Build the mobile apps

Set up, develop and package Android and iOS shells.

Part of Build Guide.

Mobile apps (iOS / Android)

Prerequisites

Install the Rust toolchain and Tauri CLI, then add the prerequisites for your target:

Android

1. Install Android Studio
2. In SDK Manager, install:

• Android SDK Platform (API 33 or higher)
• NDK (Side by side) - version 26+
• Android SDK Command-line Tools

3. Set environment variables:

export ANDROID_HOME=$HOME/Library/Android/sdk   # macOS
export NDK_HOME=$ANDROID_HOME/ndk/$(ls $ANDROID_HOME/ndk | tail -1)

4. Add Android Rust targets:

rustup target add \
  aarch64-linux-android \
  armv7-linux-androideabi \
  i686-linux-android \
  x86_64-linux-android

iOS (macOS only)

1. Install Xcode from the App Store (the full app, not just the Command Line Tools)
2. Accept the license: sudo xcodebuild -license accept
3. Install CocoaPods - tauri ios init generates a Podfile and runs pod install: brew install cocoapods
4. Add iOS Rust targets:

rustup target add \
  aarch64-apple-ios \
  aarch64-apple-ios-sim \
  x86_64-apple-ios

See Building for iOS for the full iOS walkthrough - prerequisites, one-time init, the simulator dev loop, code signing and camera permissions.

First-time platform init

Run once to generate the native project files, from the repository root. For Android, which writes gen/android/:

cd shells/tauri-mobile
pnpm install
pnpm run tauri android init

For iOS, which writes gen/apple/:

cd shells/tauri-mobile
pnpm install
pnpm run tauri ios init

The gen/ directory contains the generated Gradle / Xcode projects. It is gitignored - regenerate it with the init command on a fresh checkout.

Icons (mobile)

cd shells/tauri-mobile
npx @tauri-apps/cli icon path/to/icon-1024.png

Development

Android (emulator or connected device with USB debugging enabled):

pnpm run dev:android

iOS (macOS only - requires Simulator or provisioned device):

pnpm run dev:ios

Run both from the repository root; the same script names also work inside shells/tauri-mobile.

Production build

Use the public content profile and provide LOLLY_CATALOG_SIGNING_KEY plus VITE_CATALOG_PUBLIC_KEY_JWK through your private credential store. The production frontend wrapper signs the exact catalog embedded in the app. Install the mobile shell's separate dependencies with pnpm -C shells/tauri-mobile install --frozen-lockfile from the repository root.

For Android, which writes an APK and an AAB:

export LOLLY_PROFILE=lolly-start
export LOLLY_EMBED_CATALOG=profile
pnpm run build:android

For iOS, which writes an .ipa:

export LOLLY_PROFILE=lolly-start
export LOLLY_EMBED_CATALOG=profile
pnpm run build:ios

Android signing - set these env vars before building for release:

export ANDROID_KEY_STORE=/path/to/keystore.jks
export ANDROID_KEY_STORE_PASSWORD=...
export ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS=...
export ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD=...

All four variables are required together. With none set, the build is unsigned. Keep the keystore and passwords outside the checkout; release APK and AAB files must use the established application key so installed copies can update.

iOS signing - configure your Development Team in Xcode:

cd gen/apple
open Lolly.xcodeproj

Set the team in the project's Signing & Capabilities tab, then build from CLI or Xcode.

The ios-release.yml GitHub workflow builds a signed IPA using the configured distribution identity on a supported macOS runner. Dispatch it with upload=false to collect the IPA without submitting it to App Store Connect.

Back to Build Guide.