Apple Now Offering Developers Access to Xcode Cloud

[MacRumors]

Apple today began notifying developers that they're able to use the new Xcode Cloud service that was first introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

"We're pleased to let you know your account has been enabled for Xcode Cloud beta," reads the email sent out to developers. "You can now take advantage of continuous integration and delivery service built into Xcode 13."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1409583701265063936

Xcode Cloud is a cloud-based Xcode service that allows developers to build, test, and deliver high-quality apps in the cloud rather than directly on a Mac.

Xcode Cloud is a new continuous integration and delivery cloud service designed specifically for Apple developers. Built into Xcode 13, Xcode Cloud offers a fast and simple way for developers and teams of all sizes to build, test, and deliver high-quality apps even more efficiently. Xcode Cloud can automatically build apps in the cloud to free up developers' Macs for other tasks. Parallel testing in the cloud means developers can test on a simulated version of every current Apple device, then easily deploy a build of the app for internal testing, or deliver to external beta testers through TestFlight for instant feedback.

Apple has been allowing developers to sign up for the Xcode Cloud waitlist prior to now, and there are multiple reports on Twitter from developers who have been granted beta access. All developers who are Account Holders in the Apple Developer Program as of June 7, 2021 are eligible to sign up for Xcode Cloud, though a Mac with the latest beta version of Xcode 13 is required.

Article Link: Apple Now Offering Developers Access to Xcode Cloud

 

[Serban55]

Waiting for my invitation..

 

[dadiy]

No invitation here for my dev account either.

 

[farewelwilliams]

but someone on these forums told me there was no competition to the App Store and therefore Apple stopped improving the developer experience.

 

[Macintosh IIvx]

Saw the approval last week but haven't had a chance to jump in there yet.

 

[GenesisST]

"... designed expressly for Apple developers...".

Well, no ****! It's fricking XCode...

 

[Techwatcher]

And I'm assuming that this is how it comes to iPadOS for developers, so it can accommodate for a wide range of iPads rather than only the M1 iPads.

Anyways, I'll try this out in July looks promising.

 

[mihirdelirious]

How about you let us download the xCloud App too, Apple?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

The developers are very busy this summer. They are definitely putting in the hard work!

 

[Pakaku]

but someone on these forums told me there was no competition to the App Store and therefore Apple stopped improving the developer experience.

Better late than never, I guess?

 

[Moka Akashiya]

but someone on these forums told me there was no competition to the App Store and therefore Apple stopped improving the developer experience.

Competition to the App Store, what does it mean?
Im my opinion, improved experience for developers would be possibility to run macOS on VM's legally on non-mac hosts, so more CI tools would be free to use. Xcode Cloud probably will be another subscription-based tool to squeeze money from devs and maybe even without real world service integrations (github/bitbucket/etc).

 

[jonblatho]

And I'm assuming that this is how it comes to iPadOS for developers, so it can accommodate for a wide range of iPads rather than only the M1 iPads.

Anyways, I'll try this out in July looks promising.

That’s not what this is. Xcode Cloud is a continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) service, not an IDE like Xcode itself.

 

[iDento]

That’s not what this is. Xcode Cloud is a continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) service, not an IDE like Xcode itself.

What is a CI/CD! How is it different than syncing your code ”projects” over iCloud? I’ve never used Xcode before so forgive my ignorance.

 

[Ubuntu]

What is a CI/CD! How is it different than syncing your code ”projects” over iCloud? I’ve never used Xcode before so forgive my ignorance.

Continuous Integration/delivery. It’s a system that handles in the merging of code from multiple developers in order to create builds to be tested and sent to the App Store.

 

[jonblatho]

What is a CI/CD! How is it different than syncing your code ”projects” over iCloud? I’ve never used Xcode before so forgive my ignorance.

Quite a bit different. CI/CD is a pretty involved concept, but here’s a scenario that should give you a decent idea of how it’s useful in development:

1. For example, say I and a partner have created a calculator app.
2. One of our app’s functions is to sum a series of integers. While writing the app, my partner and I have written a series of corresponding tests to make sure that our code works as expected.
3. In our test code, we would run that function with different combinations of numbers to ensure that we get the expected result each time — for example, if we run it with the numbers 3, 6, and 9, we know that the sum of the numbers is 18, so the function should return 18. And if we run it again with the numbers in a different order, we should of course still get 18 from the function. Rinse and repeat with numerous different combinations of numbers. (This sounds like tedious and mundane stuff, and in most cases it is, but it’s best to thoroughly check that even the simplest and most mundane code works exactly as you expect.)
4. My partner made a change to our number-summing function and requests to merge his changes into the app.
5. Here’s the CI (continuous integration) part: When the request is submitted, it automatically builds the project and runs our tests using the new code to make sure that we are still getting the results we expect out of the number-summing function, and any other functions that use it. Xcode Cloud allows for running the tests on numerous devices and device configurations.
6. Say the change makes some tests fail when numbers are provided in a different order. If tests start failing as a result of the change, the failing tests will be indicated so that the problem can be isolated and resolved, or the changes can simply be ignored until a fix is found (if ever).
7. Once our tests are passing (or, not recommended, even if they aren’t), here’s the CD (continuous delivery) part: Using Xcode Cloud we can “deliver” it straight to TestFlight for beta testing on real-world devices and eventually to the App Store.

Basically, it helps developers by automatically running tests in different configurations (to see if that’s the cause of failures) at important parts of the development process, which in turn encourages them to test their code, test all of their code, test it well, and test it again and again, which leads to better apps. Comprehensive and well-written tests, and running them repeatedly, can catch a lot of bugs before one finds out the hard way through, say, a bad App Store review.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Competition to the App Store, what does it mean?

ask the people that defended Epic's lawsuit against Apple.

Im my opinion, improved experience for developers would be possibility to run macOS on VM's legally on non-mac hosts, so more CI tools would be free to use. Xcode Cloud probably will be another subscription-based tool to squeeze money from devs and maybe even without real world service integrations (github/bitbucket/etc).

macOS is baked into the cost of the device.

 

[aesc80]

The developers are very busy this summer. They are definitely putting in the hard work!

At least you see it!

 

[CarlJ]

Basically, it helps developers by automatically running tests in different configurations (to see if that’s the cause of failures) at important parts of the development process, which in turn encourages them to test their code, test all of their code, test it well, and test it again and again, which leads to better apps. Comprehensive and well-written tests, and running them repeatedly, can catch a lot of bugs before one finds out the hard way through, say, a bad App Store review.

Well stated (and nice example). An interesting thought - since the CI bit is happening in Apple-controlled space, they... could potentially set things up to test against (virtual models of) as yet unreleased hardware, and unreleased bits of the OS (that support new hardware features), and end up in a situation where developers have already unknowingly rid their software of many problems associated with new hardware, so the apps are ready to go as soon as the new devices are announced. Still thinking it through, but it seems like there is some interesting potential there.

 

[ttyRazor]

Well stated (and nice example). An interesting thought - since the CI bit is happening in Apple-controlled space, they... could potentially set things up to test against (virtual models of) as yet unreleased hardware, and unreleased bits of the OS (that support new hardware features), and end up in a situation where developers have already unknowingly rid their software of many problems associated with new hardware, so the apps are ready to go as soon as the new devices are announced. Still thinking it through, but it seems like there is some interesting potential there.

Probably not since tests likely could spit out any output including details about such unreleased hardware back to the developer. It might work for the gap between announcement and shipping, though, but if it’s a big if that new hardware would even get added by the time it shipped.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

but someone on these forums told me there was no competition to the App Store and therefore Apple stopped improving the developer experience.

Xcode and Xcode Cloud have competition. That's not the same thing as the App Store having competition.

Jenkins and other CI/CD tools compete with Xcode Cloud. CLion and other IDEs compete against Xcode.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Xcode and Xcode Cloud have competition. That's not the same thing as the App Store having competition.

Jenkins and other CI/CD tools compete with Xcode Cloud. CLion and other IDEs compete against Xcode.

Great, so that lack of App Store competition has absolutely nothing to do with Apple's work on improving developer tools.

I'd love to spend some time finding the quote of someone making that relation in support of Epic Games suing Apple, but I think that's a time sink for me.

 

[Shirasaki]

Oh yeah Cloud coding. The ultimate answer from Apple regarding the Xcode situation. Bet apple will release Final Cut Pro Cloud and Logic Pro Cloud at some point, integrating iCloud drives.
Maybe at some point macOS turns into a Cloud-based OS and we only get to use iPadOS and iOS locally. Or even that is In the Cloud.

 

[Meñito]

Xcode 13, not runs in my Mac Book pro 15". I can not test in the cloud. Thanks Apple. >:/

 

[smirking]

"... designed expressly for Apple developers...".

Well, no ****! It's fricking XCode...

Well, there are cross platform frameworks that compile into native iOS code , Android, and Web. A barrier to those platforms is that people developing on Windows machines can’t get their builds for iOS compiled unless they know someone with a Mac or have a Mac just to perform the build in XCode part of the build.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

"... designed expressly for Apple developers...".

Well, no ****! It's fricking XCode...

Next Lawsuit:
I’ve spent all this time learning XCode, but I can’t use it to develop Windows apps. Apple needs to allow me to compile code to whatever I want to, even to Android devices!