CodePush updates with Bitrise CI

Abstract

You can release your CodePush updates via a Bitrise CI Workflow that creates the update packages for both iOS and Android, and updates both to the Bitrise CodePush Server.

You can release your CodePush updates via a Bitrise CI Workflow. The process requires:

Setting up CodePush credentials: create Secrets and Environment Variables that hold the deployment ID and the deployment key from Bitrise CodePush.
Creating a Workflow that creates the update packages for both iOS and Android, and updates both to the Bitrise CodePush Server.

Configuring CodePush credentials on Bitrise

Get your credentials: you need the Release Management app IDs and the CodePush deployment IDs and deployment keys.
Create Environment Variables for the deployment IDs and the connected app IDs:
- IOS_PROD_DEPLOYMENT_ID: The deployment ID for the iOS app.
- ANDROID_PROD_DEPLOYMENT_ID: The deployment ID for the Android app.
- IOS_CONNECTED_APP_ID: The app ID for the iOS app.
- ANDROID_CONNECTED_APP_ID: The app ID for the iOS app.
Create Secrets for the deployment key and the API token:
- IOS_PROD_DEPLOYMENT_KEY: The deployment key of the iOS deployment from Bitrise CodePush.
- ANDROID_PROD_DEPLOYMENT_KEY: The deployment key of the Android deployment from Bitrise CodePush.
- BITRISE_API_TOKEN: Your personal access token or workspace API token.

Creating a Workflow for CodePush updates

This section shows you how to create a CI Workflow that will:

Create an update package for iOS.
Upload the iOS update package to Bitrise CodePush Server.
Create an update package for Android.
Upload the Android update package to Bitrise CodePush Server.

React Native app

Expo app

Create a Workflow and after the git-clone Step, add an npm Step with the install command:

---
format_version: '13'
default_step_lib_source: https://github.com/bitrise-io/bitrise-steplib.git
project_type: ios
workflows:
  codepush_update_to_server:
    description: The workflow will generate and push your update to CodePush Server.
    steps:
    - git-clone@8: {}
    - npm@1:
        inputs:
        - command: install

Add a script Step that extracts the app version using a JSON parser and set version in an Environment Variable using envman:

- script@1:
    title: Extract App Version
    inputs:
    - content: |-
        #!/bin/bash
        set -e

        # Extract version from app.json using jq (JSON parser)
        VERSION=$(jq -r '.version' package.json)

        # Verify version extraction
        if [ -z "$VERSION" ]; then
          echo "Error: Could not extract version from package.json"
          exit 1
        fi

        echo "Extracted version from package.json: $VERSION"

        # Set the environment variable using envman
        envman add --key APP_VERSION --value "$VERSION"

        echo "Successfully set APP_VERSION=$VERSION"

Add another script Step that clones the release-management-recipes repository from GitHub. This contains the upload script we'll use later.

- script@1:
    title: Get Release Management Recipes
    inputs:
    - content: >-
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails
        set -e
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a
        non-zero status, or zero if all commands exit successfully
        set -o pipefail
        # debug log
        set -x

        # write your script here
        git clone https://github.com/bitrise-io/release-management-recipes

Generate your iOS update bundle and create a zip archive from it:

- script@1:
    title: Generate iOS Update Bundle
    inputs:
    - content: >-
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails
        set -e
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a
        non-zero status, or zero if all commands exit successfully
        set -o pipefail
        # debug log
        set -x

        npx react-native bundle \
          --platform ios \
          --dev false \
          --entry-file index.js \
          --bundle-output ./build/main.jsbundle \
          --assets-dest ./build
        
        # Create zip archive
        zip -r update.zip ./build

Upload the iOS update bundle to the CodePush Server with upload_code_push_package.sh:

- script@1:
    title: Upload iOS Update Bundle to Codepush Server
    inputs:
    - content: >
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails 
        set -e 
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a non-zero status, or zero if all
        commands exit successfully 
        set -o pipefail 
        # debug log 
        set -x

        cd release-management-recipes

        UPLOAD_RESPONSE=$(PACKAGE_PATH=../update.zip \
                        AUTHORIZATION_TOKEN=$BITRISE_API_TOKEN \
                        CONNECTED_APP_ID=$IOS_CONNECTED_APP_ID \
                        DEPLOYMENT_ID=$IOS_PROD_DEPLOYMENT_ID \
                        APP_VERSION=$APP_VERSION /bin/bash ./api/upload_code_push_package.sh 2>&1)
        EXIT_CODE=$?

        if [ $EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]; then 
        \  echo \"❌ upload_code_push_package.sh failed with exit code
        $EXIT_CODE\"
        \  echo \"$UPLOAD_RESPONSE\"
        \  exit $EXIT_CODE
        fi

        # Take only the last line of the response (final/latest status JSON
        object) FINAL_RESPONSE=$(echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE" | tail -n1)

        # Check explicitly for ERR_INTERNAL or other internal error indicators
        if echo \"$UPLOAD_RESPONSE\" | grep -q \"ERR_INTERNAL\"; then
        \  ERROR_MESSAGE=$(echo \"$FINAL_RESPONSE\" | jq -r '.message' ||
        echo \"Unknown error\")
        \  echo \"❌ Server returned internal error: $ERROR_MESSAGE\"
        \  exit 1
        fi


        # Now safely parse 'status' and 'status_reason' from the final
        response line PACKAGE_STATUS=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq -r
        '.status' || echo "null") STATUS_REASON=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq
        -r '.status_reason' || echo "")

        if [ "$PACKAGE_STATUS" = "processed_valid" ]; then   echo "✅ Package
        uploaded and processed successfully."   rm -rf ../build.zip    rm -rf
        ../build else   echo "⚠️ Package upload unexpected status:
        $PACKAGE_STATUS - Reason: $STATUS_REASON"   exit 1 fi cd ..

Generate the Android update bundle:

- script@1:
    title: Generate Android Update Bundle
    inputs:
    - content: |
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails
        set -e
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a non-zero status, or zero if all commands exit successfully
        set -o pipefail
        # debug log
        set -x

        npx react-native bundle \
          --platform android \
          --dev false \
          --entry-file index.js \
          --bundle-output ./build/index.android.bundle \
          --assets-dest ./build

        # Create zip archive
        zip -r update.zip ./build

Upload the Android update bundle to the CodePush Server:

- script@1:
    title: Upload Android Update Bundle to Codepush Server
    inputs:
    - content: |
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails
        set -e
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a non-zero status, or zero if all commands exit successfully
        set -o pipefail
        # debug log
        set -x

        cd release-management-recipes

        UPLOAD_RESPONSE=$(PACKAGE_PATH=../update.zip \
                        AUTHORIZATION_TOKEN=$BITRISE_API_TOKEN \
                        CONNECTED_APP_ID=$ANDROID_CONNECTED_APP_ID \
                        DEPLOYMENT_ID=$ANDROID_PROD_DEPLOYMENT_ID \
                        APP_VERSION=$APP_VERSION /bin/bash ./api/upload_code_push_package.sh 2>&1)
        EXIT_CODE=$?

        if [ $EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]; then
          echo "❌ upload_code_push_package.sh failed with exit code $EXIT_CODE"
          echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE"
          exit $EXIT_CODE
        fi

        # Take only the last line of the response (final/latest status JSON object)
        FINAL_RESPONSE=$(echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE" | tail -n1)

        # Check explicitly for ERR_INTERNAL or other internal error indicators
        if echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE" | grep -q "ERR_INTERNAL"; then
          ERROR_MESSAGE=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq -r '.message' || echo "Unknown error")
          echo "❌ Server returned internal error: $ERROR_MESSAGE"
          exit 1
        fi

        # Now safely parse 'status' and 'status_reason' from the final response line
        PACKAGE_STATUS=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq -r '.status' || echo "null")
        STATUS_REASON=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq -r '.status_reason' || echo "")

        if [ "$PACKAGE_STATUS" = "processed_valid" ]; then
          echo "✅ Package uploaded and processed successfully."
        else
          echo "⚠️ Package upload unexpected status: $PACKAGE_STATUS - Reason: $STATUS_REASON"
          exit 1
        fi

        cd ..

Create a Workflow and after the git-clone Step, add an npm Step with the install command:

---
format_version: '13'
default_step_lib_source: https://github.com/bitrise-io/bitrise-steplib.git
project_type: ios
workflows:
  codepush_update_deploy:    
    description: |      
      Uploads Update Bundle to Bitrise CodePush Server    
    status_report_name: Executing <target_id> for <project_title>
    steps:
    - git-clone@8: {}
    - restore-npm-cache@2: {}
    - npm@1:
        inputs:
        - command: install

Add a script Step that extracts the app version using awk and sets it as an Enviromment Variable:

- script@1:
    title: Extract App Version
    inputs:
    - content: |-
        #!/bin/bash
        set -e

        # Simpler version using awk
        APP_VERSION=$(awk -F'"' '/version:/ {print $2}' app.config.js)

        # Check if the version was successfully extracted
        if [ -z "$APP_VERSION" ]; then
          echo "Error: Failed to extract version from app.config.js"
          exit 1
        fi

        echo "Extracted version: $APP_VERSION"

        # Set the environment variable using envman
        envman add --key APP_VERSION --value "$APP_VERSION"

        echo "Successfully set APP_VERSION=$APP_VERSION"

Add another script Step that clones the release-management-recipes repository from GitHub. This contains the upload script we'll use later.

- script@1:
    title: Get Release Management Recipes
    inputs:
    - content: >-
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails
        set -e
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a
        non-zero status, or zero if all commands exit successfully
        set -o pipefail
        # debug log
        set -x

        # write your script here
        git clone https://github.com/bitrise-io/release-management-recipes

Generate your iOS update bundle and create a zip archive from it:

- script@1:
    title: Generate iOS Update Bundle
    inputs:
    - content: |-
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails
        set -e
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a non-zero status, or zero if all commands exit successfully
        set -o pipefail
        # debug log
        set -x

        # write your script here
        npx expo export:embed \
          --entry-file index.js \
          --platform ios \
          --dev false \
          --reset-cache \
          --bundle-output ./build/main.jsbundle \
          --assets-dest ./build \
          --minify false

        # Create zip archive
        zip -r update.zip ./build

Upload the iOS update bundle to the CodePush Server with upload_code_push_package.sh:

- script@1:
    title: Upload iOS Update Bundle to Codepush Server
    inputs:
    - content: >
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails 
        set -e 
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a non-zero status, or zero if all
        commands exit successfully 
        set -o pipefail 
        # debug log 
        set -x

        cd release-management-recipes

        UPLOAD_RESPONSE=$(PACKAGE_PATH=../update.zip \
                        AUTHORIZATION_TOKEN=$BITRISE_API_TOKEN \
                        CONNECTED_APP_ID=$IOS_CONNECTED_APP_ID \
                        DEPLOYMENT_ID=$IOS_PROD_DEPLOYMENT_ID \
                        APP_VERSION=$APP_VERSION /bin/bash ./api/upload_code_push_package.sh 2>&1)

        EXIT_CODE=$?

        if [ $EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]; then 
        \  echo \"❌ upload_code_push_package.sh failed with exit code
        $EXIT_CODE\"
        \  echo \"$UPLOAD_RESPONSE\"
        \  exit $EXIT_CODE
        fi

        # Take only the last line of the response (final/latest status JSON
        object) FINAL_RESPONSE=$(echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE" | tail -n1)

        # Check explicitly for ERR_INTERNAL or other internal error indicators
        if echo \"$UPLOAD_RESPONSE\" | grep -q \"ERR_INTERNAL\"; then
        \  ERROR_MESSAGE=$(echo \"$FINAL_RESPONSE\" | jq -r '.message' ||
        echo \"Unknown error\")
        \  echo \"❌ Server returned internal error: $ERROR_MESSAGE\"
        \  exit 1
        fi


        # Now safely parse 'status' and 'status_reason' from the final
        response line PACKAGE_STATUS=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq -r
        '.status' || echo "null") STATUS_REASON=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq
        -r '.status_reason' || echo "")

        if [ "$PACKAGE_STATUS" = "processed_valid" ]; then   echo "✅ Package
        uploaded and processed successfully."   rm -rf ../build.zip    rm -rf
        ../build else   echo "⚠️ Package upload unexpected status:
        $PACKAGE_STATUS - Reason: $STATUS_REASON"   exit 1 fi cd ..

Generate the Android update bundle:

- script@1:
    title: Generate Android Update Bundle
    inputs:
    - content: |
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails
        set -e
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a non-zero status, or zero if all commands exit successfully
        set -o pipefail
        # debug log
        set -x

        # write your script here
        npx expo export:embed \
          --entry-file index.js \
          --platform android \
          --dev false \
          --reset-cache \
          --bundle-output ./build/index.android.bundle \
          --assets-dest ./build \
          --minify false

        # Create zip archive
        zip -r update.zip ./build

Upload the Android update bundle to the CodePush Server:

- script@1:
    title: Upload Android Update Bundle to Codepush Server
    inputs:
    - content: |
        #!/usr/bin/env bash
        # fail if any commands fails
        set -e
        # make pipelines' return status equal the last command to exit with a non-zero status, or zero if all commands exit successfully
        set -o pipefail
        # debug log
        set -x

        cd release-management-recipes

        UPLOAD_RESPONSE=$(PACKAGE_PATH=../update.zip \
                        AUTHORIZATION_TOKEN=$BITRISE_API_TOKEN \
                        CONNECTED_APP_ID=$ANDROID_CONNECTED_APP_ID \
                        DEPLOYMENT_ID=$ANDROID_PROD_DEPLOYMENT_ID \
                        APP_VERSION=$APP_VERSION /bin/bash ./api/upload_code_push_package.sh 2>&1)
        EXIT_CODE=$?

        if [ $EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]; then
          echo "❌ upload_code_push_package.sh failed with exit code $EXIT_CODE"
          echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE"
          exit $EXIT_CODE
        fi

        # Take only the last line of the response (final/latest status JSON object)
        FINAL_RESPONSE=$(echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE" | tail -n1)

        # Check explicitly for ERR_INTERNAL or other internal error indicators
        if echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE" | grep -q "ERR_INTERNAL"; then
          ERROR_MESSAGE=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq -r '.message' || echo "Unknown error")
          echo "❌ Server returned internal error: $ERROR_MESSAGE"
          exit 1
        fi

        # Now safely parse 'status' and 'status_reason' from the final response line
        PACKAGE_STATUS=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq -r '.status' || echo "null")
        STATUS_REASON=$(echo "$FINAL_RESPONSE" | jq -r '.status_reason' || echo "")

        if [ "$PACKAGE_STATUS" = "processed_valid" ]; then
          echo "✅ Package uploaded and processed successfully."
        else
          echo "⚠️ Package upload unexpected status: $PACKAGE_STATUS - Reason: $STATUS_REASON"
          exit 1
        fi

        cd ..

Automating the CodePush update release

After creating a Workflow to generate and upload your CodePush updates, you have two ways of running it:

Run the Workflow manually.
Triggering a build automatically when a defined condition is met. For the available conditions, see Supported trigger conditions.

You can set up several different types of triggers to automate the process. Our example configuration uses a pull request trigger with a label:

Example 1. Release a CodePush update when a pull request is opened to a specific branch

In this example, we're setting up a trigger where:

Bitrise looks for pull requests opened with updates as the target branch.
The codepush_update_deploy Workflow is triggered when a pull request to the branch receives the release-update label to the PR.

Create the trigger: set up a pull request trigger with two conditions, target_branch and label:

Set target_branch to updates.
Set label to release-update.

GUI config

You can set these up on the GUI of the Workflow Editor, too. Here we're showing you the YAML configuration.

format_version: "13"
default_step_lib_source: https://github.com/bitrise-io/bitrise-steplib.git
project_type: react-native
workflows:
  codepush_update_deploy:
    status_report_name: 'Executing <target_id> for <project_title>'
    description: |
      Uploads Update Bundle to Bitrise CodePush Server
    steps:
    [...]
    triggers:
      pull_request:
      - target_branch: updates
        label: release-update

When you want to release CodePush updates, open a pull request to the updates branch.
After the PR has been reviewed and approved, add the release-update label to it.

If all goes well, adding the label to the PR will trigger the codepush_update_deploy Workflow.

In this section: