expo-dev-client

✓ Official★ 2,200

by expo · part of expo/skills

Build custom Expo development clients for testing native code on physical devices via EAS Build or locally. Only needed when using custom native modules, Apple targets (widgets, app clips), or third-party native code not in Expo Go; try Expo Go first with npx expo start Supports cloud builds with automatic TestFlight submission or local builds on your machine, outputting .ipa (iOS) or .apk / .aab (Android) files Requires eas.json configuration with a development profile that sets...

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#automation #git

🧩 One of 7 skills in the expo/skills package — works on its own, and pairs well with its siblings.

Inspect the full instructions your agent will receiveExpand

This is the exact playbook injected into your agent when the skill activates — shown here so you can audit it before installing. You don't need to read it to use the skill.

name: expo-dev-client description: Build Expo app for development version: 1.1.0 license: MIT

Use EAS Build to create development clients for testing native code changes on physical devices. Use this for creating custom Expo Go clients for testing branches of your app.

Important: When Development Clients Are Needed

Development clients are the recommended setup for any real or production app. Expo Go is a playground for learning and quick experiments with the native libraries it bundles; most apps outgrow it and move to a development client. See Expo Go vs. development builds for the full reasoning.

You need a dev client ONLY when using:

Local Expo modules (custom native code)
Apple targets (widgets, app clips, extensions)
Third-party native modules not in Expo Go
Config plugins, or testing remote push notifications and App/Universal Links

Building for TestFlight

Build iOS dev client and submit to TestFlight in one command:

Copy & paste — that's it

eas build -p ios --profile development --submit

This will:

Build the development client in the cloud
Automatically submit to App Store Connect
Send you an email when the build is ready in TestFlight

After receiving the TestFlight email:

Download the build from TestFlight on your device
Launch the app to see the expo-dev-client UI
Connect to your local Metro bundler or scan a QR code

Building Locally

Build a development client on your machine:

Copy & paste — that's it

# iOS (requires Xcode)
eas build -p ios --profile development --local

# Android
eas build -p android --profile development --local

Local builds output:

iOS: .ipa file
Android: .apk or .aab file

Building for Specific Platform

Copy & paste — that's it

# iOS only
eas build -p ios --profile development

# Android only
eas build -p android --profile development

# Both platforms
eas build --profile development

Checking Build Status

Copy & paste — that's it

# List recent builds
eas build:list

# View build details
eas build:view

Using the Dev Client

Once installed, the dev client provides:

Development server connection - Enter your Metro bundler URL or scan QR
Build information - View native build details
Launcher UI - Switch between development servers

Connect to local development:

Copy & paste — that's it

# Start Metro bundler
npx expo start --dev-client

# Scan QR code with dev client or enter URL manually

Copy & paste — that's it

npx skills add https://github.com/expo/skills --skill expo-dev-client

Run this in your project — your agent picks the skill up automatically.

EAS Configuration

Ensure eas.json has a development profile:

Copy & paste — that's it

{
  "cli": {
    "version": ">= 16.0.1",
    "appVersionSource": "remote"
  },
  "build": {
    "production": {
      "autoIncrement": true
    },
    "development": {
      "autoIncrement": true,
      "developmentClient": true
    }
  },
  "submit": {
    "production": {},
    "development": {}
  }
}

Key settings:

developmentClient: true - Bundles expo-dev-client for development builds
autoIncrement: true - Automatically increments build numbers
appVersionSource: "remote" - Uses EAS as the source of truth for version numbers

Installing Local Builds

Install iOS build on simulator:

Copy & paste — that's it

# Find the .app in the .tar.gz output
tar -xzf build-*.tar.gz
xcrun simctl install booted ./path/to/App.app

Install iOS build on device (requires signing):

Copy & paste — that's it

# Use Xcode Devices window or ideviceinstaller
ideviceinstaller -i build.ipa

Install Android build:

Copy & paste — that's it

adb install build.apk

Troubleshooting

Build fails with signing errors:

Copy & paste — that's it

eas credentials

Clear build cache:

Copy & paste — that's it

eas build -p ios --profile development --clear-cache

Check EAS CLI version:

Copy & paste — that's it

eas --version
eas update