Quick start

Retain an IPA, APK or AAB outside CI. Choose either upload path; both create the same immutable Build in AppBarn.

Received a build instead?

You do not need to sign up to open a valid Share Link or QR code. Read Share and install a build, then follow iPhone steps or Android steps. An emailed Build Tester invitation is different: it requires a verified AppBarn account.

Common setup

1. Create a free account and verify your email.
2. Create a Free Workspace. AppBarn creates your first Project, App and production Environment automatically and opens App → Builds.
3. Choose Upload in browser or Upload with the CLI below. You do not need to create those registry resources again.

Option A — Upload in browser

Requires: a signed-in Account Admin or App Manager and an .ipa, .apk or .aab file. Does not require: Node.js or an Automation Token.

1. Open App → Builds, the landing page after Workspace creation.
2. Under Upload in browser, choose the file and active Environment.
3. Enter the app identifier (for example com.example.app), version (1.2.3) and build number (42).
4. For an IPA, optionally enter the provisioning profile expiry. A future date is not proof of a valid device signature/profile or guaranteed iPhone installation.
5. Select Verify and upload build and then View build when ready.

The browser hashes the file locally and uploads directly to private storage with a short-lived signed URL. AAB files can be downloaded but not installed directly.

Option B — Upload with the CLI

Requires: Node.js 22+, the official appbarn-cli npm package and a scoped Automation Token. This path also works in CI pipelines.

1. Open Automation tokens in the AppBarn app. Create a token scoped to your Project or App and copy it once.
2. Install the CLI, then configure the App and Environment IDs shown in AppBarn:

npm install --global appbarn-cli
appbarn config set api https://api.app-barn.com
appbarn config set app <app-uuid>
appbarn config set environment <environment-uuid>

3. Supply the token via an environment variable or CI secret store, never a config file or command argument:

export APPBARN_TOKEN='<automation-token>'

4. Upload a build and confirm it is retained:

appbarn upload ./build/app.apk \
  --app-identifier com.example.app \
  --version 1.2.3 \
  --build-number 42
appbarn builds list

APK/AAB uploads need explicit identity options; the CLI can extract IPA identity when available. The CLI also captures detected CI provenance.

AI prompt — Set up the first upload (Copilot, Codex, Cursor)

Inspect this repository and locate an existing IPA, APK or AAB. Install the official appbarn-cli with Node.js 22+, configure https://api.app-barn.com and the real App/Environment UUIDs, and read the scoped token only from APPBARN_TOKEN. Supply Android identity flags explicitly. Ask me for missing IDs, artifact choices or secret setup; never invent them. Keep the current build process, upload the selected artifact and confirm a ready Build using appbarn builds list. Report the Build identity, SHA-256 and provenance without exposing secrets.

Expected result — either path

A ready Build appears under App → Builds, with its identity and SHA-256. You can share it or assign testers. Browser uploads record local provenance; CLI uploads can record CI provenance.

Common failures

• Browser upload cannot connect to secure storage: check the network and retry; support may need to verify R2 CORS.
• 401 in CLI: Automation Token missing, expired or revoked. Browser upload uses your sign-in instead.
• 403/404: verify App/Environment, current permission and any token scope.
• 409: reservation, idempotency or Environment conflict.
• 413: artifact exceeds the 2 GiB upload cap.
• 429: Workspace Build/storage quota is exhausted.

Related

• Upload with CLI
• Configure CLI
• Automation Tokens
• Artifacts and limits