Glossary
Plain-English, dated definitions of every term an indie iOS or Android developer actually runs into — from ASO and App Store Connect to Data Safety declarations and TestFlight.
The Android App Bundle (AAB) is Google's publishing format that packages all compiled code and resources and defers the generation of device-specific APKs to Google Play, which produces optimised splits per user device.
App Privacy details (often called the 'privacy nutrition label') are Apple's required disclosures on every App Store product page showing the categories of data the app collects, whether the data is linked to the user, and whether it is used to track the user across other companies.
App Review is the human-plus-automated approval process Apple runs on every iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS submission, and the equivalent (mostly automated) process Google runs on every new or updated Google Play submission.
App Store Connect is Apple's web and API console for submitting, managing, and distributing iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS apps on the Apple App Store.
The App Store Review Guidelines are Apple's authoritative, regularly updated rulebook that every submitted iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS app must satisfy to pass App Review.
App Tracking Transparency (ATT) is Apple's iOS 14.5+ privacy framework that requires apps to obtain explicit user permission before tracking them across apps and websites owned by other companies.
App Store Optimization (ASO) is the practice of improving a mobile app's visibility and conversion rate inside app stores such as the Apple App Store and Google Play.
An auto-renewable subscription is an In-App Purchase type that charges the user at a fixed interval (weekly, monthly, yearly, etc.) and renews automatically until the user cancels.
The Data Safety declaration is Google Play's required form where developers disclose what user data their app collects and shares, the purposes for each data type, and the security practices applied.
An EULA (End-User License Agreement) is the legal contract between a software developer and a user that governs how the user may install, use, copy, and distribute the software.
Google Play Console is Google's web and API console for publishing and managing Android apps and games on the Google Play Store.
In-App Purchase (IAP) is the Apple and Google payment mechanism for selling digital goods, services, or subscriptions from inside a mobile app.
An app privacy policy is a legally binding document that discloses what personal data the app collects, how it is used, with whom it is shared, and what rights users have over their data.
Promotional Text is a 170-character field on the iOS App Store product page that appears above the main description and can be updated without submitting a new binary for review.
Sandbox Testing is Apple's dedicated environment that lets developers test In-App Purchases, auto-renewable subscriptions, and StoreKit flows without using real money.
The Short Description is an 80-character field on the Google Play Store listing that appears above the 'Read more' fold and serves as the first text a user reads on the store page.
The Subtitle is a 30-character field on the iOS App Store product page that appears beneath the app name and contributes to the app's keyword index for App Store search.
Terms of Use (also called Terms of Service or Terms and Conditions) are the binding rules that govern a user's relationship with the app and developer, including acceptable use, payment, warranties, dispute resolution, and termination.
TestFlight is Apple's official beta testing platform that lets developers distribute pre-release iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS builds to up to 10,000 external testers and unlimited internal team members.
A Universal Link is an Apple technology that lets a standard HTTPS URL open directly inside a specified iOS app when the app is installed, and fall back to Safari (or a website) when it is not.