Development Builds

A development build is your app compiled as a debug native binary with expo-dev-client included. Treat it as a project-specific Expo Go.

Expo Go Versus Development Build

Capability	Expo Go	Development build
Quick learning	Good	Good after setup
Custom native dependencies	No	Yes, after rebuild
Custom app config	Limited	Yes
Permissions and native setup	Limited	Yes
Release-like native behavior	No	Much closer
Store workflow rehearsal	No	Yes, when paired with EAS profiles

Create One

npx expo install expo-dev-client
npx expo run:android
npx expo run:ios

Or build through EAS:

eas build --profile development --platform android
eas build --profile development --platform ios

Rebuild When These Change

Native dependency added, removed, or upgraded.
Expo SDK upgraded.
Config plugin added or changed.
App config changed in a native-affecting way.
Android permissions or iOS Info.plist changed.
Native module code changed.

JavaScript-only changes can usually reload through Metro without rebuilding the development binary.

Practical Rule

If the feature needs a permission prompt, background mode, camera, push notifications, audio mode, BLE, native SDK, widget, share extension, or store signing, start from a development build. Do not wait until release week.