Fastlane Cheat Sheet

Updated 2026-03-17

Fastlane is an open-source automation platform for iOS and Android app deployment, originally created by Felix Krause and later acquired by Google. It eliminates manual tedious tasks like code signing, building, testing, screenshot generation, and app store submissions by providing a Ruby-based DSL that defines reproducible workflows called lanes. Built around 170+ actions, Fastlane integrates seamlessly with CI/CD systems, handles both Apple's complex provisioning system and Android's signing mechanisms, and allows teams to codify their entire release pipeline in version-controlled configuration files—making deployments consistent, auditable, and accessible to any team member regardless of platform expertise.

What This Cheat Sheet Covers

This topic spans 24 focused tables and 153 indexed concepts. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.

Table 1: Core Configuration FilesTable 2: Lane Definition and StructureTable 3: iOS Code Signing ToolsTable 4: Building and Testing ActionsTable 5: App Store Deployment (iOS)Table 6: Android DeploymentTable 7: Screenshot and Asset AutomationTable 8: Version and Build Number ManagementTable 9: Notification and ReportingTable 10: CI/CD IntegrationTable 11: Environment Variables and CredentialsTable 12: Dependency and Setup ActionsTable 13: Git and Version Control ActionsTable 14: Fastlane Plugin SystemTable 15: Lane Context and Shared ValuesTable 16: Android-Specific ActionsTable 17: Helper and Utility ActionsTable 18: App Metadata ManagementTable 19: Advanced Fastlane FeaturesTable 20: Testing and ValidationTable 21: Firebase IntegrationTable 22: Custom Actions and PluginsTable 23: Credential ManagementTable 24: Troubleshooting and Debugging

Table 1: Core Configuration Files

File	Example	Description
Fastfile	`lane :beta do` `build_app` `upload_to_testflight` `end`	• Primary configuration file defining all lanes, actions, and workflows • must be located in `./fastlane` directory and uses Ruby syntax to orchestrate automation steps.
Appfile	`app_identifier "com.example.app"` `apple_id "dev@example.com"` `team_id "ABC123DEF4"`	• Stores app-specific metadata used across all actions—bundle identifier, Apple ID, team ID • keeps Fastfile clean by centralizing credentials and identifiers.
Matchfile	`git_url "https://github.com/company/certs"` `storage_mode "git"` `type "appstore"`	• Configuration for match code signing • defines where certificates and profiles are stored (Git, S3, Google Cloud), encryption password location, and certificate types.
Gymfile	`scheme "MyApp"` `export_method "app-store"` `output_directory "./build"`	• Build configuration for gym (build_app) • specifies Xcode scheme, export method (app-store, ad-hoc, development), output path, and build settings overrides.

Table 1: Core Configuration Files

File	Example	Description
Fastfile	`lane :beta do` `build_app` `upload_to_testflight` `end`	• Primary configuration file defining all lanes, actions, and workflows • must be located in `./fastlane` directory and uses Ruby syntax to orchestrate automation steps.
Appfile	`app_identifier "com.example.app"` `apple_id "dev@example.com"` `team_id "ABC123DEF4"`	• Stores app-specific metadata used across all actions—bundle identifier, Apple ID, team ID • keeps Fastfile clean by centralizing credentials and identifiers.
Matchfile	`git_url "https://github.com/company/certs"` `storage_mode "git"` `type "appstore"`	• Configuration for match code signing • defines where certificates and profiles are stored (Git, S3, Google Cloud), encryption password location, and certificate types.
Gymfile	`scheme "MyApp"` `export_method "app-store"` `output_directory "./build"`	• Build configuration for gym (build_app) • specifies Xcode scheme, export method (app-store, ad-hoc, development), output path, and build settings overrides.