Learn how to install and set up your Launchtoday Expo project
Prerequisites: This project requires Node.js version 18 or higher. Please
ensure you have Node.js installed on your system before proceeding with the
setup process.
To get the best out of Launchtoday, we strongly recommend using physical iOS
and Android devices for development and testing. Physical devices provide the
most accurate representation of how your app will behave in production,
especially when working with libraries like RevenueCat. While simulators and
emulators have their place for automated testing and quick UI checks, they
should not be your primary development environment.
After successfully cloning the repository, you’ll need to set up your local development environment. Follow these steps in order:
Navigate into your newly created project directory
Execute the following commands to initialize your development environment:
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cp .env.example .envyarnyarn prebuild
These commands create your local environment configuration, install all necessary dependencies, and automatically generate the iOS and Android project files.
To set up your Android development environment for Expo, you can either follow our detailed step-by-step instructions below or watch our comprehensive video tutorial that walks you through the entire process:The Android setup process requires Android Studio, which you can download from the official Android Developer website. Once installed, follow these detailed steps:
Open Android Studio and launch the AVD (Android Virtual Device) Manager, which allows you to create and manage virtual devices for testing.
Create a new virtual device by following these steps:
Click the “Create Virtual Device” button
From the hardware profiles, select a device definition (we recommend the Pixel 9 Pro XL)
Choose a system image (we recommend API 34 for the best compatibility)
Complete the setup process by configuring any additional device settings
Ensure that the Android SDK is properly configured:
Open the SDK Manager in Android Studio
Make sure you have the latest Android SDK Platform-tools installed
Verify that the Android SDK Build-tools are installed (version 30.0.2 or newer)
Add the Android SDK location to your system’s environment variables
Verify that your development environment is properly configured by running:
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adb devices# This command should display your connected device or emulator
With your environment configured, you can now launch your application. Choose the appropriate command for your target platform:
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yarn start # Starts the Expo development server with cache resetyarn ios # Launches the app on an iOS deviceyarn android # Launches the app on an Android device
For specific iOS simulators, you can use:
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yarn ios-16-plus # Run on iPhone 16 Plus simulatoryarn ios-16-pro-max # Run on iPhone 16 Pro Max simulator
When successfully launched, your application should display the following screen:
Expo Application Services (EAS) offers powerful tools for building, submitting, and updating your Expo application:
EAS Build - Create native builds for iOS and Android
EAS Submit - Upload your builds to the App Store and Play Store
EAS Update - Push updates to your app over-the-air
To set up EAS for your project:
Install the EAS CLI:
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npm install -g eas-cli
Log in to your Expo account:
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eas login
Configure your project for EAS:
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eas build:configure
This sets up the necessary configuration files for using EAS services with your project.You can build and submit your app using these commands:
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yarn ios-build # Build for iOSyarn android-build # Build for Androidyarn ios-submit # Submit iOS build to App Storeyarn android-submit # Submit Android build to Play Store
If you encounter any issues during setup, you can run these diagnostic commands:
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yarn doctor # Check for common issues in your Expo projectyarn fix-dependencies # Fix and check dependenciesyarn nuke # Complete reset - removes node_modules, iOS and Android directories, # then reinstalls everything from scratch
If you encounter any difficulties during the setup process or while running the application, we provide several support channels:
Our comprehensive FAQ page addresses common issues and provides detailed solutions
If you believe you’ve discovered a bug, please create a detailed issue on our GitHub repository
Our dedicated development team and community members are committed to helping you overcome any challenges you might face during your development journey.