Appendix. The iOS developer program and app distribution
Unlike developing for desktop computers or websites, there are some hoops to jump through for some mobile platforms, including the iPhone. The first requirement is becoming an iOS developer by joining the iOS Developer Program. This gives you access to many resources, including the Provisioning Portal.
The Provisioning Portal is where you set up all of the necessary items to develop and distribute your app. If uploading your app to the App Store is like putting it on a plane, think of the Provisioning Portal as where you buy the ticket, check the bags, and get the boarding pass. It’s a multistep process with input, output, and a purpose.
In this chapter, we’ll look at enrolling in the Developer Program, each aspect of the Provisioning Portal, and the two types of distribution.
You’ll learn how to use the portal to build your team, certificates, app IDs, and provisioning profiles, as well as how to distribute your app for testing and to the App Store.
Let’s start by looking at the iOS Developer Program.
Joining the iOS Developer Program is more than paying some money and “being official.” It gets you access into seemingly limitless resources for iOS development. If you’re part of another member’s team, you’ll need to become a member yourself to run apps on devices, distribute your apps through the App Store, access the forums, and so forth.