App Store Submit

Drive an iOS App Store release from repository inspection to a verified App Store Connect state. Treat metadata as product data: discover it from the app, code, policies, and user instead of inferring it from examples.

Workflow

1. Establish scope and authority.
   • Determine whether the user wants readiness work, media upload, metadata changes, build upload, or App Review submission.
   • Treat production uploads, metadata publication, pricing changes, privacy publication, and review submission as distinct write actions.
   • Submit for App Review only when the user explicitly requests that final action.
   • Finish when the requested boundary and the actions still awaiting authorization are explicit.
2. Inspect the release setup.
   • Read repository instructions and release documentation.
   • Identify the Xcode project or workspace, release scheme, bundle identifier, version, build number, deployment targets, asset catalog or Icon Composer source, and upload tooling.
   • Inspect the app's implemented features, account model, data flows, third-party SDKs, entitlements, encryption use, and public support/privacy pages before drafting listing answers.
   • Finish when every App Store value has a source or is recorded as an unresolved input.
3. Verify the release build and icon.
   • Use the repository's existing build and archive workflow.
   • Run scripts/validate_app_store_assets.py --project-root <repo> for a PNG asset-catalog icon, or pass --icon <path-to-1024-png>.
   • For Icon Composer or layered icons, verify the archived build with Xcode's validation tooling; the asset validator does not model layered icon output.
   • Finish when the release build is valid or every build blocker is reported with its evidence.
4. Plan and capture listing screenshots.
   • Read references/simulator-screenshot-capture.md when screenshots must be produced from an iOS Simulator.
   • Choose real product states that communicate the app's primary jobs and differentiators.
   • Prefer in-flow screens over launch, sign-in, permission, placeholder, or empty states unless one of those is itself a product capability.
   • Keep device family, orientation, language, appearance, and status-bar treatment consistent within each screenshot set.
   • Check Apple's current screenshot specification before capture; do not assume dimensions from an older release.
   • Save ordered assets in a stable directory using descriptive names such as 01-primary-feature.jpg.
   • Finish when each screenshot has a message, source state, target device family, order, and validated local file.
5. Validate listing assets.
   • Run scripts/validate_app_store_assets.py --screenshots <dir>.
   • Resolve invalid dimensions, transparency, corrupt image data, missing files, duplicate frames, and accidental sensitive data before upload.
   • Finish when every intended asset passes deterministic validation and a visual inspection.
6. Upload media.
   • When the requested scope includes App Store listing media or submission, continue from simulator capture to upload. Do not stop after creating local files.
   • Prefer the App Store Connect UI when it is reliable.
   • Prefer Apple's documented App Store Connect API for repeatable automation when API credentials and an existing workflow are available.
   • Use the authenticated browser-session fallback in references/app-store-connect-media-api.md only when the UI is blocked and the user is already signed in.
   • Verify upload completion, processing state, filename, order, locale, and display family after any route.
   • Finish when App Store Connect shows the intended media set with no asset-delivery errors.
7. Complete listing and submission prerequisites.
   • Read references/app-store-connect-submission-api.md before changing listing, privacy, pricing, review, or submission resources.
   • Derive description, keywords, categories, age rating, privacy declarations, content rights, encryption answers, pricing, release mode, and review notes from verified facts.
   • Request only inputs that cannot be discovered safely, such as legal owner text or real App Review contact details.
   • Use public, stable support and privacy URLs. Create them only when the user has authorized that additional publishing work.
   • Finish when App Store Connect reports the version ready for review or every remaining validation error has an owner and next action.
8. Submit and verify.
   • Immediately before submission, restate the app, platform, version, build, release mode, and included review items.
   • Submit only after explicit user authorization.
   • Re-query or refresh App Store Connect and record the resulting version and submission statuses.
   • Finish when the resulting production state is confirmed, including any inherited media slots or Apple-side processing still underway.

References

• Read references/simulator-screenshot-capture.md when building, installing, driving, and capturing the app in iOS Simulator.
• Read references/app-store-connect-media-api.md for screenshot-set discovery, upload reservation, storage upload, commit, ordering, and verification.
• Read references/app-store-connect-submission-api.md for listing metadata, categories, age rating, privacy, pricing, review details, and review submission.

Script

• scripts/validate_app_store_assets.py validates PNG or JPEG screenshot integrity, transparency, current iPhone screenshot dimensions, and a 1024×1024 PNG App Store icon. It emits MD5 and SHA-256 values for upload commits and audit trails.

Current Apple references

• Screenshot specifications
• Upload app previews and screenshots
• App Store Connect API
• Submit an app
• Manage app privacy