CI/CD for React Native Android: Build, Sign, Version, and Upload to Google Play with GitHub Actions

react-native-android-ci-cd.yml

name: Android Signed Build & Upload

on:
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:
      buildType:
        description: "Select build type"
        required: true
        default: "aab"
        type: choice
        options:
          - aab
          - apk
      versionCode:
        description: "Build number (integer)"
        required: true
        default: "346"
      versionName:
        description: "Version name (e.g. 1.0.0)"
        required: true
        default: "0.1.4"
      release:
        description: "Upload to Google Play?"
        required: true
        default: "false"
        type: choice
        options:
          - "true"
          - "false"
      track:
        description: "Google Play track"
        required: true
        default: "internal"
        type: choice
        options:
          - internal
          - alpha
          - beta
          - production

jobs:
  build-apk:
    name: Build Signed APK
    if: ${{ github.event.inputs.buildType == 'apk' }}
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
      - name: Checkout source
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      # 📝 Update versionCode & versionName in build.gradle
      - name: Update Android version
        run: |
          sed -i "s/versionCode [0-9]\+/versionCode ${{ github.event.inputs.versionCode }}/" android/app/build.gradle
          sed -i "s/versionName \".*\"/versionName \"${{ github.event.inputs.versionName }}\"/" android/app/build.gradle

      - name: Setup Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: 18

      - name: Setup Java
        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
        with:
          distribution: 'temurin'
          java-version: 17

      - name: Setup Android SDK
        uses: android-actions/setup-android@v3

      - name: Install CMake, Ninja & NDK
        run: |
          sudo apt-get update
          sudo apt-get install -y ninja-build cmake
          sdkmanager "cmake;3.22.1" "ndk;25.2.9519653"

      - name: Cache Gradle
        uses: actions/cache@v4
        with:
          path: |
            ~/.gradle/caches
            ~/.gradle/wrapper
          key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-${{ hashFiles('**/*.gradle*', '**/gradle-wrapper.properties') }}
          restore-keys: |
            ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-

      - name: Cache node_modules
        uses: actions/cache@v4
        with:
          path: node_modules
          key: ${{ runner.os }}-node-${{ hashFiles('**/package-lock.json', '**/yarn.lock') }}
          restore-keys: |
            ${{ runner.os }}-node-

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: npm install --legacy-peer-deps

      - name: Decode and save keystore
        run: |
          echo "${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEYSTORE_BASE64 }}" | base64 --decode > android/app/release.keystore

      - name: Make gradlew executable
        run: chmod +x android/gradlew

      - name: Clean build
        working-directory: android
        run: ./gradlew clean

      - name: Assemble Signed Release APK
        working-directory: android
        env:
          ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PATH: ${{ github.workspace }}/android/app/release.keystore
          ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD }}
          ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS }}
          ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD }}
          ANDROID_NDK_HOME: /usr/local/lib/android/sdk/ndk/25.2.9519653
        run: ./gradlew assembleRelease --no-daemon --max-workers=2 -x lint -x test

      - name: Upload Signed APK
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: signed-app-release-apk
          path: android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk

  build-aab:
    name: Build Signed AAB
    if: ${{ github.event.inputs.buildType == 'aab' }}
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
      - name: Checkout source
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Update Android version
        run: |
          sed -i "s/versionCode [0-9]\+/versionCode ${{ github.event.inputs.versionCode }}/" android/app/build.gradle
          sed -i "s/versionName \".*\"/versionName \"${{ github.event.inputs.versionName }}\"/" android/app/build.gradle

      - name: Setup Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: 18

      - name: Setup Java
        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
        with:
          distribution: 'temurin'
          java-version: 17

      - name: Setup Android SDK
        uses: android-actions/setup-android@v3

      - name: Install CMake, Ninja & NDK
        run: |
          sudo apt-get update
          sudo apt-get install -y ninja-build cmake
          sdkmanager "cmake;3.22.1" "ndk;25.2.9519653"

      - name: Cache Gradle
        uses: actions/cache@v4
        with:
          path: |
            ~/.gradle/caches
            ~/.gradle/wrapper
          key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-${{ hashFiles('**/*.gradle*', '**/gradle-wrapper.properties') }}
          restore-keys: |
            ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-

      - name: Cache node_modules
        uses: actions/cache@v4
        with:
          path: node_modules
          key: ${{ runner.os }}-node-${{ hashFiles('**/package-lock.json', '**/yarn.lock') }}
          restore-keys: |
            ${{ runner.os }}-node-

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: npm install --legacy-peer-deps

      - name: Decode and save keystore
        run: |
          echo "${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEYSTORE_BASE64 }}" | base64 --decode > android/app/release.keystore

      - name: Make gradlew executable
        run: chmod +x android/gradlew

      - name: Clean build
        working-directory: android
        run: ./gradlew clean

      - name: Bundle Signed Release AAB
        working-directory: android
        env:
          ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PATH: ${{ github.workspace }}/android/app/release.keystore
          ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD }}
          ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS }}
          ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD }}
          ANDROID_NDK_HOME: /usr/local/lib/android/sdk/ndk/25.2.9519653
        run: ./gradlew bundleRelease --no-daemon -x lint -x test

      - name: Upload AAB artifact
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: app-release-aab
          path: android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab

  upload-to-play:
    name: Upload to Google Play
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: build-aab
    if: ${{ github.event.inputs.release == 'true' }}

    steps:
      - name: Download AAB artifact
        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: app-release-aab
          path: ./release
      
      - name: Decode service account key
        run: echo "${{ secrets.PLAY_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_JSON }}" | base64 --decode > service_account.json


      - name: Upload to Google Play
        uses: r0adkll/upload-google-play@v1
        with:
          serviceAccountJson: service_account.json
          packageName: com.example.app   # <-- replace with your app ID
          releaseFiles: ./release/app-release.aab
          track: ${{ github.event.inputs.track }}
          status: completed
          releaseName: v${{ github.event.inputs.versionName }} - b${{ github.event.inputs.versionCode }}