To deploy your React Native app to iOS and Android, follow these steps:
📌 Step 1: Prepare Your App for Deployment
✅ Ensure your app is bug-free by testing it on a physical device or simulator:
npx expo start
✅ Confirm Firebase is correctly configured for authentication and database access.
✅ Ensure all assets (icons, splash screen) are optimized in app.json.
📌 Step 2: Build for Android & iOS
Expo offers EAS (Expo Application Services) for building standalone binaries.
1️⃣ Install EAS CLI
npm install -g eas-cli
Then, log in to your Expo account (or create one if needed):
eas login
📌 Step 3: Configure EAS for Your Project
Run this command to configure EAS for your project:
eas build:configure
This will generate an eas.json file, which stores your build configurations.
📌 Step 4: Deploy to Android (Google Play Store)
1️⃣ Build the APK or AAB file
For development:
eas build -p android --profile development
For production (Play Store submission):
eas build -p android --profile production
🚀 This generates an .apk (for testing) or .aab (for Play Store).
2️⃣ Upload to Google Play
- Go to the Google Play Console.
- Create an App Release under “Production”.
- Upload the
.aabfile and submit for review.
📌 Step 5: Deploy to iOS (App Store)
1️⃣ Build the iOS App
Run:
eas build -p ios --profile production
🚀 This generates an .ipa file for submission.
2️⃣ Upload to the App Store
- Open Transporter (on Mac).
- Upload the
.ipafile to App Store Connect. - Complete the App Store submission and wait for review.
📌 Step 6: Deploy Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates
Instead of rebuilding the app every time, push instant updates using Expo Updates:
eas update --branch production
🚀 Your users will receive updates instantly without needing to reinstall the app!
📌 Conclusion
🎯 Now, your Word Search game is ready for iOS & Android deployment!
✅ Google Play: Upload .aab via Play Console
✅ App Store: Upload .ipa via Transporter
✅ Use EAS Update for fast bug fixes
🚀 Try it out and let me know if you need help with any step! 😊
