/asc-cli-usage

name: asc-cli-usage
description: Guidance for using asc cli in this repo (flags, output formats, pagination, auth, and discovery). Use when asked to run or design asc commands or interact with App Store Connect via the CLI.

asc cli usage

Use this skill when you need to run or design `asc` commands for App Store Connect.

Command discovery

• Always use `--help` to discover commands and flags.
• `asc --help`
• `asc builds --help`
• `asc builds list --help`
• Use `asc search` for local, deterministic command discovery when you know the workflow but not the command path.
• `asc search "submit app for review"`
• `asc search --output table "upload build"`
• Use `asc schema` to inspect bundled App Store Connect endpoint schemas and request/query fields before designing API-facing commands.
• `asc schema --pretty "GET /v1/apps"`
• `asc schema --method POST appStoreVersions`
• Use `asc capabilities` to explain CLI-supported, partial, web-session, and public-API-limited workflow coverage.
• `asc capabilities --area release --output table`
• `asc capabilities --status web-session --output table`
• `asc capabilities --status not-public-api --output markdown`

Canonical verbs (current asc)

• Prefer `view` over legacy `get` aliases for read-only commands in docs and automation.
• `asc apps view --id "APP_ID"`
• `asc versions view --version-id "VERSION_ID"`
• `asc pricing availability view --app "APP_ID"`
• Prefer `edit` for update-only availability surfaces and other canonical edit flows.
• `asc pricing availability edit --app "APP_ID" --territory "USA,GBR" --available true`
• `asc app-setup availability edit --app "APP_ID" --territory "USA,GBR" --available true`
• `asc xcode version edit --build-number "42"`
• Use `asc pricing availability create` to initialize app availability before using the update-only `edit` command. If Apple rejects the public-API bootstrap, authenticate a web session and use `asc web apps availability create`, or configure Pricing and Availability in App Store Connect.
• `asc pricing availability create --app "APP_ID" --territory "USA,GBR" --available true --available-in-new-territories true`
• `asc web apps availability create --app "APP_ID" --territory "USA,GBR" --available-in-new-territories true`
• Keep `set` where the CLI intentionally models a higher-level replacement/configuration flow and `--help` still shows `set` as the canonical verb.

Flag conventions

• Use explicit long flags (e.g., `--app`, `--output`).
• Prefer explicit flags in automation; some newer commands can prompt for missing fields when run interactively.
• Destructive operations require `--confirm`.
• Use `--paginate` when the user wants all pages.

Output formats

• Output defaults are TTY-aware: `table` in interactive terminals, `json` when piped or non-interactive.
• Use `--output table` or `--output markdown` only for human-readable output.
• `--pretty` is only valid with JSON output.

Authentication and defaults

• Prefer keychain auth via `asc auth login`.
• Fallback env vars: `ASC_KEY_ID`, `ASC_ISSUER_ID`, `ASC_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH`, `ASC_PRIVATE_KEY`, `ASC_PRIVATE_KEY_B64`.
• `ASC_APP_ID` can provide a default app ID.
• When permissions are unclear, inspect exact API key role coverage with `asc web auth capabilities`.
• This lives under the web-session auth surface.
• It can resolve the current local auth by default, or inspect a specific key with `--key-id`.
• Create an App Store Connect team API key through a cached Apple Account web session with `asc web api-keys create`.
• An Account Holder or Admin session is required; use `asc web auth login --apple-id "user@example.com"` first when needed.
• The command saves the one-time P8 as `AuthKey_<KEY_ID>.p8` without printing its contents; choose an explicit private directory with `--output-dir`.
• Example: `asc web api-keys create --name "CI uploads" --role APP_MANAGER --output-dir "./keys" --output json`.

Reuse authentication before requesting another code

• API-key authentication (`asc auth`) and Apple Account web sessions (`asc web auth`) are separate. Prefer the existing keychain API profile for supported operations; inspect `asc auth status` and command capabilities before starting a web login. A profile name is a local label, not an app-level permission boundary.
• For web-only work, check `asc web auth status --apple-id "user@example.com" --output json` first. Reuse an authenticated cached session and verify its provider matches the intended account before mutations. Do not log out or clear trust/session state as routine preparation.
• Give one process ownership of an interactive sign-in for an Apple Account. While a code prompt is pending, continue that same process; coordinate or serialize other agents instead of starting another login that may invalidate its challenge.
• Match a code to the current prompt. A trusted-device notification code and an SMS fallback code belong to different verification steps. Once the CLI announces phone delivery, use the newly delivered phone code, not the earlier notification code. Do not deliberately submit bad codes as a normal resend strategy; inspect the installed command's help for supported recovery.
• On failure, distinguish code rejection from a timeout after verification or provider selection. Inspect the exact error and installed version before requesting more codes. Increasing a request timeout is not proof that an interactive-session problem is fixed.
• After login, verify `authenticated` and the selected provider with a separate status read; confirm the next web operation reuses the cache before reporting success. Apple may expire sessions later, so do not promise permanent unattended authentication.
• Inspect `asc web auth login --help` before configuring a supported `--two-factor-code-command`. Keep credentials and codes out of logs, source, shell history, and PRs. Do not assume a password-manager passkey can be supplied t