How to iterate on your app faster with Expo

Samp uses Tweetbot’s redesigns as an example of how apps change to match users’ expectations and current design styles. He argues that an app’s first version is only a starting point, so teams should build around an ongoing cycle of requirements, implementation, review, release, and feedback.

Samp demonstrates a coffee app with two requirements: calculate water for a 16-to-1 water-to-coffee ratio, and guide pulse pours with a countdown. Expo CLI creates a React Native project without iOS and Android native folders, while Expo Go lets developers scan a QR code and preview changes on a phone as they work.

For teammates to review an app, Samp contrasts manual device registration and store-based distribution with EAS internal distribution. Developers can register devices, build with an internal profile, and share a download link; a GitHub Action can automate builds when code is merged to the main branch. Expo Go updates can also share JavaScript changes without requiring teammates to download a new build.

Samp describes using EAS Build to create release builds for the iOS App Store and Google Play in the cloud. EAS Submit can send a build to the stores, avoiding manual steps such as downloading an IPA or AAB and uploading it through store tools.

For a production typo, Samp shows how Expo Updates can deliver a JavaScript and asset bundle without a new app store build. Updates cannot change native code, such as the app icon. Developers can configure when the app checks for updates and how long it waits before opening the cached version; the default timeout of zero downloads updates in the background.