deploy

name	deploy
description	Use when the user wants to trigger an Xcode Cloud build for the current branch, kick off the "Deploy Flipcash" workflow, ship an ad-hoc / dogfood build, or push a branch build to a TestFlight group — anything short of a versioned release (for cutting a version, use /release instead).
argument-hint	["testflight-group"]
allowed-tools	Bash(git rev-parse *), Bash(git status *), Bash(git push *), Bash(git ls-remote *), Bash(fastlane deploy *), Bash(fastlane distribute *)

Deploy

Triggers the Deploy Flipcash Xcode Cloud workflow for the current branch, and optionally waits and assigns the resulting build to a TestFlight group. Wraps fastlane deploy.

Not a release. This builds an arbitrary branch on demand. To cut a version (tag → App Store), use /release.

When to use

• "Trigger a build", "kick off Xcode Cloud", "build this branch", "make a dogfood/TestFlight build"
• "Deploy this to the Internal group" → include the group

Preconditions

Xcode Cloud builds the commit at the tip of the branch on origin, and the lane refuses to run otherwise. Before invoking:

1. Confirm the branch is pushed and up to date:

   git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD          # the branch that will build
   git status --porcelain                    # must be clean-ish; uncommitted work won't build
   git ls-remote origin refs/heads/$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
   

2. If origin is missing the branch or behind local HEAD, offer to git push -u origin <branch> (ask first).

fastlane/.env must hold the ASC API creds (ASC_KEY_ID, ASC_ISSUER_ID, ASC_KEY_CONTENT, APP_IDENTIFIER). If the lane reports one missing, tell the user to run Scripts/pull_secrets fastlane (or restore fastlane/.env).

Run

Run from the repo root.

Intent	Command
Validate + list TestFlight groups, trigger nothing	fastlane deploy dry_run:true
Just trigger a build	fastlane deploy
Trigger a specific branch	fastlane deploy branch:<name>
Trigger and assign to a TestFlight group	fastlane deploy group:'<Group Name>'

Pick the group first. The group name must match a TestFlight group exactly (case-sensitive) or the lane errors. A default lives in the TESTFLIGHT_GROUP env var (in fastlane/.env, kept out of the repo); an explicit group:'Name' overrides it. If neither is set and the user hasn't named one, run fastlane deploy dry_run:true — it prints the available groups (and confirms the workflow + branch resolve) without triggering anything — then confirm the group with the user before the real run.

group: makes the lane block through the whole Xcode Cloud build + processing (10–30+ min) before assigning — expected, not a hang. Stream the output and report progress. If the user doesn't want to wait, run fastlane deploy group:'<Group>' wait:false and tell them to run fastlane distribute group:'<Group>' once the build finishes processing.

Assign a group to an already-built build without triggering a new one: fastlane distribute group:'<Group>' [build:<number>]. Dry-run the upload half with fastlane distribute group:'<Group>' dry_run:true — it confirms the group resolves and reports which build would be assigned (and whether it's processed), without assigning and without blocking.

From GitHub instead of locally: the same flow is exposed as the Deploy to TestFlight (Xcode Cloud) workflow (.github/workflows/deploy.yml) — Actions tab → Run workflow → pick a branch. It runs the lane on an ubuntu runner using the repo's ASC secrets, and assigns to the TESTFLIGHT_GROUP secret when the group field is left blank. Point users there when they can't or don't want to run fastlane locally.

Report

State the build number the lane printed and where to watch it (App Store Connect → Xcode Cloud → Builds). If a group was requested, confirm the build was assigned once the lane finishes.

Don't

• Don't trigger against a branch whose local HEAD isn't on origin — you'd build stale code. Push first.
• Don't guess a TestFlight group name. If the user didn't name one, either omit group: or ask which group.
• Don't use this to cut a release — that's /release.