brand	Expo
tagline	Make any app. Run it everywhere.
category	Developer Tools
website	https://expo.dev

Expo — Information Architecture

Overview

Expo is the leading framework and platform for building React Native applications, providing a managed development environment that simplifies the complexity of native iOS and Android development. The IA spans two interconnected surfaces: the local development toolkit (Expo CLI, Expo Router, Expo SDK) and the cloud platform (EAS Build, EAS Submit, EAS Update). The local toolkit provides the development experience (file-based routing, native module access, hot reload), while the cloud platform handles the build-and-ship pipeline (compiling native binaries, submitting to App Store/Play Store, and pushing over-the-air updates). This hybrid architecture reflects Expo's mission: write in JavaScript/TypeScript, deploy as native apps without managing Xcode or Android Studio directly.

Site Map

expo.dev (platform + marketing)
├── / (Home — marketing)
├── /pricing
├── /docs (Documentation — extensive)
│   ├── /get-started
│   ├── /tutorial
│   ├── /guides
│   ├── /versions/{sdk_version}
│   └── /router (Expo Router docs)
├── /accounts/{username} (User/org profile)
│   └── /projects/{project_slug}
│       ├── /overview
│       ├── /builds (EAS Build history)
│       │   └── /{build_id}
│       ├── /submissions (App Store/Play Store submissions)
│       │   └── /{submission_id}
│       ├── /updates (OTA updates)
│       │   └── /branches/{branch_name}
│       │       └── /updates/{update_id}
│       ├── /channels (Update channels — production, staging)
│       │   └── /{channel_name}
│       ├── /credentials (Signing certificates, provisioning profiles)
│       ├── /deployments
│       └── /settings
├── /accounts/{username}/settings
│   ├── /members
│   ├── /billing
│   └── /access-tokens
├── /snack (Online React Native playground)
│   └── /{snack_id}
├── /eas (EAS product pages)
├── /blog
└── /changelog

Local Development (CLI)
├── npx create-expo-app (Project scaffolding)
├── npx expo start (Development server — Metro bundler)
├── npx expo install (Install compatible SDK packages)
├── Expo Go (Development client app on iOS/Android)
├── eas build (Cloud native build)
├── eas submit (App store submission)
├── eas update (Over-the-air update push)
└── app.json / app.config.js (Project configuration)

Navigation Model

Platform navigation: Left sidebar — Projects (list), then within a project: Overview, Builds, Submissions, Updates, Channels, Credentials, Settings
Docs navigation: Left sidebar with extensive TOC — Get Started, Develop, Deploy, Reference, API, SDK, Expo Router
Version selector: SDK version dropdown in docs (SDK 50, 51, 52, etc.)
Build detail navigation: Build page → tabs for Logs, Artifacts, Config
Update navigation: Branches → Updates within branch → Update detail with runtime version and manifest
Channel navigation: Channels → linked branches → which updates reach which audience
Utility navigation: Top-right — org switcher, avatar → Account Settings, Billing
Mobile: Platform dashboard is responsive; primary development via Expo Go app on device

Content Model

Entity	Key Attributes	Relationships
Project	Name, slug, platform (iOS/Android), SDK version, builds, updates, credentials	belongs to Organization
Build	Platform (iOS/Android), profile (development, preview, production), status, logs, artifact (IPA/APK/AAB), EAS config	belongs to project
Submission	Platform, build artifact, status, App Store/Play Store link, review status	belongs to project
Update	Branch, runtime version, platform, assets (JS bundle, images), message, rollout	belongs to project
Channel	Name (production, staging), linked branch, points to specific updates	belongs to project
Branch	Name, updates list, linked channel	belongs to project
Credential	iOS: signing cert, provisioning profile. Android: keystore. Auto-managed or manual	belongs to project
Snack	Online playground code, dependencies, live preview	belongs to User
Deployment	Combination of build + channel configuration for a release	belongs to project

User Flows

Starting a New Expo Project

Developer runs `npx create-expo-app my-app` → Selects template (blank, tabs, TypeScript) →
  `cd my-app && npx expo start` → Metro bundler starts →
  Scans QR code with Expo Go app on phone → live preview on device →
  Edits code → hot reload updates the app in real-time →
  Uses Expo Router for file-based navigation (`app/(tabs)/index.tsx`)

Building for Production (EAS Build)

Developer runs `eas build:configure` → creates `eas.json` with build profiles →
  Runs `eas build --platform ios --profile production` →
  Build queued on EAS cloud → builds in managed macOS environment →
  Build log streams on expo.dev → artifacts (IPA) available for download →
  Credentials (signing cert, provisioning profile) managed automatically by EAS →
  Build can be downloaded or submitted directly to App Store

App Store Submission (EAS Submit)

Developer runs `eas submit --platform ios` → selects the build to submit →
  Configures App Store credentials (API key or manual login) →
  EAS uploads the build to App Store Connect / Google Play Console →
  Monitors submission status on expo.dev dashboard →
  App reviewed by Apple/Google → published to store

Over-the-Air Update (EAS Update)

Developer makes a JS-only change (no native code changes) →
  Runs `eas update --branch production --message "fix checkout bug"` →
  Update pushed to EAS → available to all users on the `production` channel →
  App checks for updates on launch → downloads and applies the JS bundle →
  No App Store review needed — instant rollout →
  Can configure rollout percentage for gradual release

Snack (Online Playground)

User opens snack.expo.dev → Writes React Native code in the browser editor →
  Live preview runs on web, or scan QR code for device preview →
  Share Snack via URL — others can fork and modify → Embed in documentation or blog posts

URL / Route Structure

expo.dev/                                     # Marketing home
expo.dev/accounts/{username}                  # User/org profile
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}  # Project overview
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/builds # Build list
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/builds/{uuid} # Build detail
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/updates/branches/{name} # Branch updates
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/channels/{name} # Channel config
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/credentials # Signing credentials
expo.dev/snack/{id}                           # Snack playground
expo.dev/docs/{path}                          # Documentation
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/submissions                # Submissions list
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/submissions/{uuid}          # Submission detail
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/deployments                 # Deployments
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/projects/{slug}/settings                    # Project settings
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/settings                                    # Account settings
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/settings/members                            # Team members
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/settings/billing                            # Billing
expo.dev/accounts/{username}/settings/access-tokens                      # Access tokens
expo.dev/eas                                                             # EAS product page
expo.dev/changelog                                                       # Changelog
expo.dev/blog                                                            # Blog
expo.dev/blog/{slug}                                                     # Blog post

Account/project hierarchy in URLs. Build IDs are UUIDs. Branch and channel names are developer-defined strings.

Search & Filter

Project search: Search projects by name on account dashboard
Build filtering: Filter by platform (iOS/Android), profile (development, preview, production), status (new, in-progress, finished, errored), SDK version
Update filtering: Filter by branch, runtime version, platform
Docs search: Full-text documentation search (critical — Expo docs are extensive and SDK is large)
Snack search: No public Snack search — share via direct URL
Package search: npx expo install suggests compatible SDK packages
Credential filtering: Filter by platform, type (signing cert, provisioning profile, keystore)
Changelog search: Search product updates by keyword or date
Blog search: Full-text search across blog posts

Responsive Behavior

Breakpoint	Behavior
Desktop (>1280px)	Full sidebar + project dashboard with build cards, update lists
Desktop (1024-1280px)	Collapsible sidebar + full content
Tablet (768-1024px)	Sidebar as drawer + simplified layout
Mobile (<768px)	Hamburger nav + single-column; build logs scrollable; Snack editor limited

Platform dashboard adapts well to tablet widths
Build logs are monospace with horizontal scroll
Update/channel management tables adapt to narrower widths
Docs site is fully responsive with collapsible sidebar TOC
Snack playground: code editor + preview panes stack vertically on mobile
Marketing site is fully responsive with mobile-first design

Platform-Specific UX

Expo Go app serves as the development client — scan QR code for instant preview
app.json / app.config.js is the single config file for native settings (icons, splash, permissions)
EAS Build profiles (development, preview, production) allow different configs per environment
OTA updates only work for JS changes — native code changes require a new build
Runtime version system ensures updates are compatible with the installed native binary
Channel-branch linking controls which updates reach which audience (e.g., production channel → main branch)
Expo Router provides file-based routing similar to Next.js but for React Native
Snack playground runs real React Native in the browser for quick prototyping and sharing

Access Control

Role	Permissions
Anonymous	Marketing site, docs, public Snacks, Expo Go app
Free	1 project owner, EAS Build (limited per-month), EAS Update (limited), community support
Production ($99/account/mo)	Higher build limits, priority queue, more update bandwidth, collaboration features
Enterprise	Custom limits, SSO, audit logs, SLA, dedicated support, self-hosted build runners
Organization roles	Owner (billing, members, all projects) → Admin (manage projects, credentials) → Developer (build, submit, update) → Viewer (read-only)

Authentication: Expo account (email/password), GitHub OAuth, Google OAuth
Project access: Private by default; organization members have access based on role
Credentials security: Signing certs and keystores encrypted at rest; auto-managed by EAS or user-uploaded
API tokens: Personal and robot tokens for CI/CD automation (EAS CLI in CI)
Expo Go limitations: Development client only — production apps use standalone builds
EAS Build: Builds run on Expo's cloud infrastructure (macOS for iOS, Linux for Android)
OTA updates: Critical security — updates can include arbitrary JS code; channel/branch system controls distribution

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Expo — Information Architecture

Overview

Site Map

Navigation Model

Content Model

User Flows

Starting a New Expo Project

Building for Production (EAS Build)

App Store Submission (EAS Submit)

Over-the-Air Update (EAS Update)

Snack (Online Playground)

URL / Route Structure

Search & Filter

Responsive Behavior

Platform-Specific UX

Access Control

FilesExpand file tree

IA.md

Latest commit

History

IA.md

File metadata and controls

Expo — Information Architecture

Overview

Site Map

Navigation Model

Content Model

User Flows

Starting a New Expo Project

Building for Production (EAS Build)

App Store Submission (EAS Submit)

Over-the-Air Update (EAS Update)

Snack (Online Playground)

URL / Route Structure

Search & Filter

Responsive Behavior

Platform-Specific UX

Access Control