Uploading to Google Play

Note

TL;DR - How to automate Google Play uploads from Jenkins using the Google Play Android Publisher Plugin — covering service account setup, credential configuration, APK/AAB upload with release notes, and track selection (internal/alpha/beta/production).

Google Play Android Publisher Plugin can be used to automatically upload new releases of android applications to Google Play store.

Plugin web site describes in detail how to let Jenkins accessing the API of google play. Basically there are 3 main requirements:

  1. Service account in Google API Console with the private/public keys generated

  2. Google Play account connected to the service account from step 1 and having the proper rights to publish the applications

  3. Jenkins having Service account credentials (private key)

How do you use the plugin in a pipeline?

Following snippet is example from travel smart application:

androidApkUpload apkFilesPattern: '**/*signed.apk',
        googleCredentialsId: 'Google Play Android Developer',
        recentChangeList: [[language: 'en-GB', text: 'Please test the changes from Jenkins build.']],
        trackName: 'internal'

androidApkUpload - plugin name to be used as command

apkFilesPattern - path to signed apk

googleCredentialsId - id of the credential for the google service account

recentChangeList - changes description for the version to be published

trackName - type of the release track, can be one of internal/alfa/beta/production

Hint

In closed testing there can be more tracks defined within google play. This can be useful to e.g. distinguish the production and staging environment, then just the name of the track is provided within pipeline.

Signing android application bundle

Google is deprecating usage of standalone APK for uploading the application to google play. Instead the android application bundle will be mandatory. See Signing android application releases for the way how to sign .aab in jenkins pipeline.

Tip

Need automated Google Play deployment from Jenkins? Amarula Solutions configures Android publishing pipelines with code signing, release track management, and Google Play API integration. Contact our mobile DevOps team