Deployment Guide

Find complete deployment steps in your project Building Your App

OpenRouter Setup

Before deploying, you need to set up the AI proxy through Supabase Edge Functions. This keeps your API keys secure on the server.

Never bundle API keys in your iOS app. Keys can be extracted from the binary. Our architecture routes all AI requests through Supabase Edge Functions.

Generate OpenRouter API Key

Create your first project
Generate your API key

This is a private key. We will deploy it directly to our Supabase Edge Function and never bundle it with our app or push it to git.

Set OpenRouter Key as Supabase Secret

Set your OpenRouter key as a Supabase secret:

supabase secrets set OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-your-openrouter-key

This keeps your API key secure on the server side.

Deploy AI Edge Function

Deploy the AI Edge Function to Supabase:

supabase functions deploy ai

The boilerplate includes a ready-to-deploy Edge Function that handles all AI API calls securely.

Verify Deployment

Verify your function is deployed:

Go to Supabase Dashboard → Edge Functions
See your ai function listed
Note down the function URL

Update the proxy config

Open Config/Secrets.xcconfig in Xcode and set the base URL plus path. The function name (ai) is the PROXY_PATH, not part of PROXY_BASE_URL:

PROXY_BASE_URL = https://your-project-ref.supabase.co/functions/v1
PROXY_PATH = /ai

Then run the update script:

bash scripts/update-config.sh

Deployment Phases

Pre-Deployment

Run the full test suite (~598 tests across 12 package test targets + the app test suites, one Boilerplate.xctestplan run)
Fix all linter warnings
Test on real devices
Update legal documents

TestFlight Beta

Archive build
Upload to App Store Connect
Add internal testers
Gather feedback

App Store Submission

Prepare metadata
Create screenshots
Submit for review
Monitor status

Production Launch

Configure production backends
Monitor crashes
Respond to reviews
Plan updates

Pre-Deployment Checklist

Code Quality

Configuration

Real backends configured (not mock)
API keys in Config/Secrets.xcconfig
Bundle ID matches App Store Connect
Version number set (e.g., 1.0.0)
Build number set (start at 1)

Legal

Assets

TestFlight Deployment

1. Archive Build

# In Xcode
Product → Archive

# Wait for archive to complete
# Organizer window opens automatically

2. Validate Archive

# In Organizer
1. Select your archive
2. Click "Validate App"
3. Choose options:
   - Upload symbols: Yes
   - Manage version: No
4. Click "Validate"
5. Fix any errors

3. Upload to App Store

# In Organizer
Click "Distribute App"
Choose "App Store Connect"
Next → Upload
Wait for processing (~5-10 minutes)

4. Add Testers

Internal Testers (up to 100):

App Store Connect → TestFlight → Internal Testing
Add team members
They receive email invite
Install via TestFlight app

External Testers (up to 10,000):

Create group: “Beta Testers”
Add email addresses
Requires beta review (1-2 days)
Public link available

5. Test Thoroughly

App Store Submission

Run App Store 4.3 hardening before this step. It covers the binary strings audit, branding map, dead-code removal, and screenshot ordering. The most common rejection reason for boilerplate-based apps is undifferentiated product, not a metadata typo.

1. Prepare Metadata

In App Store Connect:

App Information:
- Name: Your App Name
- Subtitle: Short description
- Privacy Policy URL: https://yoursite.com/privacy
- Category: Productivity (or your category)
- Content Rights: Does not use third-party content

2. Create Screenshots

Required sizes:

6.7” (iPhone 15 Pro Max): 1290 × 2796
6.5” (older Pro Max): 1284 × 2778
5.5” (older Plus): 1242 × 2208
12.9” iPad Pro: 2048 × 2732 (if supporting iPad)

Tips:

4-10 screenshots per size
Show key features
Add text overlays
First screenshot most important

3. Write Description

Template:

[Your App] is an AI-powered [category] that helps you [benefit].

FEATURES:
• AI Chat - Get instant answers
• Smart Conversations - History saved
• Premium Themes - Beautiful UI
• Cross-Device Sync - Access everywhere

PERFECT FOR:
• [Target audience 1]
• [Target audience 2]

PREMIUM FEATURES:
• Unlimited messages
• All AI models
• Priority support

Privacy Policy: [URL]
Terms: [URL]

4. Configure App Privacy

Answer privacy questionnaire: Data collected:

Contact Info: Email (for account)
Identifiers: User ID (for backend)
Usage Data: App interactions (if analytics)
User Content: Chat messages

For each: Linked to identity, Used for app functionality

5. Submit for Review

# In App Store Connect
App Store tab → Version
Add screenshots
Add description
Select build
Submit for Review

Review time: 24-48 hours typically

Production Configuration

Backend Setup

Supabase
RevenueCat
OpenRouter

Use production Supabase project
Verify Edge Function deployed (supabase functions deploy ai)
Set production OpenRouter key (supabase secrets set OPENROUTER_API_KEY=...)
Monitor API usage in Supabase dashboard

Switch to production API key in Secrets.xcconfig
Verify App Store Connect products are approved
Map production products in RevenueCat offerings
Test a real purchase before launch

Final Verification

// In SwiftAIBoilerplatePro/Composition/FeatureFlags.swift
// Crashlytics is opt-in via env var, even in Release builds.
public static var crashlyticsEnabled: Bool {
    #if DEBUG
    return false // Off by default in debug
    #else
    return ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["CRASHLYTICS_ENABLED"] == "true"
    #endif
}

To turn Crashlytics on in production, set the CRASHLYTICS_ENABLED=true environment variable in your Release scheme (and follow the Crashlytics setup guide). Then verify your production secrets:

# In Config/Secrets.xcconfig - Verify production URLs
SUPABASE_URL = https://production-project.supabase.co
REVENUECAT_API_KEY = appl_PRODUCTION_KEY

Post-Launch

Monitor

Respond

Reply to user reviews
Fix critical bugs immediately
Plan feature updates
Gather user feedback

Update Regularly

Recommended cadence:

Bug fixes: As needed (1-3 days)
Minor updates: Every 2-4 weeks
Major features: Every 2-3 months

Complete Guide

View Complete Launch Checklist

Find complete deployment checklist in your project

Testing Guide

Run full test suite

Supabase Setup

Production backend

RevenueCat Setup

Production subscriptions

Building Guide

Complete customization

Troubleshooting

Archive fails

Clean build (⌘⇧K)
Check signing certificates
Verify provisioning profiles
Update Xcode if needed

App rejected

Read rejection carefully
Fix specific issues mentioned
Update metadata if needed
Resubmit with explanation
If the rejection cites Guideline 4.3 or 4.2.6, see the 4.3 hardening recovery steps

Crashes in production

Check Crashlytics logs
Reproduce locally
Fix and submit hotfix
Expedited review if critical

Profile Photo Setup Testing Guide

Getting Started

Setup Guides

Core Modules

Feature Modules

Migration

Reference

Before You Submit

OpenRouter Setup

Deployment Phases

Pre-Deployment Checklist

TestFlight Deployment

1. Archive Build

2. Validate Archive

3. Upload to App Store

4. Add Testers

5. Test Thoroughly

App Store Submission

1. Prepare Metadata

2. Create Screenshots

3. Write Description

4. Configure App Privacy

5. Submit for Review

Production Configuration

Backend Setup

Final Verification

Post-Launch

Monitor

Respond

Update Regularly

Complete Guide

View Complete Launch Checklist

Testing Guide

Supabase Setup

RevenueCat Setup

Building Guide

Troubleshooting

​OpenRouter Setup

​Deployment Phases

​Pre-Deployment Checklist

​TestFlight Deployment

​1. Archive Build

​2. Validate Archive

​3. Upload to App Store

​4. Add Testers

​5. Test Thoroughly

​App Store Submission

​1. Prepare Metadata

​2. Create Screenshots

​3. Write Description

​4. Configure App Privacy

​5. Submit for Review

​Production Configuration

​Backend Setup

​Final Verification

​Post-Launch

​Monitor

​Respond

​Update Regularly

​Complete Guide

View Complete Launch Checklist

​Related Resources

Testing Guide

Supabase Setup

RevenueCat Setup

Building Guide

​Troubleshooting

OpenRouter Setup

Deployment Phases

Pre-Deployment Checklist

TestFlight Deployment

1. Archive Build

2. Validate Archive

3. Upload to App Store

4. Add Testers

5. Test Thoroughly

App Store Submission

1. Prepare Metadata

2. Create Screenshots

3. Write Description

4. Configure App Privacy

5. Submit for Review

Production Configuration

Backend Setup

Final Verification

Post-Launch

Monitor

Respond

Update Regularly

Complete Guide

Related Resources

Troubleshooting