iOS Compilation with Expo

iOS Compilation with Expo

One of the best features of Expo is that you can build iOS applications without having Xcode installed on your computer. This is possible thanks to Expo Application Services (EAS), which runs the build process on cloud servers. You can build your app from any computer, including Windows or Linux, and still produce a valid iOS binary.

To build an iOS app with EAS, you first need to configure your project with eas.json. This file defines your build profiles, including development, preview, and production. Each profile specifies the build settings, such as whether to use the managed or bare workflow, and which credentials to use. You then run eas build --platform ios to start the build on Expo's servers.

Expo handles the complex parts of iOS building for you. It manages the provisioning profiles, certificates, and bundle identifiers. You can provide your own Apple Developer credentials, or Expo can help you create them. The build process compiles your JavaScript code, creates the native Xcode project, builds the binary, and signs it with your certificate. The final IPA file is available for download.

After the build is complete, you can submit it to the App Store using EAS Submit. This integrates with App Store Connect and handles the upload process. You can also submit manually by downloading the IPA and using the Transporter app or Xcode. EAS Build and EAS Submit are designed to work together, providing a seamless pipeline from code to App Store.