CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidtesting
Darwind
Darwind

Reputation: 7371

How to handle different backend evironments with Android beta testing?

We've recently started to use the Google Play Developer Console for publishing Beta versions as well to a select group of testers.

This is working fine, but we've come across a problem: Beta versions connect to our Test servers and our Production version should connect to our Production servers of course.

But when publishing to the Beta channel we can't just promote the Beta version to Production because then the Production app will point to our Test servers. That problem can be solved by creating a new version with a higher version code and pointing this app towards our Production servers (so we always skip one version code every time a new version is published to Production...).

So... what happens to our Beta testers that has their accounts on the Test servers, but accidentally (or automatically) update to the Production app ? They lose their access to their Test accounts, because now their updated version of the app is of course pointing towards the Production servers...

TL;DR: How do you handle Beta testing on Google Play with both test and productions servers? Should we use a different setup for this approach?

Is Google Play Developer Console not fit for this kind of testing/staging? Am I missing something?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 292

Answers (1)

Jon F Hancock
Jon F Hancock

Reputation: 3349

I think for beta testing in the public, you should test the app, not the backend. Your beta app should be hitting your production servers.

If you want to test the back end at scale like that, then set up an alpha community, give them the beta app, but pointing to the test environment with a strong understanding that their content is not transferrable from alpha to beta/prod.

Upvotes: 2

Related Questions