Delivering Mobile App Updates Faster
Article Summary
Manoj Kumar Gubba from Mercari's iOS team reveals how they ship mobile updates in just 3-7 days. Most teams take 1-2 weeks, but Mercari's approach cuts that in half while maintaining stability.
Mercari's XB client core team built a release pipeline that balances speed with quality for their global marketplace app. Using trunk-based development, feature flags, and automated workflows, they've created a predictable weekly release cadence that keeps features flowing to users without sacrificing stability.
Key Takeaways
- Weekly releases complete in under 2 days on average
- Trunk-based development with feature flags enables continuous merging to master
- Automated Tuesday branch cuts trigger parallel iOS and Android releases
- Features implemented Monday can reach users by Thursday
- Firebase crash monitoring and velocity alerts catch issues during phased rollouts
Critical Insight
Mercari ships mobile updates in 3-7 days instead of the typical 1-2 weeks by combining trunk-based development, automated submissions, and phased rollouts.
