Mobile DevOps

Tier: Free, Premium, Ultimate Offering: GitLab.com, Self-managed, GitLab Dedicated Status: Generally Available

Use GitLab Mobile DevOps to build, sign, and release native and cross-platform mobile apps for Android and iOS using GitLab CI/CD on-premise or on GitLab.com. Mobile DevOps implements tools and best practice workflows that use the capabilities of the GitLab one DevSecOps platform.

The GitLab Mobile DevOps suite of tools and services was developed and curated by the GitLab Incubation Engineering team. The GitLab CI Section owns and maintains this feature set:

Build environments

Get started quickly by using GitLab-hosted runners, or set up self-managed runners for complete control over the build environment.

Android build environments

Set up an Android build environment by selecting an appropriate Docker image and adding it to your .gitlab-ci.yml file. Fabernovel provides a variety of supported Android versions.

For example: 

test:
  image: fabernovel/android:api-33-v1.7.0
  stage: test
  script:
    - fastlane test

iOS build environments

GitLab hosted runners on macOS are in beta.

Choose an image to run a job on a macOS GitLab-hosted runner and add it to your .gitlab-ci.yml file.

For example: 

test:
  image: macos-14-xcode-15
  stage: test
  script:
    - fastlane test
  tags:
    - saas-macos-medium-m1

Code signing

All Android and iOS apps must be securely signed before being distributed through the various app stores. Signing ensures that applications haven’t been tampered with before reaching a user’s device.

With project-level secure files, you can store the following in GitLab, so that they can be used to securely sign apps in CI/CD builds:

  • Keystores
  • Provision profiles
  • Signing certificates

For an overview, see Project-level secure files demo.

Code signing Android projects with fastlane & Gradle

To set up code signing for Android:

  1. Upload your keystore and keystore properties files to project-level secure files.
  2. Update the Gradle configuration to use those files in the build.

For an overview, see How to build and release an Android app to Google Play with GitLab.

Create a keystore

Run the following command to generate a keystore file if you don’t already have one: 

keytool -genkey -v -keystore release-keystore.jks -storepass password -alias release -keypass password -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

Next, put the keystore configuration in a file called release-keystore.properties, which should look similar to this example: 

storeFile=.secure_files/release-keystore.jks
keyAlias=release
keyPassword=password
storePassword=password

After these files are created:

  • Upload them as Secure Files in the GitLab project so they can be used in CI/CD jobs.
  • Add both files to your .gitignore file so they aren’t committed to version control.

Configure Gradle

The next step is to configure Gradle to use the newly created keystore. In the app’s build.gradle file:

  1. Immediately after the plugins section, add: 

    def keystoreProperties = new Properties()
def keystorePropertiesFile = rootProject.file('.secure_files/release-keystore.properties')
if (keystorePropertiesFile.exists()) {
  keystoreProperties.load(new FileInputStream(keystorePropertiesFile))
}

  2. Anywhere in the android block, add: 

    signingConfigs {
  release {
    keyAlias keystoreProperties['keyAlias']
    keyPassword keystoreProperties['keyPassword']
    storeFile keystoreProperties['storeFile'] ? file(keystoreProperties['storeFile']) : null
    storePassword keystoreProperties['storePassword']
  }
}

  3. Add the signingConfig to the release build type: 

    signingConfig signingConfigs.release

With this configuration in place, you can use fastlane to build & sign the app with the files stored in secure files.

For example:

  • Sample fastlane/Fastfile file: 

    default_platform(:android)

platform :android do
  desc "Create and sign a new build"
  lane :build do
    gradle(tasks: ["clean", "assembleRelease", "bundleRelease"])
  end
end

  • Sample .gitlab-ci.yml file: 

    build:
  image: fabernovel/android:api-33-v1.7.0
  stage: build
  script:
    - apt update -y && apt install -y curl
    - curl --silent "https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/incubation-engineering/mobile-devops/download-secure-files/-/raw/main/installer" | bash
    - fastlane build

Code sign iOS projects with fastlane

To set up code signing for iOS, you must:

  1. Install fastlane locally so you can upload your signing certificates to GitLab.
  2. Configure the build to use those files.

For an overview, see How to build and release an iOS app to Test Flight with GitLab.

Initialize fastlane

With fastlane installed, start by running: 

fastlane init

This command creates a fastlane folder in the project with an Appfile and a stubbed-out fastfile. During this process, you are prompted for App Store Connect login credentials to generate an app identifier and an App Store app if they don’t already exist.

The next step sets up fastlane match to manage code signing files for the project. Run the following command to generate a Matchfile with the configuration: 

fastlane match init

This command prompts you to:

  • Choose which storage backend you want to use, you must select gitlab_secure_files.
  • Input your project path, for example gitlab-org/gitlab.

Generate and upload certificates

Run the following command to generate certificates and profiles in the Apple Developer portal and upload those files to GitLab: 

PRIVATE_TOKEN=YOUR-TOKEN bundle exec fastlane match development

In this example:

  • YOUR-TOKEN must be either a personal or project access token with Maintainer role for the GitLab project.
  • Replace development with the type of build you want to sign, for example appstore or ad-hoc.

You can view the files in your project’s CI/CD settings as soon as the command completes.

Upload-only

If you have already created signing certificates and provisioning profiles for your project, you can optionally use fastlane match import to load your existing files into GitLab: 

PRIVATE_TOKEN=YOUR-TOKEN bundle exec fastlane match import

You are prompted to input the path to your files. After you provide those details, your files are uploaded and visible in your project’s CI/CD settings. If prompted for the git_url during the import, it is safe to leave it blank and press enter.

With this configuration in place, you can use fastlane to build and sign the app with the files stored in secure files.

For example:

  • Sample fastlane/Fastfile file: 

    default_platform(:ios)

platform :ios do
  desc "Build and sign the application for development"
  lane :build do
    setup_ci

    match(type: 'development', readonly: is_ci)

    build_app(
      project: "ios demo.xcodeproj",
      scheme: "ios demo",
      configuration: "Debug",
      export_method: "development"
    )
  end
end

  • Sample .gitlab-ci.yml file: 

    build_ios:
  image: macos-12-xcode-14
  stage: build
  script:
    - fastlane build
  tags:
    - saas-macos-medium-m1

Distribution

Signed builds can be uploaded to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store by using the Mobile DevOps Distribution integrations.

Android distribution with Google Play integration and fastlane

To create an Android distribution with Google Play integration and fastlane, you must:

  1. Create a Google service account in Google Cloud Platform and grant that account access to the project in Google Play.
  2. Enable the Google Play integration.
  3. Add the release step to your pipeline.

For an overview, see Google Play integration demo.

Enable Google Play Integration

Use the Google Play integration, to configure your CI/CD pipelines to connect to the Google Play Console to build and release Android apps. To enable the integration:

  1. On the left sidebar, select Search or go to and find your project.
  2. Select Settings > Integrations.
  3. Select Google Play.
  4. Under Enable integration, select the Active checkbox.
  5. In Package name, enter the package name of the app. For example, com.gitlab.app_name.
  6. In Service account key (.JSON) drag or upload your key file.
  7. Select Save changes.

With the integration enabled, you can use fastlane to distribute a build to Google Play.

For example:

  • Sample fastlane/Fastfile: 

    default_platform(:android)

platform :android do
  desc "Submit a new Beta build to the Google Play store"
  lane :beta do
    upload_to_play_store(
      track: 'internal',
      aab: 'app/build/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab',
      release_status: 'draft'
    )
  end
end

  • Sample .gitlab-ci.yml: 

    beta:
  image: fabernovel/android:api-33-v1.7.0
  stage: beta
  script:
    - fastlane beta

iOS distribution Apple Store integration and fastlane

To create an iOS distribution with the Apple Store integration and fastlane, you must:

  1. Generate an API Key for App Store Connect API. In the Apple App Store Connect portal, generate a new private key for your project.
  2. Enable the Apple App Store Connect integration.
  3. Add the release step to your pipeline and fastlane configuration.

For an overview, see Apple App Store Connect integration demo.

Enable the Apple App Store Connect integration

Prerequisites:

Use the Apple App Store Connect integration to configure your CI/CD pipelines to connect to App Store Connect. With this integration, you can build and release apps for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS.

To enable the Apple App Store Connect integration in GitLab:

  1. On the left sidebar, select Search or go to and find your project.
  2. Select Settings > Integrations.
  3. Select Apple App Store Connect.
  4. Under Enable integration, select the Active checkbox.
  5. Provide the Apple App Store Connect configuration information:
    • Issuer ID: The Apple App Store Connect issuer ID.
    • Key ID: The key ID of the generated private key.
    • Private key: The generated private key. You can download this key only once.
    • Protected branches and tags only: Enable to set variables on protected branches and tags only.
  6. Select Save changes.

With the integration enabled, you can use fastlane to distribute a build to TestFlight and the Apple App Store.

For example:

  • Sample fastlane/Fastfile: 

    default_platform(:ios)

platform :ios do
  desc "Build and sign the application for distribution, upload to TestFlight"
  lane :beta do
    setup_ci

    match(type: 'appstore', readonly: is_ci)

    app_store_connect_api_key

    increment_build_number(
      build_number: latest_testflight_build_number(initial_build_number: 1) + 1,
      xcodeproj: "ios demo.xcodeproj"
    )

    build_app(
      project: "ios demo.xcodeproj",
      scheme: "ios demo",
      configuration: "Release",
      export_method: "app-store"
    )

    upload_to_testflight
  end
end

  • Sample .gitlab-ci.yml: 

    beta_ios:
  image: macos-12-xcode-14
  stage: beta
  script:
    - fastlane beta

Review apps for mobile

You can use review apps to preview changes directly from a merge request. This feature is possible through an integration with Appetize.io.

For an overview, see Review apps for mobile setup instructions.

To get started, see the setup instructions.

Sample Reference Projects

See the sample reference projects below for complete build, sign, and release pipeline examples for various platforms. A list of all available projects can be found in the Mobile DevOps Demo Projects group.

Mobile DevOps Blog

Additional reference material can be found in the DevOps section of the GitLab blog.