Xcode Cloud Now Available to All Apple Developers

[MacRumors]

As part of WWDC 2022 this week, Apple announced that Xcode Cloud is now available for all registered Apple developers after nearly a year of beta testing.

Xcode Cloud is a continuous integration and delivery service built into the Xcode app. Apple says the service is built to "accelerate the development and delivery of high-quality apps by bringing together cloud-based tools that help you build apps, run automated tests in parallel, deliver apps to testers, and view and manage user feedback."

Xcode Cloud is available in Xcode version 13.4.1 and in the Xcode version 14 beta, and it is also built into App Store Connect and works with TestFlight.

Starting this summer, Apple says developers will be able to subscribe to one of four monthly plans for Xcode Cloud, depending on the number of compute hours you need. Pricing starts at $14.99 for 25 compute hours per month, but Apple says all Developer Program members will receive the 25-hour subscription plan at no cost until the end of 2023.

More details are available on the Xcode Cloud page on Apple's website.

Article Link: Xcode Cloud Now Available to All Apple Developers

 

[no_idea]

As a dev (not iOS) I can’t tell you how great a tool like this is. I’m tired of having to download desktop apps to build/compile/deploy code. Web based solutions make it a lot easier to get up and running and require a way less capable workstation.

 

[nt5672]

As a dev for quite some time I can tell you that I don't want my source code dependent or located on some 3rd party computer that I have no control over.

All of Apple's cloud services to date consider the cloud version as the definitive master. This is bad for pictures, but devastating bad for source code because of the work effort put into creating source code.

What happens if Apple decides that my code is somehow not up to their approval, will my code just get binned, or will I get banned like other Silicon Valley firms do? What if I post something that is not to Apple's liking, will I get banned for that? What if I like music that is not carried on Apple Music? Will I get banned for that?

My homes have had Insteon Smart devices since they started in 2005. The company filed for bankruptcy recently, and immediately shut down their cloud services. No warning, nothing. Fortunately, I did not use their cloud services, but many did and their smart home stopped working with no way to retrieve their smart settings.

We have no SLA for Apple's cloud services and that means they are dangerous and unpredictable until Apple commits to some acceptable behavior in an SLA (Service Level Agreement).

I don't want to give Apple the indication that cloud development is a workable solution, because if we do then eventually that is all that will be available. It is the same reason that I will never use Adobe products again. We have the opportunity to shape the future and just climbing aboard the next new thing because it is shinny and new without thinking about how it will play out in the future is just not wise.

 

[randolorian]

An alternative:

Amazon EC2 Mac Instances - Amazon Web Services

Amazon EC2 Mac instances are built on Mac mini computers and feature the macOS operating system. Mac instances offer customers an efficient development environment by providing macOS with the benefits of AWS.

aws.amazon.com

 

[Stella]

As a dev (not iOS) I can’t tell you how great a tool like this is. I’m tired of having to download desktop apps to build/compile/deploy code. Web based solutions make it a lot easier to get up and running and require a way less capable workstation.

You still need to download and run XCode on your local machine. You still need to compile, build and test on your local machine, otherwise you'd be eating through 'cloud' time that costs $$$ fixing silly mistakes.

It's a cloud based CI/CD service that integrates with your local XCode.

It's a similar service to what Gitlab, GitHub offers ( which you as a non iOS developer can use today, for free ( with conditions ) ).

 

[jonblatho]

As a dev (not iOS) I can’t tell you how great a tool like this is. I’m tired of having to download desktop apps to build/compile/deploy code. Web based solutions make it a lot easier to get up and running and require a way less capable workstation.

That’s not what Xcode Cloud is. You still have to use Xcode to use Xcode Cloud, and Xcode Cloud is intended to run your tests, gather screenshots, deploy to TestFlight, etc., when you push new builds or branches.

To test how your app actually works in use in iOS Simulator or on a real device, you’ll still need Xcode.

 

[mielie]

As a dev for quite some time I can tell you that I don't want my source code dependent or located on some 3rd party computer that I have no control over.

All of Apple's cloud services to date consider the cloud version as the definitive master. This is bad for pictures, but devastating bad for source code because of the work effort put into creating source code.

What happens if Apple decides that my code is somehow not up to their approval, will my code just get binned, or will I get banned like other Silicon Valley firms do? What if I post something that is not to Apple's liking, will I get banned for that? What if I like music that is not carried on Apple Music? Will I get banned for that?

My homes have had Insteon Smart devices since they started in 2005. The company filed for bankruptcy recently, and immediately shut down their cloud services. No warning, nothing. Fortunately, I did not use their cloud services, but many did and their smart home stopped working with no way to retrieve their smart settings.

We have no SLA for Apple's cloud services and that means they are dangerous and unpredictable until Apple commits to some acceptable behavior in an SLA (Service Level Agreement).

I don't want to give Apple the indication that cloud development is a workable solution, because if we do then eventually that is all that will be available. It is the same reason that I will never use Adobe products again. We have the opportunity to shape the future and just climbing abroad the next new thing because it is shinny and new without thinking about how it will play out in the future is just not wise.

I agree in principle, for our organisation we avoid the cloud unless we also run the server for exactly this reason! We also need to protect customer sensitive data that may be integrated into applications, and it’s not always so easy to use generic data.

Ditto Adobe stuff, and just the subscription model in general. The only Adobe I use is Acrobat Pro on a perpetual license.

 

[jonblatho]

As a dev for quite some time I can tell you that I don't want my source code dependent or located on some 3rd party computer that I have no control over.

All of Apple's cloud services to date consider the cloud version as the definitive master. This is bad for pictures, but devastating bad for source code because of the work effort put into creating source code.

What happens if Apple decides that my code is somehow not up to their approval, will my code just get binned, or will I get banned like other Silicon Valley firms do? What if I post something that is not to Apple's liking, will I get banned for that? What if I like music that is not carried on Apple Music? Will I get banned for that?

My homes have had Insteon Smart devices since they started in 2005. The company filed for bankruptcy recently, and immediately shut down their cloud services. No warning, nothing. Fortunately, I did not use their cloud services, but many did and their smart home stopped working with no way to retrieve their smart settings.

We have no SLA for Apple's cloud services and that means they are dangerous and unpredictable until Apple commits to some acceptable behavior in an SLA (Service Level Agreement).

I don't want to give Apple the indication that cloud development is a workable solution, because if we do then eventually that is all that will be available. It is the same reason that I will never use Adobe products again. We have the opportunity to shape the future and just climbing abroad the next new thing because it is shinny and new without thinking about how it will play out in the future is just not wise.

You’re not forced to use Xcode Cloud, and other alternatives, including simply not using a CI/CD service, are available. Your source code is exactly as “dependent” on CI/CD services as you’d like it to be.

If you want to buy a mountain of physical test devices and go through and manually configure them to test localizations one by one, etc., by all means, no one’s stopping you.

 

[poopiebabies unite!]

You’re not forced to use Xcode Cloud, and other alternatives, including simply not using a CI/CD service, are available. Your source code is exactly as “dependent” on CI/CD services as you’d like it to be.

If you want to buy a mountain of physical test devices and go through and manually configure them to test localizations one by one, etc., by all means, no one’s stopping you.

You miss the point, no one is stopping us - yet.

 

[nt5672]

You’re not forced to use Xcode Cloud, and other alternatives, including simply not using a CI/CD service, are available. Your source code is exactly as “dependent” on CI/CD services as you’d like it to be.

If you want to buy a mountain of physical test devices and go through and manually configure them to test localizations one by one, etc., by all means, no one’s stopping you.

For now.

 

[cgsnipinva]

That’s not what Xcode Cloud is. You still have to use Xcode to use Xcode Cloud, and Xcode Cloud is intended to run your tests, gather screenshots, deploy to TestFlight, etc., when you push new builds or branches.

To test how your app actually works in use in iOS Simulator or on a real device, you’ll still need Xcode.

That is how I read it - it should help with developing on Mac/iOS/etc by providing the extended service. I saw this as a decent value add and not too controversial.

 

[Green Valkyrie]

And since Xcode quietly dropped support for any Macs that don't run Monterey, it mans I have to shell out for a new machine to get this.

7 years is not a particularly great time frame for a machine to go from "best laptop in the world" to antiquity. Xcode has advanced in that period, sure, but not that much.

Harrumph!

 

[alien3dx]

not sure what is xcode cloud use for . We test in real device . We prefer not weird thing unit test so on.
Hello , apple . Did you repair nonsense 100% swift ,xcode sudden 100% cpu usage switching storyboard ?

 

[Stella]

not sure what is xcode cloud use for . We test in real device . We prefer not weird thing unit test so on.
Hello , apple . Did you repair nonsense 100% swift ,xcode sudden 100% cpu usage switching storyboard ?

It's used for automation. Reduces the need for repetitive manual tasks for building, testing and deployments. Raises quality of life for developers, more efficient and reduces errors ( amongst a load of other benefits) .

CI/CD is a really good best practice to include in your SDLC, even if your a one person developer.

 

[deconstruct60]

As a dev for quite some time I can tell you that I don't want my source code dependent or located on some 3rd party computer that I have no control over.

All of Apple's cloud services to date consider the cloud version as the definitive master. This is bad for pictures, but devastating bad for source code because of the work effort put into creating source code.

That is not how XCode Cloud works. It is a cloud continuous integration / continuous build/deploy (CI/CD) service. It is not a source code management (SCM) service. If actually had followed and read the the XCode clould links at the beginning of the article.

"

Secured and private​

Xcode Cloud is designed to protect your projects and privacy, with all data encrypted at rest and access protected by two-factor authentication. Source code is only accessed for builds and the ephemeral build environments are destroyed when your build completes. ... "

Xcode Cloud - Apple Developer

Xcode Cloud is a continuous integration and delivery service built into Xcode and designed expressly for Apple developers.

developer.apple.com

"...
With Xcode Cloud, you can adopt a CI/CD practice that helps you develop and maintain your apps and frameworks. To automatically build and test your code when you make changes, Xcode Cloud needs access to the Git repository that contains your code.

When you configure your workspace or project to use Xcode Cloud, Xcode analyzes it to detect the Source Code Management (SCM) provider you use. On the “Grant Access to Your Source Code” sheet, click Grant Access and let Xcode guide you through your SCM provider’s native authorization flow.
...
.... required permission or role to grant Xcode Cloud access to your Git repository. Additionally, if you use a self-hosted SCM provider — for example, Bitbucket Server — make sure Xcode Cloud can access your Git repository. ...
.."

Source code management setup | Apple Developer Documentation

Allow Xcode Cloud to access your Git repository.

developer.apple.com

Requirements for using XCode Cloud. ( an excerpt . there are more )

" ...
Have an app record for your app in App Store Connect or have the required role or permission to create one.
...
Your dependencies and additional third-party tools are available to Xcode Cloud
....
You use automatic code signing
.,...
Using Git for source control is a requirement to use Xcode Cloud.
.... "

Setting up your project to use Xcode Cloud | Apple Developer Documentation

Review account, project, and source control requirements before configuring your project or workspace to use Xcode Cloud.

developer.apple.com

Apple isn't keeping the master copy of anything except perhaps binaries and product submitted to the Apple App Store version the workflow if that is included. They are not offering SCM master repository storage at all.
That is part of why it has been in beta for about a year because their service has to integrate with several other cloud services (including source control cloud service) in order to function correct. It is not a singular 100% Apple 'silo' from top to bottom.

What happens if Apple decides that my code is somehow not up to their approval, will my code just get binned, or will I get banned like other Silicon Valley firms do?

It was never permanently stored there so what are you talking about ?

We have no SLA for Apple's cloud services and that means they are dangerous and unpredictable until Apple commits to some acceptable behavior in an SLA (Service Level Agreement).

having not read the manual , probably haven't read the contract language either.

 

[Wildkraut]

Yeah Yeah push your source code to Apple, and allow them even easier to steal and extinguish your App.

 

[deconstruct60]

It's a similar service to what Gitlab, GitHub offers ( which you as a non iOS developer can use today, for free ( with conditions ) ).

There is some overlap, but also definitely some large non-intersections in the services provide. It is more of a general class they share than a very high degree of overlap. Generally, you need a Gitlab , GitHub repository to make XCode Cloud work. They are coupled at least as much as they are similar.

Application that are eventually going to get deployed through the Apple App stores make sense to couple to XCode code. Random web services app 42 that could be deploy on different cloud platform there is very little "value add" that XCode Cloud is going to provide. If look at where the apps are going to they are not similar. Or at the range of type of use the apps being built are used for or the various source languages used there are large gaps also.


XCode Cloud is more focused on a narrow area that Apple is highly interested in enabling. The others are more 'everything and the kitchen sink' tools for doing lots of different app build processes.
[ To some extent it is a tool that Apple uses to do their own in-house builds and are wrapping a service around part of it so that others can help pay-the-frieght on the infrastructure costs. Pretty good chance that Apple is soaking up spare cycles when these system go 'idle' because the developers are doing lots of local disconnected work instead of submitting CI/CD action request. GitHub and Gitlab "eat their own dog food" also . ]

 

[God of Biscuits]

Yeah Yeah push your source code to Apple, and allow them even easier to steal and extinguish your App.

if you’re using a Mac and publishing to the App Store, you’re already beholden to Apple, so I don’t see what you‘re getting at here other than paranoia or trolling. Apple states their policy on source code and even build/test configurations, all of which get destroyed upon completion of a build/test session anyway, so they’d be violating their own privacy policy. A policy worth a lot more to them than any idea or app could possibly be.

 

[jonblatho]

That is how I read it - it should help with developing on Mac/iOS/etc by providing the extended service. I saw this as a decent value add and not too controversial.

No, no, everything is a conspiracy.

 

[jonblatho]

There is some overlap, but also definitely some large non-intersections in the services provide. It is more of a general class they share than a very high degree of overlap. Generally, you need a Gitlab , GitHub repository to make XCode Cloud work. They are coupled at least as much as they are similar.

You can do most things that Xcode Cloud does using GitHub Actions or GitLab CI if you prefer, or with a number of third-party CI/CD services that offer Mac runners. That’s what the person is presumably getting at — not source code repositories.

 

[cgsnipinva]

You can do most things that Xcode Cloud does using GitHub Actions or GitLab CI if you prefer, or with a number of third-party CI/CD services that offer Mac runners. That’s what the person is presumably getting at — not source code repositories.

Agreed - I don't see this as being anything different from GitHub/GitLab -- but I would assume it would integrate well and provide some useful features.

 

[Stella]

You can do most things that Xcode Cloud does using GitHub Actions or GitLab CI if you prefer, or with a number of third-party CI/CD services that offer Mac runners. That’s what the person is presumably getting at — not source code repositories.

Exactly.

It's pretty obvious that XCode Cloud is geared towards Mac and iOS development only and this gives the opportunity for deeper IDE and AppStore integration. GitHub / Lab are of course, far more generic.

 

[Techwatcher]

Put Xcode cloud on iPadOS 16

 

[deconstruct60]

You can do most things that Xcode Cloud does using GitHub Actions or GitLab CI if you prefer, or with a number of third-party CI/CD services that offer Mac runners. That’s what the person is presumably getting at — not source code repositories.

And yet 'Git' is a principle element of each of those companies names. It said there was overlap. But there are also numerous responses in this thread of folks claiming that apple is out to steal their source code and it is a plot to capture the whole development process onto Apple servers. Saying "Git-foo" "Git-bar" "Git-baz" isn't going to lower that much going forward.

Those services both have Git at their core, that is why it is in the company name. Apple is not touching that all. That is a substantial difference. And the free (beer) parts of GitHub there is even less overlap.

 

[abhibeckert]

You can do most things that Xcode Cloud does using GitHub Actions or GitLab CI if you prefer, or with a number of third-party CI/CD services that offer Mac runners. That’s what the person is presumably getting at — not source code repositories.

Not sure about the others - but with GitHub actions for Monterey is still in beta a year after Monterey was released to developers.

Which means it's pretty much useless for anyone who needs to work with current APIs. Ventura was released to developers today on Xcode Cloud - when will it be available on GitHub? And available for proper use not as a beta? In two years maybe?

GitHub's pricing is also ridiculously high for MacOS actions - 8 cents per minute which could easily be $5 per day. Apple charges $15/month for the same amount of time on the server.

Also I wouldn't be surprised if it's aorse than that because GitHub only gives you 3 CPU cores. And they are probably Intel cores not Apple Silicon ones. I've never used it - but that sounds really slow to me and I'd rather run tests on my laptop. It would be faster. But more to the point a test suite that runs in seconds on Xcode Cloud likely takes minutes on GitHub - and they bill by the minute.

Finally it might get the job done but nowhere near as well - for example when a test fails in Xcode Cloud it will tell you right there in the IDE with an error message in the actual source code for your test. With GitHub you have to view the failure in your web browser. That's just one example - there are others.