Mobile Release

One release process for every mobile stack. This file holds the process and what is true everywhere; each platform's versioning, signing, symbols and store details live in its reference.

1. Pick the references

Need	Read
Evidence-backed readiness audit, verdict and report	references/readiness.md
Flutter app	references/flutter.md
Native Android, or the Android build of any app	references/android.md
Native iOS, or the iOS build of any app	references/ios.md
React Native or Expo app	references/react-native.md
Kotlin Multiplatform shared module and both host apps	references/kotlin-multiplatform.md
In-app purchases and subscription lifecycle	references/billing.md
Release notes and store listing text	references/store-copy.md
A CI/CD pipeline that builds, signs and uploads	references/ci-cd.md

Flutter and React Native apps also need the Android and iOS references for signing and store details. Deeper platform guides live in the platform skills: Google Play policy and Play Billing in mobile-android, TestFlight and App Store Connect in mobile-ios, EAS in mobile-rn. Security hardening before release is in mobile-security, and production crash, error and release-health signals are in mobile-observability.

2. Readiness checklist

For readiness audits, first follow the readiness contract: resolve each artifact identity, collect per-target evidence and apply its required gates and deterministic verdict helper.

Check each item against the project, not against memory. For the readiness verdict, a missing artifact or unavailable check is unknown; use fail only for an observed failure with evidence. Record a source reference and next action for every gate.

Version

• The version name follows the app's actual versioning scheme and is verified in the artifact and applicable CI overrides.
• The build number satisfies the destination store’s numbering scope, verified against upload history: Android versionCode increases across tracks; iOS build numbers must be unused within the applicable version train. See the native references.
• Android, iOS and any cross-platform manifest (pubspec.yaml, app.json) agree on the version.

Build quality

• CI is green on the release commit: lint or analysis, tests, and a release build for each platform.
• The release build is the one tested: release configuration, production environment, real signing — not a debug build.
• No debug leftovers: logging of sensitive data, debug menus, test endpoints, debuggable or development entitlements, feature flags pointing at staging.
• Crash symbols for this exact build are uploaded or archived: R8 mapping, dSYMs, Dart debug info, JavaScript source maps.

Store and compliance

• The target SDK, minimum OS and build toolchain meet the store's current requirements. These change every year: tell the user to confirm them in the Play Console and Apple's upload requirements instead of stating dates from memory.
• New permissions, tracking or data collection are reflected in the Play Data safety form, the App Store privacy details, privacy manifests and the privacy policy.
• Reviewers can reach every feature: a demo account and notes for anything behind login, hardware or location.
• Release notes and, when features changed, screenshots and description are ready in every listed language.

Rollout

• Staged rollout (Play) or phased release (App Store) planned for updates, with the crash-free and ANR metrics to watch and the threshold that halts it.
• Rollback plan: stores do not roll back a binary. Halting a rollout stops new installs; users who updated need a new build with a higher build number, a server-side kill switch or a remote config flag. Know which one applies before shipping.
• The release commit is tagged and the tag matches the version, when this is the project's release convention.

3. Report

Use the readiness report and decision rules. Any failed or unknown required gate means NO-GO. GO WITH RISKS requires all gates to pass with explicitly documented non-blocking risks; GO requires no outstanding risks.

Readiness audits inspect existing evidence without running builds/tests or modifying the app. Version bumps, tags, uploads and store changes follow the user's explicit execution scope and existing authorization.