diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
index bed65fc6..bb225c85 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ jobs:
     steps:
 
       - name: Set current build as BETA
-        run: echo "IS_BETA=1" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        run: |
+          echo "IS_BETA=1" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "RELEASE_CHANNEL=beta" >> $GITHUB_ENV
         
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -242,7 +244,6 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           echo "VERSION_IPA=$VERSION_IPA" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "VERSION_DATE=$FORMATTED_DATE" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "BETA=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "COMMIT_ID=$SHORT_COMMIT" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "SIZE=$IPA_SIZE" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "SHA256=$SHA256_HASH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
@@ -269,8 +270,8 @@ jobs:
           pushd SideStore/apps-v2.json/
   
           # Configure Git user (committer details)
-          # git config user.name "GitHub Actions"
-          # git config user.email "github-actions@github.com"
+          git config user.name "GitHub Actions"
+          git config user.email "github-actions@github.com"
           
           # update the source.json
           python3 ../../update_apps.py "./_includes/source.json"
diff --git a/update_apps.py b/update_apps.py
index 931fbd98..f719938f 100755
--- a/update_apps.py
+++ b/update_apps.py
@@ -5,9 +5,19 @@ import json
 import sys
 
 # Set environment variables with default values
+# VERSION_IPA = os.getenv("VERSION_IPA")
+# VERSION_DATE = os.getenv("VERSION_DATE")
+# RELEASE_CHANNEL = os.getenv("RELEASE_CHANNEL")
+# COMMIT_ID = os.getenv("COMMIT_ID")
+# SIZE = os.getenv("SIZE")
+# SHA256 = os.getenv("SHA256")
+# LOCALIZED_DESCRIPTION = os.getenv("LOCALIZED_DESCRIPTION")
+# DOWNLOAD_URL = os.getenv("DOWNLOAD_URL")
+# BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER = os.getenv("BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER")
+
 VERSION_IPA = os.getenv("VERSION_IPA", "0.0.0")
 VERSION_DATE = os.getenv("VERSION_DATE", "2000-12-18T00:00:00Z")
-BETA = os.getenv("BETA", "true").lower() == "true"  # Convert to boolean
+RELEASE_CHANNEL = os.getenv("RELEASE_CHANNEL", "alpha")
 COMMIT_ID = os.getenv("COMMIT_ID", "1234567")
 SIZE = int(os.getenv("SIZE", "0"))  # Convert to integer
 SHA256 = os.getenv("SHA256", "")
@@ -24,9 +34,10 @@ input_file = sys.argv[1]
 print(f"Input File: {input_file}")
 
 # Debugging the environment variables
+print("  ====> Required parameter list <====")
 print("Version:", VERSION_IPA)
 print("Version Date:", VERSION_DATE)
-print("Beta:", BETA)
+print("ReleaseChannel:", RELEASE_CHANNEL)
 print("Commit ID:", COMMIT_ID)
 print("Size:", SIZE)
 print("Sha256:", SHA256)
@@ -41,50 +52,70 @@ except Exception as e:
     print(f"Error reading the input file: {e}")
     sys.exit(1)
 
+if (VERSION_IPA == None or \
+    VERSION_DATE == None or \
+    RELEASE_CHANNEL == None or \
+    SIZE == None or \
+    SHA256 == None or \
+    LOCALIZED_DESCRIPTION == None or \
+    DOWNLOAD_URL == None):
+    print("One or more required parameter(s) were not defined as environment variable(s)")
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+# make it lowecase
+RELEASE_CHANNEL = RELEASE_CHANNEL.lower()
+# Convert to integer
+SIZE = int(SIZE)
+
+if RELEASE_CHANNEL != 'stable' and COMMIT_ID is None:
+    print("Commit ID cannot be empty when ReleaseChannel is not 'stable' ")
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+version = data.get("version")
+if int(version) < 2:
+    print("Only v2 and above are supported for direct updates to sources.json on push")
+    sys.exit(1)
+
 # Process the JSON data
 updated = False
 for app in data.get("apps", []):
     if app.get("bundleIdentifier") == BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER:
-        # Update app-level metadata
-        app.update({
-            "version": VERSION_IPA,
-            "versionDate": VERSION_DATE,
-            "beta": BETA,
-            "commitID": COMMIT_ID,
-            "size": SIZE,
-            "sha256": SHA256,
-            "localizedDescription": LOCALIZED_DESCRIPTION,
-            "downloadURL": DOWNLOAD_URL,
-        })
+        if RELEASE_CHANNEL == "stable" :
+            # Update app-level metadata for store front page
+            app.update({
+                "version": VERSION_IPA,
+                "versionDate": VERSION_DATE,
+                "size": SIZE,
+                "sha256": SHA256,
+                "localizedDescription": LOCALIZED_DESCRIPTION,
+                "downloadURL": DOWNLOAD_URL,
+            })
         
         # Process the versions array
-        versions = app.get("versions", [])
-        if not versions or not (versions[0].get("version") == VERSION_IPA and versions[0].get("beta") == BETA):
-            # Prepend a new version if no matching version exists
-            new_version = {
-                "version": VERSION_IPA,
-                "date": VERSION_DATE,
-                "localizedDescription": LOCALIZED_DESCRIPTION,
-                "downloadURL": DOWNLOAD_URL,
-                "beta": BETA,
-                "commitID": COMMIT_ID,
-                "size": SIZE,
-                "sha256": SHA256,
-            }
-            versions.insert(0, new_version)
+        channels = app.get("releaseChannels", {})
+        if not channels:
+            app["releaseChannels"] = channels
+
+        # create an entry and keep ready
+        new_version = {
+            "version": VERSION_IPA,
+            "date": VERSION_DATE,
+            "localizedDescription": LOCALIZED_DESCRIPTION,
+            "downloadURL": DOWNLOAD_URL,
+            "size": SIZE,
+            "sha256": SHA256,
+        }
+        # add commit ID if release is not stable 
+        if RELEASE_CHANNEL != 'stable':
+            new_version["commitID"] = COMMIT_ID
+
+        if not channels.get(RELEASE_CHANNEL):
+            # there was no entries in this release channel so create one
+            channels[RELEASE_CHANNEL] = [new_version]
         else:
-            # Update the existing version object
-            versions[0].update({
-                "version": VERSION_IPA,
-                "date": VERSION_DATE,
-                "localizedDescription": LOCALIZED_DESCRIPTION,
-                "downloadURL": DOWNLOAD_URL,
-                "beta": BETA,
-                "commitID": COMMIT_ID,
-                "size": SIZE,
-                "sha256": SHA256,
-            })
-        app["versions"] = versions
+            # Update the existing TOP version object entry
+            channels[RELEASE_CHANNEL][0] = new_version
+
         updated = True
         break