# limrun-expo-development

Prepares and runs Expo and React Native apps on Limrun: dev-client build, Metro tunnel, JS and TS iteration without repeated native rebuilds.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 43100 installs · ★ 2
- Author: limrun-inc
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/limrun-inc/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/limrun-expo-development/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/limrun-expo-development

## What it does

The skill walks an agent through Expo project setup. It first confirms the app really is Expo (`npx expo config --type introspect --json`), then pulls `BUNDLE_ID`, `PACKAGE`, `SLUG`, `SCHEME` and the current git branch to build the Debug asset name. It also checks that `expo-dev-client` is in `package.json`, because a development build needs it.

Builds and device operations run on Limrun only. Local Xcode, local simulators and a local Android SDK are out; local `adb` exists just to reach the remote emulator through the CLI tunnel. Before building, the skill looks for a reusable Debug asset and reuses it only when no native dependency or native config changed in the session. If they did change, the rebuild comes first and the dev loop starts after. That is the easy mistake to make: a stale asset hands you an app without your new modules.

On iOS the skill opens a dedicated tunnel to Metro and starts `npx expo start --dev-client` with `EXPO_PACKAGER_PROXY_URL`, so localhost and the declared port stay in manifests and deep links. Android goes through `adb reverse` over the tunnel that `lim android create` opens by default. If port 8081 is taken, pick another and use the same value for the tunnel selector, `TUNNEL_URL` and `--port` — selector sets are immutable, so a port change means recreating the tunnel.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add limrun-inc/skills --skill limrun-expo-development -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/limrun-expo-development/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/limrun-expo-development/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add limrun-inc/skills --skill limrun-expo-development -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/limrun-expo-development/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add limrun-inc/skills --skill limrun-expo-development -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/limrun-expo-development/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install limrun-inc/skills limrun-expo-development
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/limrun-expo-development/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add limrun-inc/skills --skill limrun-expo-development -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/limrun-inc/skills --path skills/limrun-expo-development
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/limrun-expo-development/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add limrun-inc/skills --skill limrun-expo-development -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/limrun-inc/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/limrun-expo-development/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- build a Debug Expo app on a remote simulator
- reuse an existing dev-client asset instead of rebuilding natively
- open a Metro tunnel and get hot reload on iOS
- edit JS and TS without repeated native rebuilds
- run the app on a remote Android emulator over `adb reverse`

## Example prompts
- Prepare my Expo project on Limrun and start the dev-client build
- Open the Metro tunnel and turn on hot reload on the iOS simulator
- Rebuild the Debug APK because I added a native dependency

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: bf09c773d3249e82.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE bf09c773d3249e82
````text
---
name: limrun-expo-development
description: "Prepare and run Expo / React Native apps on Limrun with Expo dev-client iteration. Use when the user wants an Expo dev build, Metro tunnel, hot reload, JS/TS iteration without repeated native rebuilds, or to run/test an Expo app on a remote iOS simulator or Android emulator."
user-invocable: true
effort: high
---

# Developing Expo Apps on Limrun

Use this skill for Expo / React Native-specific setup and dev-client iteration, on iOS simulators and Android emulators. Use **limrun-ios-simulator** and **limrun-android-emulator** for command details, device interaction, screenshots, recordings, and cleanup, and the build skills (**limrun-xcode**, **limrun-gradle**) for build flag details and non-Expo workflows.

All builds and device operations must run on Limrun. Do not use local Xcode, local simulators, a local Android SDK, or local emulators; local `adb` is used only to talk to the remote emulator through the CLI's tunnel.

## Expo Readiness

Before changing Expo dependencies or app config, check the app's Expo SDK version and use the matching Expo versioned docs.

Verify this is an Expo app:

```bash
npx expo config --type introspect --json
```

Derive:

- `BUNDLE_ID` from `ios.bundleIdentifier` (iOS) and `PACKAGE` from `android.package` (Android). When `android.package` is missing, introspect reports a placeholder (like `com.placeholder.appid`) while the build generates a different real applicationId; set `android.package` in `app.json` before building so `$PACKAGE` matches the installed app.
- `SLUG` from `slug`
- `SCHEME` from `scheme`, falling back to `exp+${SLUG}`
- `BRANCH` from `git branch --show-current`, falling back to `main`
- `ASSET_NAME="${BUNDLE_ID}/${BRANCH}-debug.zip"` on iOS, `ASSET_NAME="${PACKAGE}/${BRANCH}-debug.apk"` on Android

## Ensure Dev Client

Expo development builds require `expo-dev-client`. If it is missing from `package.json`, add it:

```bash
npx expo install expo-dev-client
```

Installing `expo-dev-client`, adding/removing/updating native dependencies, or changing native app config means the uploaded Debug asset is stale. Build a fresh Debug app before starting the dev loop. A changed native dependency makes the uploaded Debug asset stale, so the rebuild comes before the dev loop.
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE bf09c773d3249e82

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First 2303 of 14288 bytes. © limrun-inc · MIT · https://github.com/limrun-inc/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/limrun-expo-development/SKILL.md

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