Скачать или смотреть How to Effectively Use CFBundleShortVersionString and CFBundleVersion for Versioning in TestFlight

Learn how to manage app versioning in TestFlight using `CFBundleShortVersionString` and `CFBundleVersion` effectively, even without incrementing the version number each time.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/75715088/ asked by the user 'erotsppa' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/56952/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/75738241/ provided by the user 'benc' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/2910/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Navigating Versioning in TestFlight: An Effective Approach to Manage Builds

If you're an iOS developer, you probably make use of TestFlight for beta testing your apps. However, one common situation developers encounter is how to manage version numbers effectively, especially when you may not want to increment the version number for every minor change because it triggers a review. In this guide, we’ll explore a solution that allows you to keep your app up-to-date without going through the review process unnecessarily, specifically leveraging CFBundleShortVersionString and CFBundleVersion.

Understanding the Problem

In many projects, developers choose to keep the CFBundleShortVersionString static while allowing Xcode to automatically increment the build number (CFBundleVersion). This means the version might always look like "0.1" while the build number could increment as needed, potentially showing something like "(5)" in TestFlight.

This approach can cause confusion when attempting to show release-specific popups or features in the app since the version number remains consistent. The challenge here is to identify whether you're launching a "new build" without relying on changing the version number every time, while still showing users that an updated version is available.

Solution Overview

To effectively manage this situation, you can utilize both CFBundleShortVersionString and CFBundleVersion by making slight modifications to your existing code. Here's a structured process to implement this in your iOS application:

Step 1: Accessing Version and Build Numbers

To access the version and the build numbers, you will need to retrieve them from the app's Info.plist. Here’s a sample code snippet demonstrating how to achieve this:

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Step 2: Setting Up Your plist

Make sure your Info.plist file includes both keys: CFBundleShortVersionString for the main version and CFBundleVersion for the build number. Here’s how it could look:

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Step 3: Launching with UserDefaults

When your app launches, you can store the current version and build number into UserDefaults. This will allow you to compare it with the last stored version/build when needed, which can trigger specific popups or notifications:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Important Consideration

It's crucial to remember that when you're comparing versions, don't perform comparisons as strings. Instead, convert them to the appropriate format if necessary, based on your logic.

Conclusion

Managing app versions in TestFlight without incrementing the version number each time can seem daunting, but by utilizing both CFBundleShortVersionString and CFBundleVersion, you can effectively handle version management. This approach allows you to seamlessly differentiate builds while retaining the ease of deployment through TestFlight.

With these steps, you can enhance your app's ability to inform users about updates and maintain a smooth testing process. Happy coding and testing!