Mobile & App Stores

The territory

28 core terms mapped for this field, ranked by how often builders reach for them. Each one is a future entry. Want to bust one? One entry, one file, one pull request.

• App Store Optimization (ASO)tuning listing metadata and creatives to rank in store search"SEO but for the app store" · "making my app show up when people search"
• Store listing metadatatitle, subtitle, description, and keyword slots that drive discovery"keyword field" · "the words on my store page"
• App screenshots / preview videothe marketing images and video shown on the product page"those framed phone pictures" · "the screenshots with text on them"
• Store submissionuploading a release candidate and required information for platform review"sending it to Apple" · "hitting submit for review"
• App review rejectionstore denying a build for policy reasons"Apple said no" · "they bounced my app"
• App Store Connect / Play Consolethe publisher dashboards for builds, metadata, and payouts"the backend where I upload the app" · "the publishing website"
• Version number / build numberthe two-number scheme stores use to order releases"the 1.2.3 thing" · "why the store says duplicate build"
• Beta distributionpre-release distribution channel for external testers"TestFlight" · "beta invite thing"
• Phased / staged rolloutreleasing an update to a growing percentage of users"give it to 10% first" · "slow release in case it breaks"
• Code signing and provisioningcertificates that authorize a build to run and ship"provisioning profile" · "the certificate nightmare"
• Bundle ID / package namethe app's permanent unique identifier across stores"the reverse-domain name thing" · "com.something.myapp"
• Minimum deployment targetoldest OS version the app supports"which iPhones can install it" · "lowest Android version"
• In-app purchase (IAP) / store billingselling digital goods through the platform's payment system"buying inside the app" · "Apple's 30% cut"
• Subscription paywallthe screen gating features behind a recurring purchase"the upgrade screen" · "where I ask for money"
• Restore purchasesrequired flow to re-grant entitlements on a new device"I already paid, give it back" · "get my subscription on my new phone"
• App Privacy details / Data safety sectionmandatory declaration of data collected"privacy nutrition label" · "the data questionnaire"
• Push notification / rich pushserver-initiated alert, optionally with image and actions"the pop-up alert on the lock screen" · "ping people to come back"
• Runtime permissionOS-controlled access requested while the app is running"the popup asking for camera access" · "allow or don't allow"
• Permission primingasking why before triggering the OS permission dialog"explain before the popup asks" · "pre-permission screen"
• Deep linkURL that opens a specific screen inside an installed app"link that jumps straight into the app" · "opens the app not the website"
• Universal Links / Android App Linkshttps URL that opens the app if installed, web if not"smart link that knows if you have the app" · "no ugly redirect page"
• Deferred deep linkinglink that survives install and lands you on the intended screen"remembers where I was going after I download it" · "link that works even before install"
• Over-the-air (OTA) updatepushing JS/asset changes to installed apps without store review"update without resubmitting" · "hot push a fix"
• App iconthe launcher/home-screen tile identity, size-and-shape constrained"the little square" · "the thing on the home screen"
• Splash screen / launch screenstatic first frame shown while the app boots"the loading logo when you tap open" · "the screen before the screen"
• Safe area / notch insetspadding that avoids notch, home indicator, and rounded corners"don't put stuff under the notch" · "the bottom bar space"
• Cross-platform appone codebase compiled or wrapped for multiple platforms"hybrid app" · "build once ship to both"
• Store review promptnative in-app dialog requesting a rating, rate-limited by OS"please rate us popup" · "the star request"

Deeper in the field

• Custom product page alternate store listing variants targeted per ad campaign
• Pre-order / pre-registration pre-launch signup that auto-installs on release day
• Release track store channel separating internal, beta, and production builds
• Expedited review requesting faster app review for a critical fix
• Review notes / demo account reviewer instructions and credentials needed to evaluate gated app features
• App thinning / split APK / app bundle per-device artifact slicing to shrink downloads
• App size / bundle budget download size limits affecting install conversion and cellular downloads
• Alternative app distribution installing outside the official store, now legal in the EU
• IAP product type store category such as consumable, non-consumable, or subscription
• Receipt validation verifying store purchase evidence before granting paid access
• Sandbox purchase test transaction that exercises store billing without real money
• Push token per-install address used to deliver push notifications to a device
• Background refresh / silent notification waking the app to sync without visible alert
• Background mode declared capability allowing limited work while the app is not foregrounded
• App lifecycle foreground, background, suspended, and terminated states an app moves through
• Custom URL scheme non-HTTP scheme used to route links into an installed app
• App clip / instant app tiny slice of an app runnable without full install
• Widgets / Live Activities glanceable surfaces outside the app itself
• Native module / bridge glue exposing platform APIs to a cross-platform runtime
• App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompt iOS dialog required before cross-app advertising identifiers
• Kids category and age rating content-rating tier with stricter rules