Introduction:

After having invested in so much time and energy related to the designing, development, and testing of your React Native mobile app, now is the time to share it with the rest of the world. Next is distributing the developed app via the Apple App Store and Google Play. With this practical guide, you will learn how to navigate the road of publication and distribution, finding out how to get your React Native app ready for submission and what to do in the review and approval processes on both platforms.

1. Prepare Your React Native App

Prepare your React Native application for delivery before you can start the upload process. Here are some essential steps:

Testing: First, test your app, a lot! You should work with as many testers as feasibly possible. This allows you to find critical flaws and defects such as if the app crashes or bad performance issues, etc. Catching these early on are critical for success.

App Icon and Screenshots: Develop a great app icon and create/capture attractive app screenshots to showcase the demo of the app’s abilities.

Privacy Policy: If your app gathers user information, you should add a privacy policy, which meets the requirements of the platforms.

App Store Optimization (ASO): You should conduct research on the keywords and bring them to the app title, description, and metadata relevant to them to increase the discoverability.

2. Apple App Store Submission

Enroll in the Apple Developer Program:
Once you are about to send your app to the App Store, it is necessary for you to register in the Apple Developer Program.
This involves selecting the suitable membership either individual or organization and enrollment.

Generate an App ID:
Sign into your Apple Developer account.
Click on the left where it says ‘Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles’.
Make an App ID for your application.

Create Provisioning Profiles:
Create development and distribution provisioning profiles.
Link these profiles with your App ID and development certificates.

Set Up Xcode Configuration:
First, open the React-Native project with Xcode.
Adjust build settings so that these match your provisioning profiles and App ID.
Specify the version for the deployment target and make other required configurations.

Adhere to App Store Guidelines:
Follow the App Store Review Guidelines.
Make sure that your app meets all necessary guidelines, which include content, functionality, and design aspects.

Create App Screenshots:
Create quality screenshots of your app on various iOS devices.
Download and use recommended screenshots from the App Store.

Write an Engaging App Description:
Create an appealing description of the app emphasizing on the peculiarities and advantages of its key features.
Clearly indicate why the app is unique.

Prepare App Icon and Launch Screen:
Create an application icon which is responsive to Apple’s development guides.
Design a launch screen which can act as a transition screen to your app.

Test on Multiple Devices and iOS Versions:
To ensure same compatibility, test your app on different iOS devices and simulators.
Make sure that your app functions smoothly on various editions of iOS.

Handle Permissions and Privacy Settings:
Provide explicit clarification and allow users to make a choice and request their interests in your application.
Update your app privacy settings on your App Store Connect.

Handle In-App Purchases and Subscriptions:
If your app offers in-app purchases or a subscription, configure them in the App Store Connect.
Observe guidelines from Apple for these modes.

Localization and Internationalization:
Make your app localized for other languages and regions.
Create content and integrate screenshots considering cultural presence.

Run App Store Connect Checks:
Before submitting an app, build it using tools integrated into Xcode or use a validator provided by App Store Connect to check out for possible issues.
This means that all the warnings and errors that are reported during the validation process are resolved.

Submit Your App:
Sign in to App Store Connect.
Now you have a new app listing, fill in the required details.
You need to submit all screenshots, app icon and all assets.
Submit your app for review.

Monitor Review Progress:
Monitor the reviews’ advancement in App Store Connect.
Respond to any of the concerns raised by Apple after a review.

Prepare for Release:
After the approval of your app decide the date and time to release it.
Think about a soft rollout to keep track of the early feedback from users.

3. Google Play Submission

Create a Google Developer Account:
If you do not have one – create a Google Developer account.
Complete the one time registration payment fee.

Generate a Keystore File:
Make sure to produce and generate a keystore file for your Android app.
Store the keystore file somewhere safe since it is needed for any future updates.

Configure Your React Native Project:
You need to open your React Native project with your code editor.
Pass the information about the keystore to the gradle.properties file.

Build an Android APK:
Use the following command ./gradlew bundleRelease or ./gradlew assembleRelease to create an APK signed with a digital certificate.
Find the APK file that was created in the androidappbuildoutputsbundlerelease directory.

Prepare Assets and Information:
Develop app icons targeting different screen resolutions.
Get screens of your app’s functions and capabilities.
Craft an appealing app store description with the required information.

Create a Google Play Console Entry:
Sign in to the Google Play Console.
The first step is to fill in the details of your app to add a new app entry.

Complete Store Listing:
Complete the information in the ‘Store Listing’ area that includes the name, description, screenshots, and graphics for the promo.
Specify the category, content rating and target audience of the app.

Pricing and Distribution:
Select your app pricing model: Free, Paid or in-App purchases.
Specify the countries the app will be able in.

Set Up App Releases:
Go to the section “App releases” on the Google Play Console.
Submit your signed APK in the path of ‘Production’.
Document the release notes for the new version.

Testing:
Use multiple Android devices to test your app for compatibility.
Test your application for interworking with various types of Android OSs.

Handle Permissions and Target API Level:
On-demand permissions handling.
Define the target API level according to the supported Android version for your app.

App Signing by Google Play:
Choose the option ‘App Signing by Google Play’ for better security.
To generate a signature, you need to upload your keystore file to be used in signing the application for Google play.

Content Rating:
If you would like a content rating for your app, fill out the content rating questionnaire.

Review and Publish:
Check out all the details outlined in the Google Play Console.
If you have done everything properly, just click the Submit for Review button to send your app for publishing.

Monitor Review Progress:
Monitor the review process from the Google Play Console.
Fix the concerns that were highlighted by Google in the process of the review.

App Release:
After your app gets accepted, select the date and time to release.
Think about a rolling-out plan in the form of stages with gradual availability to users.

Post-Launch Activities:
Keep track of reviews by the users and try to solve their problems or concerns as soon as possible.
Have a roadmap for periodic updates to make the app better using feedback from users.

Once your React Native app is published, your responsibilities aren’t over. Continuously monitor user feedback and app performance on both platforms. Respond to user reviews, fix issues promptly, and regularly update your app to introduce new features and improvements.

Conclusion

Your app is ready for the world once you publish it to the Apple App Store and Google Play, and this marks a significant point in your journey of developing an app using React Native. If you follow the steps described in this guide, from getting your app ready for submission to surviving the review and approval processes, you will be able to share your app with users all over the world. Remember that it’s not only about launching a high-quality app, but also the post-launch maintenance in order for your app to succeed in the competitive market of applications. Best wishes for publishing and distributing your app!