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Kickstarting Your Mobile App with Expo & React Native

Mar 6, 2025
Kickstarting Your Mobile App with Expo & React Native

Expo is the fastest way to start building React Native apps without installing Xcode or Android Studio. It is ideal for rapid prototyping, testing, and even launching full-scale production apps. With Expo, developers can focus on creating features while the platform handles the native complexity under the hood. Its ecosystem includes built-in APIs such as Camera, push notifications, geolocation, and sensors, providing a robust starting point for any app

Why Expo?

Expo brings several advantages

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure Node.js and npm are installed. Familiarity with JavaScript or TypeScript is recommended

Setting Up

Install Expo CLI globally

npm install -g expo-cli
Create a new project:

expo init my-app
Choose a template: blank, tabs (with navigation), or others. Once created, navigate into the project and start the local server:

cd my-app
npm start
Scan the QR code with Expo Go on iOS or Android to instantly preview your app.

Folder Structure

A clean project structure helps maintainability and scalability

my-app/
ā”œā”€ā”€ App.js
ā”œā”€ā”€ assets/
ā”œā”€ā”€ components/
ā”œā”€ā”€ screens/
└── navigation/

App.js: Main entry point

assets/: Images, fonts, and other media

components/: Reusable UI components

screens/: Page-level components

navigation/: Navigation setup (React Navigation or other)

Using Components

Create reusable UI components

import { Pressable, Text } from "react-native";

export default function Button({ label, onPress }) {
  return (
    <Pressable onPress={onPress}>
      <Text>{label}</Text>
    </Pressable>
  );
}

Deployment

Build your app for production using Expo Application Services:

eas build --platform all

Submit apps to stores with

eas submit --platform ios

Wrap-Up

Expo accelerates mobile development by handling native complexities. Developers can focus on UX, features, and business logic while Expo manages builds, testing, and deployment, making it perfect for both beginners and seasoned developers