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Install expo-dev-client in an existing React Native project

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Learn how to install and configure expo-dev-client in your existing React Native project.

The following guide explains how to install and configure expo-dev-client in an existing React Native project.

Do you need to create a new project?

If you're starting with a new project, create it using the with-dev-client template:

Terminal
- npx create-expo-app -e with-dev-client
- yarn create expo-app -e with-dev-client
- pnpm create expo-app -e with-dev-client
- bun create expo -e with-dev-client
Do you use Continuous Native Generation (CNG) in your project?

To use expo-dev-client in a project that uses CNG, see Create a development build.

Prerequisites

1 requirement

Install and configure the expo package

If you created your project with npx @react-native-community/cli@latest init and do not have any other Expo libraries installed, you will need to install Expo modules before proceeding.

1

Install expo-dev-client

Add the expo-dev-client library to your package.json:

Terminal
- npx expo install expo-dev-client
- yarn expo install expo-dev-client
- pnpm expo install expo-dev-client
- bun expo install expo-dev-client

If your project has an ios directory on disk, run the following command to fully install the native code for expo-dev-client:

Terminal
- npx pod-install
- yarn dlx pod-install
- pnpm dlx pod-install
- bunx pod-install

If your project doesn't have an ios directory, you can skip this step.

2

Configure deep links

Expo CLI uses a deep link to launch your project, and it's also useful if you use plan to use expo-dev-client for launching preview updates if you have added a custom deep link scheme to your project.

If you haven't configured a scheme for your app yet to support deep linking, then use uri-scheme library to do this for you.

Terminal
# List your project's schemes
- npx uri-scheme list

# Add a scheme to your project
- npx uri-scheme add your-scheme
# List your project's schemes
- yarn dlx uri-scheme list

# Add a scheme to your project
- yarn dlx uri-scheme add your-scheme
# List your project's schemes
- pnpm dlx uri-scheme list

# Add a scheme to your project
- pnpm dlx uri-scheme add your-scheme
# List your project's schemes
- bunx uri-scheme list

# Add a scheme to your project
- bunx uri-scheme add your-scheme

For more information, see the uri-scheme library.

3

Build and install the app

Create a debug build of your app using the tools of your choice. For example, you can do this locally with Expo CLI or in the cloud with EAS Build.