**Course Title:** .NET MAUI App Development **Section Title:** Publishing and Distribution **Topic:** Packaging and publishing your app to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. **Overview** In this lab, you will learn how to package and publish your .NET MAUI app to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. This involves preparing your app for release, creating a keystore or certificate, generating a signed APK or IPA file, and submitting your app to the respective app store. **Prerequisites** * Complete the previous labs and have a working .NET MAUI app. * Have a Google Play Developer account or an Apple Developer account. * Have a test device or simulator set up for testing. **Packaging and Publishing to the Google Play Store** To package and publish your app to the Google Play Store, follow these steps: 1. **Prepare your app for release**: * In the Visual Studio Solution Explorer, right-click on your .NET MAUI project and select **Properties**. * In the Properties window, select the **Android** tab and make sure the **Build** configuration is set to **Release**. * In the **AndroidManifest.xml** file, update the `android:versionName` attribute to match your app's version. * Update the `android:versionCode` attribute to match your app's version code. 2. **Create a keystore**: * In the Visual Studio Solution Explorer, right-click on your .NET MAUI project and select **Properties**. * In the Properties window, select the **Android** tab and click on the **...** button next to the **Keystore** field. * Create a new keystore or select an existing one. * Set the keystore password and alias. 3. **Generate a signed APK file**: * In the Visual Studio Solution Explorer, right-click on your .NET MAUI project and select **Archive**. * In the Archives window, select the **Release** configuration and click on the **Create** button. * Sign the APK file with your keystore. 4. **Publish your app to the Google Play Store**: * Create a new release in the Google Play Console. * Upload the signed APK file to the Google Play Console. * Fill in the app's metadata, including the title, description, and screenshots. * Set the app's pricing and distribution settings. For more information on publishing your app to the Google Play Store, see the official [Google Play Console documentation](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer). **Packaging and Publishing to the Apple App Store** To package and publish your app to the Apple App Store, follow these steps: 1. **Prepare your app for release**: * In the Visual Studio Solution Explorer, right-click on your .NET MAUI project and select **Properties**. * In the Properties window, select the **iOS** tab and make sure the **Build** configuration is set to **Release**. * In the **Info.plist** file, update the `CFBundleVersion` attribute to match your app's version. * Update the `CFBundleShortVersionString` attribute to match your app's version code. 2. **Create a certificate**: * In the Visual Studio Solution Explorer, right-click on your .NET MAUI project and select **Properties**. * In the Properties window, select the **iOS** tab and click on the **...** button next to the **Certificate** field. * Create a new certificate or select an existing one. * Set the certificate password and alias. 3. **Generate a signed IPA file**: * In the Visual Studio Solution Explorer, right-click on your .NET MAUI project and select **Archive**. * In the Archives window, select the **Release** configuration and click on the **Create** button. * Sign the IPA file with your certificate. 4. **Publish your app to the Apple App Store**: * Create a new release in the App Store Connect dashboard. * Upload the signed IPA file to the App Store Connect dashboard. * Fill in the app's metadata, including the title, description, and screenshots. * Set the app's pricing and distribution settings. For more information on publishing your app to the Apple App Store, see the official [App Store Connect documentation](https://help.apple.com/app-store-connect/). **Conclusion** In this lab, you learned how to package and publish your .NET MAUI app to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. By following these steps, you can successfully release your app to the public and reach a wider audience. **What to Do Next?** * Test your app on different devices and platforms to ensure compatibility. * Monitor your app's performance and user feedback to improve future releases. * Explore other features and functionalities of the Google Play Console and App Store Connect dashboard. **Need Help or Have Comments?** If you have any questions or need help with packaging and publishing your app, leave a comment below. We'd love to hear your feedback and help you succeed in publishing your .NET MAUI app.