# GitHub Actions > Integrate Applivery with GitHub Actions to automate Mobile App Distribution. Source: https://docs.applivery.com/en/app-distribution/ci-cd/github-actions/ • Last updated: 2026-04-01 **Key topics:** GitHub Actions setup, Applivery API integration, Fastlane integration, iOS deployment with GitHub Actions, Android deployment with GitHub Actions, GitHub Actions, Applivery, Fastlane, iOS, Android, YAML, curl --- **TL;DR:** Automate your mobile app distribution to Applivery using GitHub Actions, streamlining the deployment process for iOS and Android builds. ![github](https://docs.applivery.com/int/_r2/media/09ac0a4e-3ad8-478f-9f15-3474973eec71/66677e61-987d-457e-aaa9-3e410e59b73f.png) [GitHub Actions](https://github.com/features/actions) is GitHub's built-in CI/CD platform. Pipelines are defined as YAML workflows stored directly in your repository under `.github/workflows/`, triggered by events such as pushes, pull requests, or manual runs. The Applivery integration with GitHub Actions allows you to automatically upload a new Build to Applivery at the end of each workflow run — making freshly built binaries immediately available to QA teams, stakeholders, or internal users without any manual steps. There are two approaches to integrating GitHub Actions with Applivery: - **Via Fastlane** — recommended if your project already uses Fastlane for building and signing. A single lane call handles building and uploading. - **Via the Applivery Upload API directly** — recommended for any project or when Fastlane is not in use. Uses a `curl` step in your workflow YAML with no additional dependencies. * * * ## Prerequisites Before setting up either approach, make sure you have: - A GitHub repository with Actions enabled. - An Applivery App API Token. Find it in **App Settings → API Tokens** in the Applivery Dashboard, or see [Apps API Token](https://docs.applivery.com/en/app-distribution/api/app-api-token/). - A workflow that produces a Build artifact (`.ipa`, `.apk`, `.aab`, or another supported format). * * * **Store the App Token as a GitHub Secret** Never hardcode your Applivery token directly in a workflow file — it would be committed to your repository and visible to anyone with read access. Store it as a GitHub Secret so it is masked in logs and injected as an environment variable at runtime. 1. Open your GitHub repository. 2. Go to **Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions**. 3. Click **New repository secret**. 4. Set the name to `APPLIVERY_TOKEN`. 5. Paste your Applivery App API Token as the value. 6. Click **Add secret**. Once saved, reference it in your workflow YAML as `${{ secrets.APPLIVERY_TOKEN }}`. :::info If multiple repositories need access to the same token, create an **Organization secret** instead. Go to your organization's **Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions** and follow the same process. ::: **Option A — Integration via Fastlane** This approach is recommended if your project already uses Fastlane. The Applivery Fastlane plugin handles the upload and all metadata in a single lane call. For full plugin documentation, see [Fastlane Integration](https://docs.applivery.com/en/app-distribution/ci-cd/fastlane/). ### Workflow YAML ```yaml name: Build and deploy to Applivery on: push: branches: - develop - main jobs: deploy: runs-on: macos-latest steps: - name: Checkout uses: actions/checkout@v4 - name: Set up Ruby uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1 with: ruby-version: '3.2' bundler-cache: true - name: Deploy to Applivery via Fastlane run: bundle exec fastlane ios deploy env: APPLIVERY_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.APPLIVERY_TOKEN }} ``` ### Fastfile ```ruby platform :ios do lane :deploy do gym( scheme: "MyApp", export_method: "enterprise" ) applivery( app_token: ENV["APPLIVERY_TOKEN"], changelog: ENV["COMMIT_MESSAGE"], notify_collaborators: true, notify_message: "New build from GitHub Actions", tags: "github-actions, #{ENV["GITHUB_REF_NAME"]}" ) end end ``` **Option B — Integration via the Upload API (without Fastlane)** This approach calls the Applivery Upload API directly from your workflow using `curl`. It works for any platform and requires no additional tooling. ### iOS example ```yaml name: Build and deploy iOS to Applivery on: push: branches: - develop jobs: build-and-deploy: runs-on: macos-latest steps: - name: Checkout uses: actions/checkout@v4 - name: Build iOS app run: | xcodebuild -scheme MyApp \ -configuration Release \ -archivePath build/MyApp.xcarchive \ archive xcodebuild -exportArchive \ -archivePath build/MyApp.xcarchive \ -exportPath build/ \ -exportOptionsPlist ExportOptions.plist - name: Upload to Applivery run: | curl 'https://upload.applivery.io/v1/integrations/builds' \ --retry 5 \ --fail \ -H "Authorization: Bearer ${{ secrets.APPLIVERY_TOKEN }}" \ -F "build=@build/MyApp.ipa" \ -F "versionName=${{ github.run_number }}" \ -F "changelog=${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}" \ -F "tags=github-actions, ${{ github.ref_name }}" \ -F "notifyCollaborators=true" \ -F "notifyMessage=New iOS build from GitHub Actions" \ -F "notifyLanguage=en" \ -F "deployer.name=GitHub Actions" \ -F "deployer.info.commit=${{ github.sha }}" \ -F "deployer.info.branch=${{ github.ref_name }}" \ -F "deployer.info.commitMessage=${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}" \ -F "deployer.info.buildUrl=${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}" \ -F "deployer.info.buildNumber=${{ github.run_number }}" \ -F "deployer.info.repositoryUrl=${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}" ``` ### Android example ```yaml name: Build and deploy Android to Applivery on: push: branches: - develop jobs: build-and-deploy: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: - name: Checkout uses: actions/checkout@v4 - name: Set up JDK uses: actions/setup-java@v4 with: java-version: '17' distribution: 'temurin' - name: Build Android APK run: ./gradlew assembleRelease - name: Upload to Applivery run: | curl 'https://upload.applivery.io/v1/integrations/builds' \ --retry 5 \ --fail \ -H "Authorization: Bearer ${{ secrets.APPLIVERY_TOKEN }}" \ -F "build=@app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk" \ -F "versionName=${{ github.run_number }}" \ -F "changelog=${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}" \ -F "tags=github-actions, ${{ github.ref_name }}" \ -F "notifyCollaborators=true" \ -F "notifyMessage=New Android build from GitHub Actions" \ -F "notifyLanguage=en" \ -F "deployer.name=GitHub Actions" \ -F "deployer.info.commit=${{ github.sha }}" \ -F "deployer.info.branch=${{ github.ref_name }}" \ -F "deployer.info.commitMessage=${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}" \ -F "deployer.info.buildUrl=${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}" \ -F "deployer.info.buildNumber=${{ github.run_number }}" \ -F "deployer.info.repositoryUrl=${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}" ``` * * * ## Advanced: Trigger on tags for Release Builds A common pattern is to trigger the Applivery upload only on version tags (e.g. `v2.4.0`), keeping feature branch Builds separate from release candidates: ```yaml on: push: tags: - 'v*' # Triggers on v1.0.0, v2.4.0-rc1, etc. ``` Combined with `${{ github.ref_name }}` as a tag in Applivery, this makes it easy to filter release Builds from the Dashboard. * * * ## Advanced: Upload only on successful tests Use job dependencies to ensure the Build is only uploaded to Applivery if tests pass: ```yaml jobs: test: runs-on: macos-latest steps: - uses: actions/checkout@v4 - name: Run tests run: ./gradlew test deploy: runs-on: ubuntu-latest needs: test # Only runs if the 'test' job succeeds steps: - name: Upload to Applivery run: | curl ... ``` * * * ## GitHub Actions Context Variables The workflow examples above use GitHub Actions context variables that are automatically available in every workflow: | Variable | Description | | --- | --- | | `${{ github.sha }}` | Full SHA of the commit that triggered the workflow. | | `${{ github.ref_name }}` | Short name of the branch or tag (e.g. `develop`, `v2.4.0`). | | `${{ github.run_number }}` | Sequential run number for the workflow. Useful as a `versionName` in Applivery. | | `${{ github.run_id }}` | Unique numeric ID for the workflow run. Used to construct the Build URL. | | `${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}` | Commit message of the commit that triggered the workflow. Useful as `changelog`. | | `${{ github.server_url }}` | Base URL of the GitHub instance (e.g. `https://github.com`). | | `${{ github.repository }}` | Owner and repository name (e.g. `myorg/myapp`). | | `${{ secrets.APPLIVERY_TOKEN }}` | The Applivery App Token stored as a GitHub Secret. | For the full reference, see the [GitHub Actions context documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/writing-workflows/choosing-what-your-workflow-does/accessing-contextual-information-about-workflow-runs). * * * ## Key upload parameters reference The `curl` form fields map directly to the Applivery Upload API. The most commonly used parameters: | Parameter | Description | | --- | --- | | `build` | The binary file to upload (`.ipa`, `.apk`, `.aab`). | | `versionName` | Human-readable label for the Build. Using `${{ github.run_number }}` links it to the GitHub run. | | `changelog` | Release notes shown in the Dashboard and notification emails. | | `tags` | Comma-separated tags for filtering Builds. E.g. `github-actions, develop`. | | `notifyCollaborators` | Set to `true` to email app Collaborators on upload. | | `notifyMessage` | Custom message included in the notification email. | | `deployer.name` | CI platform name shown in the Applivery Dashboard. | | `deployer.info.commit` | Git commit SHA. | | `deployer.info.branch` | Git branch or tag name. | | `deployer.info.buildNumber` | Workflow run number. | | `deployer.info.buildUrl` | Direct URL to the GitHub Actions workflow run. | For the complete parameter reference, see [POST – Upload a Build](https://docs.applivery.com/en/app-distribution/api/builds/upload-build/).