39:10]: Ensure that to recollect the password, as you will want it if you run match on a unique machine
[17:39:10]: Passphrase for Match storage: ********
[17:39:13]: Sort passphrase once more: ********
safety: SecKeychainAddInternetPassword <NULL>: The required 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 Identify       | 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                                            |
| Sort                |                                              | appstore                                     |
| Platform            |                                              | ios                                          |
| Profile UUID        | sigh_com.amazonaws.amplify.cell.getting-s  | 4e497882-d80f-4684-945a-8bfec1b310b9         |
|                     | tarted_appstore                              |                                              |
| Profile Identify        | 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 Group ID | sigh_com.amazonaws.amplify.cell.getting-s  | XXXXXXXXXX                                   |
|                     | tarted_appstore_team-id                      |                                              |
| Certificates Identify    | 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

Guarantee that the setup_ci motion is added to the before_all part of Fastfile for the match motion to perform appropriately. This motion creates a short lived Fastlane keychain with appropriate permissions. With out this step, you could 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 all the things is appropriately configured, it produces an identical 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 will help you to take action. You may confer 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 a few secret values that I’ll move as setting variables:

  • MATCH_PASSWORD, the password I entered when importing the signing materials. Fastlane makes use of this password to decipher the encrypted information within the GitHub repository
  • FASTLANE_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 command fastlane spaceauth out of your laptop computer and replace the worth of FASTLANE_SESSION with 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 setting 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 Identify (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 challenge refers to secrets and techniques saved in Secrets and techniques Supervisor, the construct challenge’s service function should permit the secretsmanager:GetSecretValue motion. In the event you selected New service function if you created your challenge, CodeBuild consists of this motion within the default service function in your construct challenge. Nonetheless, in the event you selected Present service function, you need to embody this motion to your service function individually.

For this demo, I take advantage of 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 challenge within the CodeBuild part of the AWS Administration Console, I enter the three setting variables. Discover that the worth is the identify of the key in Secrets and techniques Supervisor.

Codebuild - environment variables for Fastlane match

You can even outline the setting variables and their Secrets and techniques Supervisor secret identify 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 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:
  identify: getting-started-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).ipa
  information:
    - 'getting began.ipa'
  base-directory: 'code'

The Rosetta and Amplify scripts are required to obtain the Amplify configuration for the backend. In the event 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 setting; 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 information. git commit -m "add fastlane assist" && git push

When all the things goes effectively, I can see the construct working on CodeBuild and the Succeeded message.

Codebuild - succeed message

Pricing and availability
Fastlane is now pre-installed at no additional 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 appropriately. When it’s configured, having it engaged on CodeBuild is fairly simple. Earlier than attempting this on CodeBuild, ensure it really works in your native machine. When one thing goes incorrect on CodeBuild, triple-check the values of the setting variables and ensure CodeBuild has entry to your secrets and techniques on AWS Secrets and techniques Supervisor.

Now go construct (on macOS)!

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