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QR codes (direct downloads)

Wolfia supports downloading Android and iOS builds directly to your device via a QR code without interacting with an app store.

This is useful for testing builds for in-progress work, such as a new feature being developed on a git branch. It also does not require incrementing the app version or app build.

How to upload builds to distribute via QR codes​

To upload a build to distribute via a QR code, follow the same steps to create a GitHub workflow using the Wolfia Deploy GitHub action to upload your builds.

Exactly how this workflow is triggered is up to you. For example, it could be triggered for every push to a git branch or as a manual workflow dispatch.

In addition to these steps, there are the following platform-specific steps.

Android​

info

This only works with APKs, and not AABs.

App bundles are only for publishing and cannot be installed on Android devices. So, instead of building the app with gradle bundle, use gradle assemble to generate an APK instead of AAB.

The Wolfia Deploy action requires the following additional configuration:

# GitHub workflow

steps:
  # Previous steps to build and sign the app...

  - uses: wolfia-app/wolfia-deploy@v0.0.11
    with:
      # Other standard Android configuration for the Wolfia Deploy GitHub Action...

      distribution-method: QR_CODE
      application-id: com.example.app # Your app's application identifier

iOS​

iOS requires the build to be signed with an Ad Hoc Provisioning profile. As part of this profile, the devices that you want to install the build on must be added and selected.

Wolfia also provides a UI to manage Ad Hoc Provisioning Profiles and add devices.

Additionally, the Wolfia Deploy action requires the following additional configuration:

# GitHub workflow

steps:
  # Previous steps to build and sign the app...

  - uses: wolfia-app/wolfia-deploy@v0.0.11
    with:
      # Other standard iOS configuration for the Wolfia Deploy GitHub Action...

      distribution-method: QR_CODE
      bundle-id: com.example.app # Your app's bundle identifier

How to download builds directly via QR code​

Once a build has been uploaded to Wolfia that can be distributed via QR code, a new track will appear for that app

QR code track

Clicking on the track will show a list of all the builds uploaded to Wolfia for the app that can be downloaded directly via QR code.

QR code list

Clicking on a build will show a dialog with a QR code that can be scanned to download the build (along with the direct URL, an option to copy it, and an option to open it in a new tab).

Scanning the QR code with the relevant device (iPhone for iOS apps or an Android device for Android apps) should prompt you to download and install the build on your device.

QR code dialog