AWS News Blog: AWS CodeBuild for macOS adds support for Fastlane

Source URL: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/codebuild-for-macos-adds-support-for-fastlane/
Source: AWS News Blog
Title: AWS CodeBuild for macOS adds support for Fastlane

Feedly Summary: AWS CodeBuild now includes pre-installed Fastlane in macOS environments, streamlining mobile app development by providing built-in access to automated tools for code signing, testing, and app distribution, without manual setup requirements.

AI Summary and Description: Yes

**Short Summary with Insight:**
The text discusses the integration of Fastlane into AWS CodeBuild for macOS environments, emphasizing its value for automating mobile application development processes. It highlights the challenges associated with setting up Fastlane, particularly in managing code signing and certificates. This information is significant for professionals in cloud computing and DevSecOps, as it details secure practices for handling sensitive signing materials and integrating them with CI/CD workflows on AWS.

**Detailed Description:**
The provided text outlines several key points regarding the use of Fastlane within AWS CodeBuild for macOS environments, detailing its benefits, setup requirements, and security best practices. Here are the major points discussed:

– **Fastlane Overview:**
– Fastlane is a suite of open-source tools designed for mobile application development, focusing on various automation tasks such as:
– Code signing
– Screenshot generation
– Beta distribution
– App store submissions

– **AWS CodeBuild for macOS:**
– AWS CodeBuild is a fully managed CI/CD service that compiles source code and runs tests.
– Fastlane is now pre-installed by default in the macOS images provided by AWS CodeBuild, streamlining the setup process for developers.

– **Challenges in Setup:**
– Complexity in configuring Fastlane, especially for teams unfamiliar with Ruby syntax and package management.
– Ongoing maintenance requirements, including keeping Fastlane and its dependencies up to date with changes from mobile platforms.

– **Managing Code Signing:**
– Fastlane’s `match` allows sharing signing materials (keys and certificates) securely across team members.
– The importance of keeping the private key and certificate accessible during the build process to meet Apple’s App Store guidelines.

– **Using AWS Secrets Manager:**
– Recommendations for storing sensitive information such as GitHub access tokens and passwords securely using AWS Secrets Manager.
– Sample commands to create secrets and the necessary IAM policy allowing access to these secrets.

– **Building and Signing Process:**
– A three-step demo introduces the process of integrating signing materials with Fastlane in CodeBuild:
1. Import existing signing materials into a private GitHub repository.
2. Configure Fastlane for building and signing the project.
3. Create a CodeBuild project and configure it to use Fastlane.

– **Important Configuration Details:**
– Environment variables essential for Fastlane’s operation during builds.
– Maintaining security while enabling access to necessary build secrets.

– **Final Notes:**
– Emphasis on ensuring Fastlane works locally before deploying processes on AWS CodeBuild, with the importance of verifying all environment variable settings during deployment.

Overall, the text serves as an instructional guide for mobile application developers utilizing AWS infrastructure, focusing on secure and efficient practices for managing development and deployment processes while adhering to cloud computing security standards.