vanman2024 Expo Patterns
Comprehensive skill for building production mobile apps with Expo and React Native.
Overview
Expo provides managed workflow for React Native development:
- Simplified native module configuration
- EAS Build for cloud-based app building
- OTA updates with expo-updates
- Push notifications with expo-notifications
- Cross-platform APIs for camera, location, etc.
Use When
This skill is automatically invoked when:
- Initializing new Expo/React Native projects
- Configuring native features (camera, location, notifications)
- Setting up EAS Build for iOS/Android
- Managing app signing and certificates
- Implementing OTA updates
Security: Credentials
CRITICAL: Never commit signing credentials
❌ NEVER commit: .p12, .mobileprovision, keystore files
✅ ALWAYS use: eas secret:create for sensitive values
✅ ALWAYS add to .gitignore: *.jks, *.p12, *.mobileprovision
Available Scripts
| Script | Description |
|---|---|
scripts/init-expo-project.sh |
Initialize new Expo project with TypeScript |
scripts/setup-eas-build.sh |
Configure EAS Build profiles |
scripts/setup-notifications.sh |
Set up push notifications |
Available Templates
| Template | Description |
|---|---|
templates/app.json |
Expo app configuration |
templates/eas.json |
EAS Build configuration |
templates/env.example |
Environment variables template |
CLI Commands
# Create new project
npx create-expo-app my-app --template tabs
# EAS Build
eas build --platform ios --profile development
eas build --platform android --profile preview
# Submit to stores
eas submit --platform ios
eas submit --platform android
Best Practices
- Use expo-router for file-based routing
- Use expo-secure-store for tokens
- Set up EAS Build for consistent builds
- Implement OTA updates for quick fixes