TestFlight builds don't identify their source branch (any-branch dispatch already works)

Open Beginner friendly
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Assessment

Difficulty
2/5
Estimated time
1-3 hours
Newbie friendliness
84/100
Issue type
Feature
Clarity
Clearly specified
Activity status
Active
Tech stack
github-actions
Domain
ci-cd, release

Research direction

Start with .github/workflows/build-ios-from-expo.yml and inspect the workflow_dispatch inputs and TestFlight upload step. Run the iOS Expo Build & Upload workflow for a branch, then verify the uploaded TestFlight build identifies its source branch and short SHA while main builds remain clean or explicitly identify main.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Description

Rescoped 2026-09-14 — the original ask ("build any branch, not just main") already works: the iOS workflow (.github/workflows/build-ios-from-expo.yml) is plain workflow_dispatch, so the Run-workflow branch dropdown — or gh workflow run "iOS Expo Build & Upload" --ref <branch> — builds that branch's code. Nothing pins it to main, and the one-click main path is unchanged.

Remaining gap

Builds from different branches are indistinguishable in TestFlight. The workflow stamps only expo.ios.buildNumber = GITHUB_RUN_NUMBER; the branch name appears nowhere — not in the version, not in the test notes. Two builds from different feature branches (or a branch build vs. a main build) look identical to a tester.

Fix (small workflow change)

Stamp the source branch into the build so TestFlight builds are attributable:

  • Put <branch> @ <short-sha> into the TestFlight "What to Test" notes at upload time (preferred — no version-format constraints), or embed it in whatever build-metadata field the upload action supports
  • Keep main builds clean (plain notes or main @ <sha>)
Dominant language
TypeScript
Stars
1
Forks
2
Avg merge
17h 16m
Merged PRs (30d)
20

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