App Developer Access

Creek publishes your station's app under your station's own Apple and Google developer accounts. That way the stores list the app under your station's name, and the app stays yours.

To publish the app and send updates, Creek needs two things in each store.

  • Access. Add apps@creek.org to the account as an admin.
  • An API key. This lets Creek's publishing system upload new versions for you.

This page walks through both, first for iOS and then for Android.

Two stations, one app

If your app carries two stations, like a main station and a sister station, it's still one app in each store. You only need one developer account per store and one set of keys.

iOS (Apple)

1. Create the developer account

Skip this part if your station already has one.

  1. Make sure your station has a D-U-N-S Number. Apple uses it to verify your organization. You can look yours up or request one for free. A new number can take a week or two.
  2. Go to developer.apple.com/programs/enroll and enroll as an organization. The person who enrolls becomes the Account Holder, so they need the authority to sign agreements for the station.
  3. Pay the $99 yearly fee, or ask Apple for the fee waiver for nonprofits.

Tip: sign up with a shared address like apps@yourstation.org. Then access doesn't leave when one person does.

2. Give Creek access

  1. Sign in to App Store Connect.
  2. Click Users and Access.
  3. Click the add button (+) next to People.
  4. Enter first name Creek, last name Apps and email apps@creek.org.
  5. Choose the Admin role, click Next, then click Invite.

3. Create the API key

  1. In App Store Connect, go to Users and Access, then Integrations, then App Store Connect API, and select Team Keys. Here's a direct link.
  2. If you see Request Access, the Account Holder needs to click it and accept the terms. Only the Account Holder can do this, and it's a one-time step.
  3. Click Generate API Key, or the + button if you already have a key.
    • Name: Creek
    • Access: App Manager
  4. Click Generate.
  5. Click Download API Key on the new row. You'll get a file named like AuthKey_AB12CD34EF.p8. Apple only lets you download it once.
  6. Copy the Issuer ID (near the top of the page) and the Key ID (on the new row).

Send Creek the .p8 file, the Issuer ID and the Key ID. See sending keys safely below.

Shortcut

Once the Account Holder has clicked Request Access, an Admin can create keys too. If you'd rather not handle the file, stop after step 2 and let us know. Creek will create the key from the apps@creek.org account, and nothing needs to be sent.

Android (Google Play)

1. Create the developer account

Skip this part if your station already has one.

  1. Make sure your station has a D-U-N-S Number. Google needs it for organization accounts too.
  2. Go to the Play Console sign-up page, sign in with your station's Google account, and choose an organization account.
  3. Pay the $25 one-time fee and finish Google's identity verification.

2. Give Creek access

  1. Sign in to Play Console.
  2. Click Users and permissions in the left menu.
  3. Click Invite new users and enter apps@creek.org.
  4. Open the Account permissions tab and tick Admin (all permissions).
  5. Click Invite user.

3. Create the service account

Google's version of an API key is called a service account. It takes a few more steps than Apple's, because it starts in Google Cloud.

  1. Sign in to the Google Cloud Console with the same Google account that owns your Play Console. Accept the terms if it asks.
  2. Create a project. Click the project picker at the top, click New project, name it something like Station Apps, and click Create. Make sure the new project is selected.
  3. Turn on the API. Open the Google Play Android Developer API page and click Enable.
  4. Go to IAM & Admin, then Service Accounts, and click Create service account. Name it creek-publisher, click Create and continue, skip the optional steps, and click Done.
  5. Click the new service account and open the Keys tab. Click Add key, then Create new key, choose JSON and click Create. A .json file downloads to your computer.
  6. Copy the service account's email address. It ends in .iam.gserviceaccount.com.
  7. Back in Play Console, go to Users and permissions, click Invite new users and paste that email address.
  8. Open the Account permissions tab and tick these five permissions.
    • View app information and download bulk reports (read-only)
    • Release to production, exclude devices, and use Play App Signing
    • Release apps to testing tracks
    • Manage testing tracks and edit tester lists
    • Manage store presence
  9. Click Invite user.

Send Creek the .json file. See sending keys safely below.

If Google won't create the key

Some newer Google Workspace accounts block service account keys by default. If Google says key creation is disabled by an organization policy, stop there and email us. We'll find another way.

Sending keys safely

Anyone with these files can publish to your app. Please don't attach them to an email or paste them into a chat.

  1. In Google Drive, create a folder called something like App keys for Creek.
  2. Upload the .p8 file and the .json file. Add a short Google Doc with your Apple Issuer ID and Key ID.
  3. Click Share and add apps@creek.org. Keep General access set to Restricted, then click Send.
  4. Email help@creek.org to let us know it's shared. Don't put the keys in the email.
  5. Once we confirm the keys work, delete the folder and empty your Drive trash. Delete the downloaded files from your computer too. You don't need to keep a copy. If a key is ever lost, we can make a new one.

Good to know

  • Only Apple's Account Holder can accept new Apple agreements. When Apple posts one, uploads pause until it's accepted. We'll let you know when that happens.
  • You can remove Creek's access at any time. Revoke the key in App Store Connect, or remove the user and the service account in Play Console.

Questions?

Email us at help@creek.org. We're also happy to walk through it with you on a quick video call.