Publish to Google Play Store
Kozmik supports publishing your app to the Google Play Store. To do this, you'll need to complete a few setup steps and provide us with some information. This guide details those steps.
To publish to the Google Play Store, you should complete the steps below
You should have a Google Play Store Developer.
Create a Google Service Account Key
Create an app in Google Play Console
Update Google Credentials on Kozmik Publish Screen
Update your First Android App Binary (.aab)
Adding a Privacy Policy to Your App
Google Play Store Developer Account
To publish to the Play Store, you'll first have to create a Google Play Store Developer account. You can do so here.
Google Play Store Developer Account Requirements
A Google Play Store Developer account requires you to pay a $25 fee
You will need to provide an address & phone number for the account
You may be required to verify your account by providing a government-issued photo ID that matches the information you provided on sign-up
Package Name
The package name of an Android app uniquely identifies your app on the device, in Google Play Store, and supported third-party Android stores.
First, you'll need to create a Package Name for your app in Kozmik.
In the Kozmik builder, click Publish button
Choose Android App from Publish menu and choose "Android Credentials" tab in Publish modal
Find the Package Name field and enter your Package Name there.
Your package name should use the reverse-DNS name structure. For example, if the domain you will use for this app is example.com, set your package name to com.example.appname.
Creating a Google Service Account Key
In order for Kozmik to publish builds to your Google Play Store Console, you'll need to create a Google Service Account Key and upload it to your Kozmik account.
To do this:
Open Google Play Console and select Setup from the left-hand menu, then click API Access.
Once you're on the API Access page, select Choose a project to link, then either link it to an existing project if you have one, or select Create a new Google Cloud project and then click Link project.
Then, click “Learn how to create service accounts” and follow the Google Cloud Platform link in the dialog.
Once in the Google Cloud Console, if you don't have an existing Google Cloud Platform project, you'll need to create one. If one already exists, select it.
In your Google Cloud project, click Create Service Account.
Enter a Service account name. Pick a name that makes it easy to identify that this account is for the Google Play Store.
A "Service account ID" will be added automatically, but you can edit to be whatever you like.
Add description of your choice, then click Create and Continue.
Next, you'll grant your service account access to your Google Play Console Developer account. Click Select a role and choose Service Accounts > Service Account User. Note that typing in the filter text box won't return the Service Accounts role - you'll have to scroll to it.
You can skip the optional Step 3 and just click Done.
You'll now need to select Manage keys from the options button for your newly created Service Account.
Select Create new key
Select JSON and then click Create. Download the .json file and store it in a safe place.
Return to the API access page in your Google Play Console account - your new service account should now appear. If it doesn't, try clicking Refresh service accounts.
Add Your Google Service Account Key to Kozmik
Return to Kozmik and then:
Go to Publish -> Android App -> Android Credentials.
Find the Connect Private Key field.
Upload the Service Account File that you downloaded.
Creating an app in Google Play Console
You'll need to create an App in your Google Play Console in order to upload Kozmik app binaries.
To do this:
Go back to your Google Play Console and navigate to the All Apps page, then click the Create app button in the upper right.
Select the Default language, App or game, Free or paid, fill in the App name input and click Create app in the bottom right.
You'll be redirected to a new page, Dashboard, where you can fill in all information about your application. This step can be done later if you prefer.
Uploading your First Android App Binary (.aab)
When submitting your Android app to Google Play Store for the first time, Google requires that you manually upload it to the Google Play Console. As a result, when you first request an Android publish from Kozmik for a new app, we'll send you your app binary (.aab) and you'll need to upload it via your Google Play Console account. Future publishes for that app will be uploaded automatically by Kozmik.
Start on your App's Dashboard. Click on Testing in the left-hand sidebar, then select Internal testing.
Click the Create new release button
Opt into App signing by Google Play. This is critical to allow Kozmik to publish future application for you. Click the Continue button.
Click Browse Files and choose the .aab file you received from Kozmik from your computer to upload.
Then, enter your Release name, enter any relevant Release notes and click Review release.
You'll then be navigated to the Review summary view. At the top, you'll see the Errors section. If there are errors, click Show more to view the details.
Add a Privacy Policy to Your App
Google requires that all apps in the Play Store have an associated Privacy Policy. If you don't have one, you may have noticed a resulting error when you uploaded your binary/.aab file the first time.
Here's how to add one:
Return your App's Dashboard in the Google Play Console.
In the left-hand sidebar, click App content. You'll see a Privacy Policy section at the top of that page - Click Start in that section.
Enter your Privacy Policy link in the prompt and click Save
Navigate back to the Internal testing page and click the Edit button for your App. You should no longer see the Privacy Policy error on the Review Summary page for your App.
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