Mobile App Launch Checklist

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

For any release, ensure you have the necessary tools in place to provide support for your app. Here’s a useful checklist we put together to make sure you don’t miss anything when shipping your next app update:

1. Install Intercom, Drift or Crisp to provide chat with customer support

2. Add a logging tool to your app:

• Logstash or Bugfender to view your application’s logs remotely and capture crashes
• CocoaLumberjack (iOS)/Timber (Android) to capture application logs
• Crashlytics if you only require crash collection
• Localytics, Mixpanel or Facebook/Google Analytics for tracking events in your app

3. Check that all issues/tickets/tasks corresponding to the release are marked as completed or have been rescheduled to another version.

4. Check that all dependency libraries are up to date:

• If there are minor version updates available, update them.
• If there are major version updates available, create a new task to ensure they’re updated in the the next release of your app.

5. Compile your app’s code and check there are no warnings.

6. Run a static code analysis and linter, and fix any issues detected.

7. Run all tests (unit, integration, system, etc) and ensure they all pass.

8. Test your application:

• On the real devices that most commonly use your app. These may not be the latest devices, but you should ensure your users are able to use your app.
• Use the latest versions of iOS and Android using emulators if real devices aren’t available.

9. If your application requires a database which needs to be updated with the new release of your app:

• Delete the new test version of the application from the mobile device.
• Install an older version of the application and enter some test data.
• Upgrade the installation of the app to the latest version and check the data migration worked properly.

10. Tag a version of the code repository with a version number.

11. For iOS apps, retain a copy of the generated dSYM file.

• For security purposes, make sure debug symbols are not included in the binary (there’s a build setting for it). If this precaution isn’t taken, it could be used to reverse engineer or attack the app.

12. Make sure everyone is updating their local working repositories to the newer version.

• Distribute a beta first, followed by production. It’s also worth considering a staged rollout.

13. Documentation:

• Publish an internal document containing a list of tasks completed and included changes from the previous version.
• Ensure your application’s documentation, help pages, and manuals are up-to-date.
• Create a detailed changelog for the public.

14. Update the app’s description and screenshots on the App Store/Google Play store.

• Tip: Fastlane is a good tool to automate taking screenshots and sending beta and production builds to the app stores.
• Make those screenshots stand out with Promomatic’s easy to use design builder

15. Create a production build and upload it to the app stores.

• We recommend you keep a copy of the built file as well (ipa or apk). It will help your team to easily test the application at any version.

With this list, your team will feel confident they haven’t miss anything before flicking the switch on going live. it happen. We hope this list helps and if you have any other tips or processes you follow or find useful? Let us know!