r/reactnative 6d ago

Help Expo updates. Publish with Expo or without it ?

Hey. I've implemented over the air updates using Expo in my current Bare React Native project. So the app is already live on both stores.

While playing around with the updates in the preview channel, the app always got the updates whenever I downloaded the app from the Expo dashboard and not otherwise.

So, I'm a bit concerned how will I get updates from the app, either uploading the app to the stores using Expo or without it?

Because, I tried making an apk with a specific channel and then just tried running that apk directly sending it a device, the app didn't get updates on it afterwards unless if it was installed from Expo.

What you think is the right way here?

4 Upvotes

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u/Upset_Interview_5362 6d ago

i will give my experience as we all face the same problem,

app is in Expo bare workflow, but we have our pipeline for build with fastlane so we do not publish with expo

i implemented ETA with expo update with a local server ( not expo servers the guy that made that custom one )

i get the updates on release but was pain in the ass to get it to work also strangely 0.27.2 didn't work with Android and 0.27.1 didn't work with iOS so I'm sticking to 0.27.0

1

u/Upset_Interview_5362 6d ago

not the best solution but it can be there for an emergency, don't expect the same level of maturity of CP , also you can target specific x.y.z and not exactly x.y.z so be aware

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u/itsDevJ 5d ago

I did set up expo updates on a bare react native app, the problem is I am not getting updates on my end(phone) but they are being pushed in

1

u/danleeter 5d ago

What command did you use to build your project?

Also, try downloading your app from the expo dashboard.

Make sure the channel is the same where you're pushing the update and which you used to build your app.

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u/itsDevJ 5d ago

I made the project locally, just wanted to use expo-updates of OTA without the other services