This guide provides comprehensive instructions for setting up, building, and distributing a custom Telegram iOS client. The project uses Bazel as its build system and requires several configuration steps.

1. Visit https://core.telegram.org/api/obtaining_api_id
2. Create a Telegram application
3. Obtain your api_id and api_hash
4. Generate a random identifier for your bundle ID:

   openssl rand -hex 8

1. Create a free or paid Apple Developer Account at https://developer.apple.com
2. Locate your:
   • Developer email address
   • Team ID (in Membership Details section)

Clone the Telegram iOS repository with all submodules:

git clone --recursive -j8 https://github.com/TelegramMessenger/Telegram-iOS.git

Edit build-system/template_minimal_development_configuration.json:

• Add api_id and api_hash
• Include your Apple Developer email
• Add your Team ID
• Set bundle identifier as org.{random identifier}

Run the project generation command:

python3 build-system/Make/Make.py \
    --overrideXcodeVersion \
    --cacheDir="$HOME/telegram-bazel-cache" \
    generateProject \
    --configurationPath=build-system/template_minimal_development_configuration.json \
    --disableProvisioningProfiles \
    --xcodeManagedCodesigning

1. Open the generated Xcode project
2. Select an iOS simulator
3. Build and run the project (⌘R)

1. Go to https://developer.apple.com/account/resources/certificates/list

2. Create Apple Push Notifications service SSL Certificate:

   • Choose "Apple Push Notifications service SSL (Sandbox & Production)"
   • This single certificate works for both development and production environments

3. Certificate Generation Process:

   • Click the "+" button in the Certificates section
   • Select the Apple Push Notifications service SSL certificate
   • Follow the certificate generation wizard
   • You'll need to:
     • Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) using Keychain Access
     • Upload the CSR to Apple's developer portal
     • Download the generated certificate

1. Open Keychain Access

2. Find the downloaded APNS certificate

3. Export to .p12:

   • Right-click and select "Export"
   • Choose .p12 format
   • Set a strong password for the exported file

4. Convert .p12 to .pem:

   # Convert the certificate to PEM format
   openssl pkcs12 -in apns-cert.p12 -out apns-cert.pem -nodes -clcerts

1. Go to https://appstoreconnect.apple.com
2. Click "My Apps" and "+"
3. Select "New App"
4. Fill in details:
   • Platform: iOS
   • Name: [Your App Name]
   • Bundle ID: org.[random identifier].Telegram
   • SKU: [random identifier]

1. Go to https://developer.apple.com/account/resources/certificates/list
2. Create iOS App Development certificate
3. Generate Certificate Signing Request (CSR) using Keychain Access

1. Return to certificates page
2. Create "App Store and Ad Hoc" certificate
3. Upload CSR
4. Download and install certificate

Prepare a my-codesigning folder with the following exact structure:

my-codesigning/
├── certs/
│   ├── Public.cer
│   └── SelfSigned.p12
└── profiles/
    ├── BroadcastUpload.mobileprovision
    ├── Intents.mobileprovision
    ├── NotificationContent.mobileprovision
    ├── NotificationService.mobileprovision
    ├── Share.mobileprovision
    ├── Telegram.mobileprovision
    ├── WatchApp.mobileprovision
    ├── WatchExtension.mobileprovision
    └── Widget.mobileprovision

1. Go to Identifiers section
2. Create identifiers for:
   • Main App
   • Notification Service Extension
   • Share Extension
   • Widget
   • Watch App and Extension

1. Go to Profiles section
2. Create profiles for each app identifier
3. Select "App Store" type
4. Download all profiles
5. Ensure exact naming as shown in the codesigning folder structure

python3 build-system/Make/Make.py \
    --overrideXcodeVersion \
    --cacheDir="$HOME/telegram-bazel-cache" \
    build \
    --configurationPath=build-system/my-appstore-configuration.json \
    --codesigningInformationPath=build-system/my-codesigning \
    --buildNumber=100008 \
    --configuration=release_arm64

1. Use Apple's Transporter app
2. Sign in with Apple Developer account
3. Upload generated IPA
4. Configure beta testing in App Store Connect