Skip to content
Capgo

🏗️ build

🏗️ Build native mobile apps in the cloud and automatically submit them to the App Store and Play Store.

Overview

The build command allows you to build your Capacitor app for iOS and Android in Capgo’s cloud infrastructure, similar to how Expo handles builds. Your app is built on dedicated infrastructure and can be automatically submitted to the app stores.

Current Status: Public Beta

Why Use Cloud Build?

Building native mobile apps traditionally requires:

  • Mac hardware for iOS builds ($1000+ or expensive CI minutes)
  • Complex CI/CD setup with caching and credentials
  • Maintenance overhead for Xcode, Android Studio, and SDKs

With Capgo Cloud Build, you get:

  • ✅ No Mac required - Build iOS apps from any machine
  • ✅ Zero setup - No CI/CD configuration needed
  • ✅ Battle-tested - Built on 3 years of internal production use
  • ✅ Secure - No log storage, automatic cleanup
  • ✅ Native-only - Your JavaScript stays private

Quick Start

Terminal window
npx @capgo/cli@latest build com.example.app

That’s it! Your app will be built in the cloud and you’ll see real-time logs.

Documentation Sections

⚠️ Setup Credentials FIRST

Required before building: Save your iOS/Android credentials locally.

Setup Credentials →

Getting Started

Create your first native build in minutes.

Read guide →

Troubleshooting

Solutions to common build issues.

Get help →

Command Reference

Basic Usage

Terminal window
npx @capgo/cli@latest build [appId] [options]

Examples

Build for both platforms:

Terminal window
npx @capgo/cli@latest build com.example.app

Build for iOS only:

Terminal window
npx @capgo/cli@latest build com.example.app --platform ios

Build for Android in debug mode:

Terminal window
npx @capgo/cli@latest build com.example.app --platform android --build-mode debug

Build from a specific directory:

Terminal window
npx @capgo/cli@latest build com.example.app --path ./my-app

Options

OptionTypeDefaultDescription
appIdstringcapacitor.configApplication ID (e.g., com.example.app)
--path <path>stringCurrent directoryPath to your project directory
--platform <platform>stringbothTarget platform: ios, android, or both
--build-mode <mode>stringreleaseBuild mode: debug or release
--build-config <config>string-Additional build configuration as JSON string
-a, --apikey <apikey>string-API key (or use CAPGO_TOKEN env var)
--supa-host <url>stringhttps://api.capgo.appCustom Supabase host URL
--supa-anon <key>string-Custom Supabase anon key

How It Works

sequenceDiagram
    participant Dev as Developer
    participant CLI as Capgo CLI
    participant Cloud as Capgo Cloud
    participant iOS as Mac Builder
    participant Android as Android Builder


    Dev->>CLI: build com.example.app
    CLI->>CLI: Zip project locally
    CLI->>Cloud: Upload to R2
    Cloud->>iOS: Provision Mac (iOS)
    Cloud->>Android: Start sandbox (Android)
    iOS-->>CLI: Stream logs (SSE)
    Android-->>CLI: Stream logs (SSE)
    iOS->>Cloud: Build complete
    Android->>Cloud: Build complete
    Cloud->>iOS: Cleanup (24h later)
    Cloud->>Android: Cleanup (instant)
    CLI->>Dev: Build succeeded

Build Process

  1. Local Preparation - Your project is zipped locally (excluding node_modules, dotfiles)
  2. Upload - Zip file uploaded to secure cloud storage (Cloudflare R2)
  3. Build Execution:
    • iOS: Dedicated Mac machine provisioned, Fastlane builds and signs
    • Android: Secure sandbox created, Gradle compiles and signs
  4. Log Streaming - Real-time logs via Server-Sent Events (not stored!)
  5. Automatic Cleanup:
    • iOS: Files deleted after 24 hours when machine is dismissed
    • Android: Everything deleted instantly after build

Our Expertise

Capgo Cloud Build isn’t new infrastructure - we’ve been using it internally for 3 years:

  • ✅ Custom Fastlane - Built specifically for Capacitor apps
  • ✅ Thousands of builds - Battle-tested in production
  • ✅ Capacitor experts - Deep knowledge of what matters
  • ✅ Native-only focus - Your JavaScript never touches our servers

Security & Privacy

  • No log storage - Logs only stream to your terminal, never saved
  • No artifact storage - Apps sent directly to App Store/Play Store, we keep nothing
  • Credentials auto-deleted - Used only during build, deleted after (max 24h)
  • Isolated builds - Each build runs in isolation
  • Your code stays yours - We only build native parts, JavaScript stays local

CI/CD Integration

Works everywhere - GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or any CI/CD platform:

- name: Build native app
  env:
    CAPGO_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CAPGO_TOKEN }}
  run: |
    npm run build
    npx cap sync
    npx @capgo/cli@latest build com.example.app \
      --platform both \
      --build-mode release

No need for:

  • Mac runners
  • Android SDK installation
  • Xcode installation
  • Complex caching
  • Credential management

Pricing

Build time is billed based on actual usage:

  • Android: 1× multiplier (~$0.XX per minute)
  • iOS: 2× multiplier (~$0.XX per minute, due to Mac hardware)

Typical costs:

  • Android debug: 3 min × 1× = ~$X.XX
  • iOS release: 7 min × 2× = ~$X.XX

Only pay for what you use. No minimums, no surprises.

Comparison to Other Solutions

FeatureCapgo Cloud BuildGitHub Actions (Mac)Expo EAS
Mac required locally❌ No✅ Yes❌ No
Setup complexity⭐ Single command⭐⭐⭐ Complex YAML⭐⭐ Config files
Capacitor native✅ Optimized⚠️ Generic❌ Expo only
Your code privacy✅ Never stored⚠️ In runners⚠️ Uploaded
Cost (iOS)💰 2× base💰💰💰 10× expensive💰💰 Premium

What Gets Built

Important: Capgo builds native parts only.

✅ We build:

  • iOS native code (Swift, Objective-C, Xcode projects)
  • Android native code (Java, Kotlin, Gradle projects)
  • Code signing and app store submission

❌ You build (locally):

  • JavaScript, HTML, CSS (npm run build)
  • Capacitor sync (npx cap sync)
  • Your web assets

This separation ensures:

  • Better security - Your app logic stays private
  • Faster builds - No duplicate web builds
  • Clear responsibility - You control your code

Limitations

Current limitations during public beta:

  • Build timeout: 10 minutes maximum
  • Upload timeout: 1 hour for upload URL
  • iOS machine: 24-hour lease requirement, build on Mac will enqueue to ensure optimal usage
  • Access: Public beta only

Get Started

Ready to build without the hassle?

Create Your First Build

Step-by-step guide to your first cloud build.

Get started →

Join Public Beta

Cloud Build is in public beta. Join our community to get access.

Join Discord →

Learn More

Need Help?