branch_io_cli gem
This is a command-line tool to integrate the Branch SDK into mobile app projects. (Currently iOS only.)
Using Fastlane?
See also the Branch Fastlane plugin, which offers the same support via Fastlane.
Getting started
gem install branch_io_cli
Note that this command may require sudo access if you are using the system Ruby, i.e. sudo gem install branch_io_cli.
Experimental: Install using Homebrew
brew tap jdee/tap
brew install branch_io_cli
Note: Prerelease versions of the CLI are only available from RubyGems for now.
Getting help
branch_io -h
branch_io setup -h
branch_io validate -h
branch_io report -h
The gem also installs br as an alias for branch_io:
br -h
br setup -h
br validate -h
br report -h
Shell completion
Work in progress
You can enable completion of all options in bash or zsh. The following
additions should follow initialization of RVM, rbenv or chruby or setting
any Ruby-related environment variables if using the system Ruby.
Bash
Add to ~/.bash_profile or ~/.bashrc:
[[ "$(which br)" == "" ]] || . $(br env -cs bash)
Zsh
Add to ~/.zshrc:
[[ "$(which br)" == "" ]] || . $(br env -cs zsh)
Currently command-line completion for bash is much more extensive than for zsh.
Commands
Setup command
branch_io setup [OPTIONS]
br setup [OPTIONS]
Integrates the Branch SDK into a native app project. This currently supports iOS only.
It will infer the project location if there is exactly one .xcodeproj anywhere under
the current directory, excluding any in a Pods or Carthage folder. Otherwise, specify
the project location using the --xcodeproj option, or the CLI will prompt you for the
location.
If a Podfile or Cartfile is detected, the Branch SDK will be added to the relevant
configuration file and the dependencies updated to include the Branch framework.
This behavior may be suppressed using --no-add-sdk. If no Podfile or Cartfile
is found, and Branch.framework is not already among the project's dependencies,
you will be prompted for a number of choices, including setting up CocoaPods or
Carthage for the project or directly installing the Branch.framework.
By default, all supplied Universal Link domains are validated. If validation passes,
the setup continues. If validation fails, no further action is taken. Suppress
validation using --no-validate or force changes when validation fails using
--force.
By default, this command will look for the first app target in the project. Test
targets are not supported. To set up an extension target, supply the --target option.
All relevant target settings are modified. The Branch keys are added to the Info.plist,
along with the branch_universal_link_domains key for custom domains (when --domains
is used). For app targets, all domains are added to the project's Associated Domains
entitlement. An entitlements file is also added for app targets if none is found.
Optionally, if --frameworks is specified, this command can add a list of system
frameworks to the target's dependencies (e.g., AdSupport, CoreSpotlight, SafariServices).
A language-specific patch is applied to the AppDelegate (Swift or Objective-C).
This can be suppressed using --no-patch-source.
Prerequisites
Before using this command, make sure to set up your app in the Branch Dashboard
(https://dashboard.branch.io). See https://docs.branch.io/pages/dashboard/integrate/
for details. To use the setup command, you need:
- Branch key(s), either live, test or both
- Domain name(s) used for Branch links
- Location of your Xcode project (may be inferred in simple projects)
If using the --commit option, git is required. If not using --no-add-sdk,
the pod or carthage command may be required. If not found, the CLI will
offer to install and set up these command-line tools for you. Alternately, you can arrange
that the relevant commands are available in your PATH.
All parameters are optional. A live key or test key, or both is required, as well
as at least one domain. Specify --live-key, --test-key or both and --app-link-subdomain,
--domains or both. If these are not specified, this command will prompt you
for this information.
See https://github.com/BranchMetrics/branch_io_cli#setup-command for more information.
Options
| Option | Description | Env. var. |
|---|---|---|
| -h, --help | Prints a list of commands or help for each command | |
| -v, --version | Prints the current version of the CLI | |
| -t, --trace | Prints a stack trace when exceptions are raised | |
| -L, --live-key key_live_xxxx | Branch live key | BRANCH_LIVE_KEY |
| -T, --test-key key_test_yyyy | Branch test key | BRANCH_TEST_KEY |
| -D, --domains example.com,www.example.com | Comma-separated list of custom domain(s) or non-Branch domain(s) | BRANCH_DOMAINS |
| --app-link-subdomain myapp | Branch app.link subdomain, e.g. myapp for myapp.app.link | BRANCH_APP_LINK_SUBDOMAIN |
| -U, --[no-]uri-scheme [myurischeme[://]] | Custom URI scheme used in the Branch Dashboard for this app | BRANCH_URI_SCHEME |
| -s, --setting [BRANCH_KEY_SETTING] | Use a custom build setting for the Branch key (default: Use Info.plist) | BRANCH_SETTING |
| --[no-]test-configurations [config1,config2] | List of configurations that use the test key with a user-defined setting (default: Debug configurations) | BRANCH_TEST_CONFIGURATIONS |
| --xcodeproj MyProject.xcodeproj | Path to an Xcode project to update | BRANCH_XCODEPROJ |
| --target MyAppTarget | Name of a target to modify in the Xcode project | BRANCH_TARGET |
| --podfile /path/to/Podfile | Path to the Podfile for the project | BRANCH_PODFILE |
| --cartfile /path/to/Cartfile | Path to the Cartfile for the project | BRANCH_CARTFILE |
| --carthage-command bootstrap --no-use-binaries | Command to run when installing from Carthage (default: update --platform ios) | BRANCH_CARTHAGE_COMMAND |
| --frameworks AdSupport,CoreSpotlight,SafariServices | Comma-separated list of system frameworks to add to the project | BRANCH_FRAMEWORKS |
| --[no-]pod-repo-update | Update the local podspec repo before installing (default: yes) | BRANCH_POD_REPO_UPDATE |
| --[no-]validate | Validate Universal Link configuration (default: yes) | BRANCH_VALIDATE |
| --[no-]force | Update project even if Universal Link validation fails (default: no) | BRANCH_FORCE |
| --[no-]add-sdk | Add the Branch framework to the project (default: yes) | BRANCH_ADD_SDK |
| --[no-]patch-source | Add Branch SDK calls to the AppDelegate (default: yes) | BRANCH_PATCH_SOURCE |
| --commit [message] | Commit the results to Git if non-blank | BRANCH_COMMIT |
| --[no-]confirm | Enable or disable many prompts (default: yes) | BRANCH_CONFIRM |
Examples
Test without validation (can use dummy keys and domains)
br setup -L key_live_xxxx -D myapp.app.link --no-validate
Use both live and test keys
br setup -L key_live_xxxx -T key_test_yyyy -D myapp.app.link
Use custom or non-Branch domains
br setup -D myapp.app.link,example.com,www.example.com
Avoid pod repo update
br setup --no-pod-repo-update
Install using carthage bootstrap
br setup --carthage-command "bootstrap --no-use-binaries"
Validate command
branch_io validate [OPTIONS]
br validate [OPTIONS]
This command validates all Branch-related settings for a target in an Xcode project,
including validation of the apple-app-site-association file from each domain.
Multiple targets may be validated by running the command multiple times using
the --target option. Test targets are not supported.
For each Branch key present in the Info.plist, it retrieves the settings from Branch's
system. If the information cannot be retrieved (or if the branch_key is not present),
an error is recorded. If the --live-key or --test-key option is present,
the set of all keys used by the target must exactly match the options.
All domains and URI schemes configured for the target must include all domains and URI schemes configured for all keys used by the target. Other domains or URI schemes may also be present in the project.
This command validates all Universal Link domains configured in an application target without making any modification. It validates both Branch and non-Branch domains. Unlike web-based Universal Link validators, this command operates directly on the project. It finds the bundle and signing team identifiers in the project as well as the app's Associated Domains. It requests the apple-app-site-association file for each domain and validates the file against the project's settings.
By default, all build configurations in the project are validated. To validate a different list
of configurations, including a single configuration, specify the --configurations option.
If --domains is specified, the list of Universal Link domains in the Associated
Domains entitlement must exactly match this list, without regard to order, for all
configurations under validation. If no --domains are provided, validation passes
if at least one Universal Link domain is configured for each configuration and passes
validation, and no Universal Link domain is present in any configuration that does not
pass validation.
All parameters are optional.
See https://github.com/BranchMetrics/branch_io_cli#validate-command for more information.
Options
| Option | Description | Env. var. |
|---|---|---|
| -h, --help | Prints a list of commands or help for each command | |
| -v, --version | Prints the current version of the CLI | |
| -t, --trace | Prints a stack trace when exceptions are raised | |
| -L, --live-key key_live_xxxx | Branch live key expected in project | BRANCH_LIVE_KEY |
| -T, --test-key key_test_yyyy | Branch test key expected in project | BRANCH_TEST_KEY |
| -D, --domains example.com,www.example.com | Comma-separated list of domains expected to be configured in the project (Branch domains or non-Branch domains) (default: []) | BRANCH_DOMAINS |
| --xcodeproj MyProject.xcodeproj | Path to an Xcode project to validate | BRANCH_XCODEPROJ |
| --target MyAppTarget | Name of a target to validate in the Xcode project | BRANCH_TARGET |
| --configurations Debug,Release | Comma-separated list of configurations to validate (default: all) | BRANCH_CONFIGURATIONS |
| --[no-]universal-links-only | Validate only the Universal Link configuration (default: no) | BRANCH_UNIVERSAL_LINKS_ONLY |
| --[no-]confirm | Enable or disable many prompts (default: yes) | BRANCH_CONFIRM |
Examples
Ensure project has at least one correctly configured Branch key and domain
br validate
Ensure project is correctly configured for certain Branch keys
br validate -L key_live_xxxx -T key_test_yyyy
Ensure project is correctly configured to use specific domains
br validate -D myapp.app.link,myapp-alternate.app.link
Validate only Universal Link configuration
br validate --universal-links-only
Report command
branch_io report [OPTIONS]
br report [OPTIONS]
This command optionally cleans and then builds a workspace or project, generating a verbose report with additional diagnostic information suitable for opening a support ticket.
Use the --header-only option to output only a brief diagnostic report without
building.
Options
| Option | Description | Env. var. |
|---|---|---|
| -h, --help | Prints a list of commands or help for each command | |
| -v, --version | Prints the current version of the CLI | |
| -t, --trace | Prints a stack trace when exceptions are raised | |
| --workspace MyProject.xcworkspace | Path to an Xcode workspace | BRANCH_WORKSPACE |
| --xcodeproj MyProject.xcodeproj | Path to an Xcode project | BRANCH_XCODEPROJ |
| --scheme MyProjectScheme | A scheme from the project or workspace to build | BRANCH_SCHEME |
| --target MyProjectTarget | A target to build | BRANCH_TARGET |
| --configuration Debug/Release/CustomConfigName | The build configuration to use (default: Scheme-dependent) | BRANCH_CONFIGURATION |
| --sdk iphoneos | Passed as -sdk to xcodebuild (default: iphonesimulator) | BRANCH_SDK |
| --podfile /path/to/Podfile | Path to the Podfile for the project | BRANCH_PODFILE |
| --cartfile /path/to/Cartfile | Path to the Cartfile for the project | BRANCH_CARTFILE |
| --[no-]clean | Clean before attempting to build (default: yes) | BRANCH_CLEAN |
| -H, --[no-]header-only | Write a report header to standard output and exit (default: no) | BRANCH_HEADER_ONLY |
| --[no-]pod-repo-update | Update the local podspec repo before installing (default: yes) | BRANCH_POD_REPO_UPDATE |
| -o, --out ./report.txt | Report output path (default: ./report.txt) | BRANCH_REPORT_PATH |
| --[no-]confirm | Enable or disable many prompts (default: yes) | BRANCH_CONFIRM |
Examples
Show general project information without building
br report -H
Perform a full build and report all errors to report.txt
br report
Don't clean before building
br report --no-clean
Env command
branch_io env [OPTIONS]
br env [OPTIONS]
Output information about CLI environment.
Options
| Option | Description | Env. var. |
|---|---|---|
| -h, --help | Prints a list of commands or help for each command | |
| -v, --version | Prints the current version of the CLI | |
| -t, --trace | Prints a stack trace when exceptions are raised | |
| -c, --[no-]completion-script | Get the path to the completion script for this shell (default: no) | BRANCH_COMPLETION_SCRIPT |
| -s, --shell zsh | Specify shell for completion script | SHELL |
| -V, --[no-]verbose | Generate verbose output (default: no) | BRANCH_VERBOSE |
Examples
Show CLI environment
br env
Get completion script for zsh
br env -cs zsh
Examples
See the examples folder for several example projects that can be used to exercise the CLI.
Rake task
You can use these commands easily with Rake:
require 'branch_io_cli/rake_task'
BranchIOCLI::RakeTask.new
This defines the tasks branch:report, branch:setup and branch:validate.
Each takes a path or an array of paths for a project directory as the first
argument, followed by an options Hash with keys derived from the command-line
arguments. For example:
Rake::Task["branch:validate"].invoke ".", domains: %w(example.com www.example.com)
Try the following Rake tasks in this repo:
bundle exec rake setup
bundle exec rake validate
bundle exec rake report