Workflows

Workflows enables you to set up all of your apps in one place to manage their releases as a cohesive unit. This helps provide a clearer understanding of the status of all apps that are going through the release process in tandem. Additionally, you will be able to apply the same settings across all apps within the workflow, reducing setup time and the risk of forgetting to apply certain settings to all apps.

The following scenarios are the ideal use cases for leveraging workflows:

1. White label: same codebase used to ship multiple variations of the same app.

2. Multi-platform: the same codebase used to build across multiple platforms, such as iOS and tvOS apps, or Android and wearOS apps.

3. Multi-store: the same codebase used to build a single APK that is distributed to different app stores, such as Google Play Console and Amazon Appstore.

4. Cross-platform: same codebase used to build iOS and Android apps that go to their respective app stores.

Key definitions

• Step archetype: these are the different steps along the release management journey. They consist of Kickoff, Feature readiness, Translations, Release candidate, Regression testing, Beta testing, Screenshots, Metadata, Approvals, App submission, App store review, and Release.

Runway currently supports multiple instances of Beta testing, App submission, App store review, and Release steps within one workflow.

• Step configuration: a unique configuration for a step within a workflow of a specific archetype.

• Workflow: a collection of step configurations and settings describing your team’s process for releasing one or more apps.

Explaining workflows with an example

Appollo is a cross-platform, React Native app that builds both an iOS and Android app. Both apps follow the same release schedule so that they’re released to users as close to the same time as possible. Appollo leverages the same CI workflow to build its release candidates. During beta testing, Apollo typically goes through both alpha and beta testing before the apps progress to the next step in the release process.

In this scenario, Appollo would have the following workflow setup:

Step archetype	Step configuration
Kickoff	1 step for iOS & Android apps
Feature readiness	1 step for iOS & Android apps
Translations	1 step for iOS & Android apps
Release candidate	1 step for iOS & Android apps
Regression testing	1 step for iOS & Android apps
Beta testing	2 steps Alpha - test both iOS & Android apps Beta - test both iOS & Android apps
Screenshots	1 step for iOS & Android apps
Metadata	1 step for iOS & Android apps
Approvals	1 step for iOS & Android apps
App submission	2 steps iOS app submits to App Store Connect Android app submits to Google Play Console
App store review	2 steps iOS app reviewed in App Store Connect Android app reviewed in Google Play Console
Release	2 steps iOS app releases in App Store Connect Android app releases in Google Play Console