Codex TestFlight Release

An Agent Plugins v1-compatible skill package, with Codex marketplace metadata, for automating iOS TestFlight releases without opening Xcode UI.

The portable package is defined by the root plugin.json and the skill under skills/. The .codex-plugin/plugin.json and .agents/plugins/marketplace.json files are retained as Codex marketplace compatibility metadata.

It helps Codex:

• bump the iOS build number,
• create an Xcode archive,
• upload to App Store Connect through an API key,
• verify the uploaded build,
• keep No encryption export compliance in the app Info.plist,
• set TestFlight What to Test text through App Store Connect API.
• optionally assign the build to a named external TestFlight group and submit it for Beta App Review.

Codex can install plugin marketplaces from GitHub repositories. Add this repo as a marketplace:

codex plugin marketplace add michalcilek/codex-testflight-release

Then restart Codex, open Plugins, and install Codex TestFlight Release.

To refresh later:

codex plugin marketplace upgrade codex-testflight-release

This repository follows the portable Agent Plugins Specification 1.0.0:

• the root plugin.json is the portable manifest;
• skills/codex-ios-api-build/SKILL.md is discovered as the portable skill;
• no MCP server is included, so there is no mcp.json.

The Agent Plugins specification defines the package format, while each host controls distribution and publication. For public ChatGPT/Codex directory publication, submit the skills-only package through the OpenAI plugin submission portal.

Clone the repo:

git clone /michalcilek/codex-testflight-release.git

Then add the cloned repo as a local marketplace:

codex plugin marketplace add ./codex-testflight-release

Never commit your App Store Connect .p8 private key.

Create a local env file outside your repo:

mkdir -p ~/.private_keys
cp skills/codex-ios-api-build/examples/appstoreconnect.env.example ~/.private_keys/appstoreconnect.env

Then edit ~/.private_keys/appstoreconnect.env with your real values:

ASC_KEY_ID=YOUR_KEY_ID
ASC_ISSUER_ID=YOUR_ISSUER_ID
ASC_KEY_PATH=/absolute/path/to/AuthKey_YOUR_KEY_ID.p8
# Optional external distribution:
ASC_BETA_GROUP=YOUR_EXTERNAL_GROUP_NAME
ASC_SUBMIT_BETA_REVIEW=true

From your iOS app repo:

PROJECT_PATH=ios/MyApp/MyApp.xcodeproj \
SCHEME=MyApp \
EXPORT_OPTIONS=build/ExportOptions-TestFlight.plist \
~/plugins/codex-testflight-release/skills/codex-ios-api-build/scripts/build_testflight_api.sh 123

Set TestFlight notes:

~/plugins/codex-testflight-release/skills/codex-ios-api-build/scripts/set_testflight_whats_new.js \
  com.example.myapp \
  123 \
  en-US \
  "Test sign-in, sync, and the new release changes."

If your app only uses exempt standard encryption, add this to the generated Info.plist build settings:

INFOPLIST_KEY_ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption = NO;

Then verify the archive contains:

ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption = false

For external testing, the export options plist must set testFlightInternalTestingOnly to false or omit that key. Builds exported as internal-only cannot later be assigned to an external group. The build helper stops early when an external group is configured with an internal-only export plist.

External availability still follows Apple's TestFlight state machine. The plugin assigns the configured group and can submit Beta App Review automatically; first external builds may remain unavailable until Apple approves them.

This plugin is not part of the official Codex Plugin Directory. It is distributed as an open-source local plugin/marketplace repo. Enterprise and Edu users can also share installed local plugins with workspace members from the Codex app.