Create iCloud Identifier in iOS Developer Panel

Question

I am using iCloud just for simple key-value storage. I have configured Entitlement in Xcode. Testing in Sandbox mode shows that value is persisted successfully.

However, when I look into the setting of the App Id of my Provisioning Profile on iOS Developer Panel, I see the iCloud status of the App Id is "Configurable". It is asking me to create an iCloud Container.

My question is:

1) What is the purpose of such an iCloud container on Developer Panel?

2) Is it necessary to configure such an iCloud container on Developer Panel to have iCloud usable in Production?

3) If yes to question 2, has the identifier of the iCloud container on Developer Panel got to be the same as the Ubiquity Container Identifier configured in Xcode? The developer panel is asking me to "Enter a unique identifier for your iCloud Container, starting with the string 'cloud'.". But Xcode has $(TeamIdentifierPrefix)$(CFBundleIdentifier) as identifier.

Please help. Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

1) The purpose of an iCloud container depends on what you want to do with it. (key-value, CloudKit...) You need it for an iCloud app.

2) Yes, I think so. I think so because I'm not sure about what you want to say about "Production".

3) The name of your iCloud container has to be the same in the Developer portal and in Xcode to let it work. Like I have an iCloud container for my app. In the Developer portal, in my app ID, iCloud is enabled and the container named "iCloud.com.xxx.xxx" (iCloud.com.name.app). In my app capabilities (in Xcode), iCloud is on and and container selected is the one with the same name.

Hope that it helps :)

Regards,