Google Play Deployment (Android)

Guide for deploying TrickBook to the Google Play Store.

Prerequisites

• Google Play Developer Account ($25 one-time)
• EAS CLI installed (npm install -g eas-cli)
• Logged into EAS (eas login)

Current Status

Item	Status
Package Name	com.thetrickbook.trickbook
Version Code	4
Google Play	Not yet submitted

Deployment Steps

Step 1: Google Play Console Setup

1. Go to Google Play Console
2. Click Create app
3. Fill out:
   • App name: TrickBook
   • Default language: English
   • App or game: App
   • Free or paid: Free

Step 2: Store Listing

Fill out all required fields:

Main Store Listing

• Short description (80 chars max):

  Track your skateboarding trick progress and discover new tricks

• Full description (4000 chars max):

  TrickBook is the ultimate companion app for skateboarders...
  [Full description of features]

Graphics Assets

Asset	Dimensions	Required
App icon	512 x 512	Yes
Feature graphic	1024 x 500	Yes
Phone screenshots	min 320px, max 3840px	2-8 required
Tablet screenshots	min 320px, max 3840px	Optional

Step 3: Content Rating

1. Go to Policy → App content → Content rating
2. Complete the IARC questionnaire
3. Categories to declare:
   • No violence
   • No sexual content
   • No controlled substances
   • User-generated content (optional)

Step 4: Data Safety

Declare what data the app collects:

Data Type	Collected	Shared	Purpose
Email	Yes	No	Account creation
Name	Yes	No	Profile
Photos	Yes	No	Profile picture
App activity	Yes	No	Analytics

Step 5: Build for Google Play

cd TrickList

# Build Android App Bundle
eas build --platform android --profile playstore

Build takes approximately 15-30 minutes.

Step 6: Download and Upload

Option A: Auto-submit via EAS

# Configure service account first (one-time setup)
eas credentials --platform android

# Submit to Play Store
eas submit --platform android --latest

Option B: Manual Upload

1. Download .aab file from EAS dashboard
2. In Play Console → Production → Create new release
3. Upload the .aab file
4. Add release notes
5. Review and roll out

Step 7: Review and Release

1. Testing tracks (optional but recommended):

   • Internal testing (up to 100 testers)
   • Closed testing (invite-only)
   • Open testing (anyone can join)

2. Production release:

   • Google reviews apps (usually 1-3 days)
   • Once approved, choose rollout percentage
   • Start with 20% → 50% → 100%

Android-Specific Configuration

app.json Android Config

{
  "expo": {
    "android": {
      "package": "com.thetrickbook.trickbook",
      "versionCode": 4,
      "adaptiveIcon": {
        "foregroundImage": "./app/assets/adaptive-icon.png",
        "backgroundColor": "#FFFFFF"
      },
      "permissions": [
        "CAMERA",
        "READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Signing Configuration

EAS manages signing automatically. To view:

eas credentials --platform android

To manually manage:

# Generate new keystore
eas credentials --platform android

# View SHA-1 fingerprint (needed for Google Sign-In)
eas credentials --platform android

Setting Up EAS Submit

Create Service Account

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Create project or select existing
3. Enable Google Play Android Developer API
4. Create service account with role: Service Account User
5. Generate JSON key file

Link to Play Console

1. In Play Console → Settings → API access
2. Link to Google Cloud project
3. Grant service account access:
   • Admin for full access
   • Release manager for submissions only

Configure EAS

# Set service account credentials
eas credentials --platform android
# Select "service account" and upload JSON key

Play Console Checklist

Before First Release

• Create developer account
• Complete identity verification (if required)
• Add payment profile (for paid apps/IAP)
• Accept Developer Distribution Agreement

App Setup

• Set app category (Lifestyle or Sports)
• Set content rating
• Complete data safety form
• Add privacy policy URL
• Set target age group

Store Listing

• App name
• Short description
• Full description
• App icon (512x512)
• Feature graphic (1024x500)
• Screenshots (phone)
• Screenshots (tablet) - optional
• Video URL - optional

Version Management

With autoIncrement: true:

# versionCode auto-increments on each build
eas build --platform android --profile playstore

Manual version set:

eas build:version:set --platform android --version-code 10

Troubleshooting

Build Failures

# View logs
eas build:view --logs

# Clear cache
eas build --platform android --profile playstore --clear-cache

Signing Issues

# Reset credentials
eas credentials --platform android --reset

Upload Errors

Common issues:

• Version code too low - Increment versionCode
• Package name mismatch - Must match exactly
• Target SDK too low - Update Expo SDK

Review Rejections

Common reasons:

1. Privacy policy missing - Add URL in store listing
2. Crash on launch - Test on multiple devices
3. Deceptive behavior - Ensure app does what it says
4. Insufficient content - App must have real functionality

Release Checklist

Before each release:

• Test on physical Android device
• Test on Android 10, 11, 12, 13
• Test on different screen sizes
• Verify all permissions work
• Update versionCode
• Write release notes
• Take new screenshots (if UI changed)
• Submit for review
• Monitor for ANRs and crashes after release

Monitoring

Play Console Analytics

• Statistics → Installs, uninstalls, ratings
• Android Vitals → Crashes, ANRs, battery usage
• Ratings and reviews → User feedback

Crash Reporting

Enable Firebase Crashlytics or Sentry:

npx expo install @sentry/react-native

First-Time Setup Summary

# 1. Build the app
eas build --platform android --profile playstore

# 2. Create Play Console listing (web)

# 3. Set up EAS submit credentials
eas credentials --platform android

# 4. Submit to Play Store
eas submit --platform android --latest

# 5. Complete store listing in Play Console

# 6. Submit for review