EAS Build Setup Skill

This skill covers EAS Build configuration for React Native apps.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

•Setting up cloud builds
•Configuring build profiles
•Managing credentials
•Building for app stores

Core Principle

CLOUD-FIRST BUILDS - Let EAS handle the complexity of native builds.

Installation

bash

# Install EAS CLI globally
npm install -g eas-cli

# Login to Expo account
eas login

# Initialize EAS in project
eas build:configure

Basic Configuration

json

// eas.json
{
  "cli": {
    "version": ">= 12.0.0"
  },
  "build": {
    "development": {
      "developmentClient": true,
      "distribution": "internal"
    },
    "preview": {
      "distribution": "internal"
    },
    "production": {}
  },
  "submit": {
    "production": {}
  }
}

Full Configuration

json

// eas.json
{
  "cli": {
    "version": ">= 12.0.0",
    "appVersionSource": "remote"
  },
  "build": {
    "base": {
      "node": "20.11.0",
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "https://api.example.com"
      }
    },
    "development": {
      "extends": "base",
      "developmentClient": true,
      "distribution": "internal",
      "ios": {
        "simulator": true
      },
      "android": {
        "buildType": "apk"
      },
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "https://api.dev.example.com"
      }
    },
    "preview": {
      "extends": "base",
      "distribution": "internal",
      "ios": {
        "resourceClass": "m-medium"
      },
      "android": {
        "buildType": "apk"
      },
      "channel": "preview",
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "https://api.staging.example.com"
      }
    },
    "production": {
      "extends": "base",
      "autoIncrement": true,
      "ios": {
        "resourceClass": "m-medium"
      },
      "channel": "production",
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "https://api.example.com"
      }
    }
  },
  "submit": {
    "production": {
      "ios": {
        "appleId": "your@email.com",
        "ascAppId": "1234567890",
        "appleTeamId": "ABCD1234"
      },
      "android": {
        "serviceAccountKeyPath": "./google-service-account.json",
        "track": "internal"
      }
    }
  }
}

App Configuration

typescript

// app.config.ts
import { ExpoConfig, ConfigContext } from 'expo/config';

export default ({ config }: ConfigContext): ExpoConfig => ({
  ...config,
  name: 'My App',
  slug: 'my-app',
  version: '1.0.0',
  orientation: 'portrait',
  icon: './assets/icon.png',
  splash: {
    image: './assets/splash.png',
    resizeMode: 'contain',
    backgroundColor: '#ffffff',
  },
  ios: {
    bundleIdentifier: 'com.company.myapp',
    supportsTablet: true,
    infoPlist: {
      NSCameraUsageDescription: 'This app uses the camera for...',
      NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription: 'This app accesses photos for...',
    },
  },
  android: {
    package: 'com.company.myapp',
    adaptiveIcon: {
      foregroundImage: './assets/adaptive-icon.png',
      backgroundColor: '#ffffff',
    },
    permissions: [
      'CAMERA',
      'READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE',
      'WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE',
    ],
  },
  extra: {
    eas: {
      projectId: 'your-project-id',
    },
  },
  owner: 'your-expo-account',
});

Credentials Management

bash

# iOS credentials
eas credentials --platform ios

# Android credentials
eas credentials --platform android

# View current credentials
eas credentials

# Generate new iOS distribution certificate
eas credentials --platform ios

# Generate new Android keystore
eas credentials --platform android

Build Commands

bash

# Development build (with dev client)
eas build --profile development --platform ios
eas build --profile development --platform android

# Preview build (internal testing)
eas build --profile preview --platform all

# Production build
eas build --profile production --platform all

# Build with specific message
eas build --profile production --message "Release v1.0.0"

# Local build (without cloud)
eas build --local --platform ios

iOS Specific Configuration

json

// eas.json - iOS section
{
  "build": {
    "production": {
      "ios": {
        "resourceClass": "m-medium",
        "image": "latest",
        "credentialsSource": "remote",
        "buildConfiguration": "Release"
      }
    }
  }
}

iOS Entitlements

xml

<!-- ios/MyApp/MyApp.entitlements -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>aps-environment</key>
  <string>production</string>
  <key>com.apple.developer.associated-domains</key>
  <array>
    <string>applinks:example.com</string>
  </array>
</dict>
</plist>

Android Specific Configuration

json

// eas.json - Android section
{
  "build": {
    "preview": {
      "android": {
        "buildType": "apk",
        "gradleCommand": ":app:assembleRelease"
      }
    },
    "production": {
      "android": {
        "buildType": "app-bundle",
        "gradleCommand": ":app:bundleRelease",
        "resourceClass": "medium"
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment Variables

json

// eas.json
{
  "build": {
    "production": {
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "https://api.example.com",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_ANALYTICS_ID": "UA-XXXXX-Y"
      }
    }
  }
}

bash

# Or use EAS Secrets for sensitive values
eas secret:create --name API_KEY --value "your-secret-key" --scope project
eas secret:list

Build Hooks

json

// package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "eas-build-pre-install": "echo 'Running pre-install hook'",
    "eas-build-post-install": "echo 'Running post-install hook'",
    "eas-build-on-success": "echo 'Build succeeded!'",
    "eas-build-on-error": "echo 'Build failed!'"
  }
}

Internal Distribution

bash

# Register devices for internal distribution
eas device:create

# List registered devices
eas device:list

# Build for internal distribution
eas build --profile preview --platform ios

Monitoring Builds

bash

# View build status
eas build:list

# View specific build
eas build:view <build-id>

# Cancel build
eas build:cancel <build-id>

# Download build artifacts
eas build:download --platform ios --latest

CI/CD Integration

yaml

# .github/workflows/eas-build.yml
name: EAS Build

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Setup Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: '20'
          cache: 'npm'

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: npm ci

      - name: Setup EAS
        uses: expo/expo-github-action@v8
        with:
          eas-version: latest
          token: ${{ secrets.EXPO_TOKEN }}

      - name: Build preview
        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
        run: eas build --profile preview --platform all --non-interactive

      - name: Build production
        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
        run: eas build --profile production --platform all --non-interactive

Version Management

json

// eas.json
{
  "cli": {
    "appVersionSource": "remote"
  },
  "build": {
    "production": {
      "autoIncrement": true
    }
  }
}

bash

# Manually set version
eas build:version:set --platform ios --version 1.2.0 --build-number 45
eas build:version:set --platform android --version 1.2.0 --version-code 45

# Get current version
eas build:version:get --platform ios

Notes

•Use development builds for debugging
•Use preview builds for internal testing
•Use production builds for store submission
•Keep credentials in EAS (remote) for team sharing
•Use EAS Secrets for sensitive environment variables
•Set up CI/CD for automated builds
•Monitor build times and optimize as needed