Glossary - Understanding some common terms
Here's some commonly used terms that might confuse you
Build File
- A fully built up compiled file of your app that a user can install on their device via App Store or Play Store.
- Also known as ipa for app store and apk for play store
Build
- The process of generating the build file of your app for the first time.
- When you purchase the BDK Native Service, you are basically purchasing the build.
- Every build purchase comes with 4 banked rebuilds too (see Banked Rebuild below)
- The build file for iOS apps is directly uploaded by us to your App listing
- The build file for Android apps is signed by us and delivered to you, together with your app's keystore. You upload it to your App listing from your own Play Console
Rebuild
- The process of regenerating the build
- Typically required if you want to change some details submitted on project page e.g. app icon
- Required if you want to upgrade you BDK Native Engine to a newer version
- Also required when Apple / Google ask for a new version of your app, e.g. Google's yearly target API level
Banked Rebuild
- Every build purchase comes with 1 build + 4 banked rebuilds
- They're valid for 12 months from payment. One is used up when you request a rebuild
- Find them in your project's Purchases tab, or tap Request rebuild on your project's Dashboard
- All used up? An extra rebuild is $19, also valid for 12 months from payment (prices as of 19 October 2026)
App Listing
- The details about an app that you see on searching for an app on appstore
- Implies details such as app description, screenshots, update notes, privacy policy link etc.
- You create your app's listing on Apple's Appstore Connect for iOS & Google's Play Store Console for Android
- In an app listing there is a place to uploaded the build file described above
App Metadata
- Another term for the content on app listing i.e. app description, screenshots, update notes, privacy policy link etc.
Bundle Name
- A unique id for an app listing. Needs to specified when the app listing is created
- Typically written as something like com.facebook.app resembling the reverse of a domain just as a convention
BDK Native Engine
- Our core product, which allows your Native Apps (bdk) bubble plugin to communicate back and forth with the native device
- Apps not built on bubble use our free
@thebdk/nativeJavaScript SDK instead of the plugin
BDK Native Release
- We keep adding new features & enhancements to the native engine.
- When a collection of these is tested and made available to you, we call it a 'engine release'
- Check out this list of engine releases till date
- Every time you order a rebuild, you app is updated to the latest engine version
Appstore Connect
- Apple's portal where you can create app listings for iOS apps
- We upload build file inside an app listing
- Previously known as iTunes Connect
Playstore Console
- Google's portal where you can create app listings for Android apps
- We deliver the signed build file to you, and you upload it inside the app listing
Apple Developer Account (Organization Enrollment)
- Apple's annual membership which allows you to publish apps to app store
- There is Individual, Organization and Enterprise developer account types
- Individual and Organization accounts cost the same $99.
- We support either types of accounts.
Onesignal Player ID
- Just like bubble generates a unique ID for everything (such as user's unique id), onesignal also generates a unique ID for each device for a specific app
- This unique ID generated by onesignal is called 'Player ID'. Together with your onesignal app ID and api key, it can be used to send notification to a specific device
- A typical approach is to save the player ID to a field in your bubble user object, so that you can send notifications to that user
Updated on: 11/04/2026
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