Going to Production

Head to expo.dev and sign up for a free account if you haven't already.

In your Expo dashboard, navigate to Access Tokens from the sidebar.

Click Add Robot to create a new robot.

Give the robot a name (e.g., "Struklio Builder") and assign it the Admin or Developer role.

Once the robot is created, generate an Access Token for it - copy and save this token securely, you'll need it in Struklio's deploy wizard.

Go to the Overview tab in your Expo dashboard.

Click New Project + to create a new project and give it a name.

Once the project is created, click the Details button on the project to find the Project ID and Slug.

Go to App Store Connect → Users and Access.

In the navbar, select Integrations, then open the Team Keys tab.

Copy the Issuer ID displayed at the top of this page - save it securely.

Click the + button to create a new API key.

Give it a recognizable name (e.g., "Struklio Deploy") and assign the Admin role so it has full access for the build and submission process.

Click Generate. Your new Key ID will appear in the list - copy and save it alongside the Issuer ID.

Go to the Apple Developer Console dashboard.

Scroll down to Membership details.

Copy the Team ID displayed there.

In the Apple Developer Console, go to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles.

Click Keys in the sidebar, then click the + button in the top left.

Enter a unique Key Name and select the services you want to enable (e.g., Apple Push Notification service).

Click Continue, review the configuration, then click Confirm.

Click Download to save the `.p8` file - it downloads as a plain text file with a `.p8` extension.

Go to play.google.com/console/signup. Sign in with the Google account that should own your app. Use an email you’ll keep for years, ideally your business email. You must be 18 or older.

Choose Personal (you, as an individual) or Organization (a registered company). An organization needs a free D-U-N-S number - a company ID from Dun & Bradstreet that can take up to 30 days to get. Check if your company already has one before applying.

Enter your developer name. It’s shown under your app on Google Play, so use your business or brand name.

Accept the Developer Distribution Agreement and pay the $25 with a credit or debit card in your own name. It’s a one-time fee. Prepaid cards don’t work.

Verify your identity. Google asks for a government ID in the same legal name as the card. If the details don’t match, the account can be refused and the $25 is not refunded - so type your name exactly as it is on your ID.

Personal accounts only: install the Google Play Console app on an Android phone and sign in with the same Google account. This proves you have an Android device. Google won’t let you publish until this is done.

Wait for the confirmation email. This usually takes a few hours to a few days.

Open Play Console and click Create app.

App name: the name people will see on Google Play (you can change it later).

Package name: type it exactly as Struklio shows it for your app. It must match the .aab file, and it can never be changed later.

Default language: the main language of your app.

App or game: choose App. Free or paid: choose Free (see the note below).

Contact email: an address your users can reach you at. It’s shown on Google Play.

Tick the declarations (Developer Program Policies, US export laws and Play App Signing terms) and click Create app.

Your app’s Dashboard opens with a list of setup tasks. Each is a short form about your app: privacy policy link, app access, ads, content rating, target audience, data safety and a few declarations. Work through them from top to bottom and answer honestly.

App access: if people must sign in to use your app, add a test email and password so Google’s reviewers can get in. This is the most common reason first apps are rejected.

Fill in your store listing: descriptions, icon, feature graphic and screenshots (sizes in the table below). Click Save.

On your account page, pick the app and click Build for Google Play (.aab). Connect Expo (already done if you published to iOS), confirm your package name, and start the build. About 15–30 minutes later, click Download .aab. The file has your app name, icon and package name already inside, and Struklio keeps its signing key safe so every later update is accepted. No computer program or code needed.

In Play Console, open your app and go to Test and release → Testing → Closed testing.

Click Create new release. If the button is greyed out, go back to the Dashboard - a setup task from Step 2 is still unfinished.

If Google asks about app signing, keep its recommended option (Google manages your signing key). Nothing else to do there.

Under App bundles, drag in the .aab file from Struklio, or click Upload and pick it. Wait until the upload finishes.

The release name fills itself in. In Release notes, write something short, like “First release”.

Click Next. You’ll see Preview and confirm. Red errors must be fixed before you can continue; yellow warnings are worth reading but don’t block you.

Click Save, then go to Publishing overview and click Send changes for review. Google reviews your test release - usually within a few days.

In Closed testing, click Manage track and open the Testers tab.

Click Create email list, give it a name (for example “My testers”) and add your testers’ Google account emails (Gmail addresses), separated by commas. Click Save changes, then Create.

Tick your new list, add a feedback email (yours), and click Save changes.

Once Google has approved your test release, copy the opt-in link on the same tab. (The link only appears after approval.)

Send the link to your testers. Each one opens it on their Android phone, taps to become a tester, then installs your app from Google Play.

Keep at least 12 testers opted in for 14 days in a row. Ask them to really use the app and tell you what they think.

After 14 days with 12+ testers, open the Dashboard and click Apply for production.

Answer the three short sections: about your closed test, about your app, and how ready it is. Mention what your testers found and what you improved.

Wait for Google’s answer by email - usually up to about a week.

Once approved, go to Test and release → Production and click Create new release. Click Add from library and pick the same .aab you tested (no need to upload it again), write release notes, and click Next.

Click Start rollout to production, then Send changes for review in Publishing overview. After Google’s review, your app is live on Google Play.

Create a Play Console developer account

Testing requirements for new personal accounts

Create and set up your app

Prepare and roll out a release

Set up a closed test

Store listing graphics