iTunes Connect app release confusion
This will be 1st first app. In my iTunes Connect account my app is in Prepare For Submission mode now. When I upload a project build to iTunes Connect and click Submit For Review, lets say App Store reviews it and it goes well, do the app reviewers then automatically put my app in App Store if I clicked on Automatically Release This Version under version release? Or if I have it in Manually Release this version then my app goes to Ready For Sale mode and it doesn't get released to app store and I get promo codes so I can give to app reviewers? This is what i'm looking for.
Yes, in the new iTunes Connect, you can set "Manually release this version" even on the first version of the app, not just updates like the old version of iTC.
Once the app is approved, you can create promo codes and send them to reviewers before you actually release the app to the public. Be aware however, that the promo codes are tied to the version they are created for. Ie, if you submit 1.0, and it's approved, and then generate a promo code for it. That promo code will download version 1.0 for the user, even if you later submit 1.1 and have it approved. This is important for reviewers, since you want them on the newest version. So you'd need to reissue new codes if you submit an update. Once the app is released to the public, obviously those people will get the update as usual.