---
name: eas-update-setup
description: EAS Update for OTA updates. Use when setting up over-the-air updates.
---

# EAS Update Setup Skill

This skill covers EAS Update for over-the-air (OTA) updates in React Native apps.

## When to Use

Use this skill when:
- Setting up OTA updates
- Managing update channels
- Rolling back updates
- A/B testing with updates

## Core Principle

**INSTANT UPDATES** - Ship JavaScript changes without app store review.

## What Can Be Updated OTA

```
✅ CAN update OTA:
- JavaScript code
- TypeScript code
- Assets (images, fonts)
- Styling changes
- New screens/components
- Bug fixes in JS

❌ CANNOT update OTA:
- Native code changes
- New native modules
- Native dependencies
- App permissions
- Build configuration
```

## Installation

```bash
# Install expo-updates
npx expo install expo-updates

# Configure EAS Update
eas update:configure
```

## Basic Configuration

```json
// eas.json
{
  "build": {
    "preview": {
      "channel": "preview"
    },
    "production": {
      "channel": "production"
    }
  }
}
```

```typescript
// app.config.ts
export default {
  expo: {
    // ...other config
    updates: {
      url: 'https://u.expo.dev/your-project-id',
      fallbackToCacheTimeout: 0,
    },
    runtimeVersion: {
      policy: 'appVersion',
    },
  },
};
```

## Runtime Version Strategies

```typescript
// app.config.ts

// Option 1: Based on app version (recommended for most apps)
export default {
  expo: {
    runtimeVersion: {
      policy: 'appVersion', // Uses version from app.json
    },
  },
};

// Option 2: Based on SDK version
export default {
  expo: {
    runtimeVersion: {
      policy: 'sdkVersion',
    },
  },
};

// Option 3: Based on native code fingerprint
export default {
  expo: {
    runtimeVersion: {
      policy: 'fingerprint',
    },
  },
};

// Option 4: Manual version
export default {
  expo: {
    runtimeVersion: '1.0.0',
  },
};
```

## Publishing Updates

```bash
# Publish to preview channel
eas update --channel preview --message "Fix login bug"

# Publish to production channel
eas update --channel production --message "Release 1.2.1 hotfix"

# Publish specific branch
eas update --branch main --message "Latest changes"

# Publish with auto-generated message
eas update --channel production --auto
```

## Update Channels & Branches

```bash
# Create a new branch
eas branch:create staging

# Map channel to branch
eas channel:create staging
eas channel:edit staging --branch staging

# View channels
eas channel:list

# View branches
eas branch:list

# Roll back to previous update
eas channel:rollback production
```

## Programmatic Update Checking

```typescript
import * as Updates from 'expo-updates';

// Check for updates on app start
async function checkForUpdates() {
  try {
    const update = await Updates.checkForUpdateAsync();

    if (update.isAvailable) {
      await Updates.fetchUpdateAsync();
      await Updates.reloadAsync();
    }
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error checking for updates:', error);
  }
}

// Use in app entry
useEffect(() => {
  if (!__DEV__) {
    checkForUpdates();
  }
}, []);
```

## Update Hook Pattern

```typescript
import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
import * as Updates from 'expo-updates';

interface UpdateState {
  isChecking: boolean;
  isAvailable: boolean;
  isDownloading: boolean;
  error: Error | null;
  checkForUpdate: () => Promise<void>;
  downloadAndRestart: () => Promise<void>;
}

export function useUpdates(): UpdateState {
  const [isChecking, setIsChecking] = useState(false);
  const [isAvailable, setIsAvailable] = useState(false);
  const [isDownloading, setIsDownloading] = useState(false);
  const [error, setError] = useState<Error | null>(null);

  const checkForUpdate = async () => {
    if (__DEV__) return;

    setIsChecking(true);
    setError(null);

    try {
      const update = await Updates.checkForUpdateAsync();
      setIsAvailable(update.isAvailable);
    } catch (e) {
      setError(e as Error);
    } finally {
      setIsChecking(false);
    }
  };

  const downloadAndRestart = async () => {
    if (!isAvailable) return;

    setIsDownloading(true);
    try {
      await Updates.fetchUpdateAsync();
      await Updates.reloadAsync();
    } catch (e) {
      setError(e as Error);
      setIsDownloading(false);
    }
  };

  // Check on mount
  useEffect(() => {
    checkForUpdate();
  }, []);

  return {
    isChecking,
    isAvailable,
    isDownloading,
    error,
    checkForUpdate,
    downloadAndRestart,
  };
}
```

## Update Banner Component

```typescript
import { useUpdates } from '@/hooks/useUpdates';

export function UpdateBanner(): React.ReactElement | null {
  const { isAvailable, isDownloading, downloadAndRestart } = useUpdates();

  if (!isAvailable) return null;

  return (
    <View className="bg-blue-600 px-4 py-3 flex-row items-center justify-between">
      <Text className="text-white">A new version is available</Text>
      <TouchableOpacity
        onPress={downloadAndRestart}
        disabled={isDownloading}
        className="bg-white px-4 py-2 rounded"
      >
        <Text className="text-blue-600 font-semibold">
          {isDownloading ? 'Updating...' : 'Update Now'}
        </Text>
      </TouchableOpacity>
    </View>
  );
}
```

## Background Updates

```typescript
// app.config.ts
export default {
  expo: {
    updates: {
      url: 'https://u.expo.dev/your-project-id',
      checkAutomatically: 'ON_LOAD', // or 'ON_ERROR_RECOVERY', 'NEVER'
      fallbackToCacheTimeout: 0, // 0 = use cache, don't wait
    },
  },
};
```

## Update Events

```typescript
import * as Updates from 'expo-updates';

useEffect(() => {
  const subscription = Updates.addListener((event) => {
    if (event.type === Updates.UpdateEventType.UPDATE_AVAILABLE) {
      // New update downloaded
      Alert.alert(
        'Update Available',
        'A new version has been downloaded. Restart to apply?',
        [
          { text: 'Later', style: 'cancel' },
          { text: 'Restart', onPress: () => Updates.reloadAsync() },
        ]
      );
    } else if (event.type === Updates.UpdateEventType.ERROR) {
      // Update error
      console.error('Update error:', event.message);
    }
  });

  return () => subscription.remove();
}, []);
```

## CI/CD Integration

```yaml
# .github/workflows/eas-update.yml
name: EAS Update

on:
  push:
    branches: [main, staging]

jobs:
  update:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Setup Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: '20'
          cache: 'npm'

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: npm ci

      - name: Setup EAS
        uses: expo/expo-github-action@v8
        with:
          eas-version: latest
          token: ${{ secrets.EXPO_TOKEN }}

      - name: Publish update
        run: |
          if [ "${{ github.ref }}" == "refs/heads/main" ]; then
            eas update --channel production --auto --non-interactive
          else
            eas update --channel staging --auto --non-interactive
          fi
```

## Rollback Strategy

```bash
# View update history
eas update:list --channel production

# Rollback to previous update
eas channel:rollback production

# Rollback to specific update
eas channel:edit production --branch <branch-name>
```

## A/B Testing with Channels

```bash
# Create experiment channels
eas channel:create production-control
eas channel:create production-variant

# Deploy different versions
eas update --channel production-control --message "Control version"
eas update --channel production-variant --message "Variant A"

# Route users to channels based on criteria
```

## Debug Updates

```typescript
import * as Updates from 'expo-updates';

// Get current update info
console.log('Channel:', Updates.channel);
console.log('Runtime Version:', Updates.runtimeVersion);
console.log('Update ID:', Updates.updateId);
console.log('Created At:', Updates.createdAt);
console.log('Is Embedded Launch:', Updates.isEmbeddedLaunch);
```

## Monitoring

```bash
# View update analytics
eas update:list --channel production --limit 10

# View update details
eas update:view <update-id>
```

## Notes

- OTA updates only work for JS/assets, not native code
- Test updates in preview before production
- Use meaningful update messages for tracking
- Set up CI/CD for automated deployments
- Consider user experience for mandatory vs. optional updates
- Monitor update success rates
- Have a rollback plan ready


---
Source attribution: IvanTorresEdge
Original project: https://github.com/IvanTorresEdge/molcajete.ai/blob/be1e8b25920ff4fbc0088419693f5e928c7e7a4d/deprecated/tech-stacks/js/react-native/skills/eas-update-setup/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

Copyright 2025 Ivan Torres

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the “Software”), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.


# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: IvanTorresEdge
Original project: https://github.com/IvanTorresEdge/molcajete.ai/blob/be1e8b25920ff4fbc0088419693f5e928c7e7a4d/deprecated/tech-stacks/js/react-native/skills/eas-update-setup/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Recovered original package and original project license at a pinned revision

Fields of work: Development & Engineering, Product Management
Roles: Frontend Developer, Mobile Developer, Product Manager
Specialties: API, Mobile
Tools: Expo
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 405e24546c8307b762eb51ef64355ac79e2d0ad0fdca44b2e846a52c0ef84d5b
Metadata reviewed: 2026-10-27
This metadata supersedes earlier Mega AI Hub catalog attribution. Original instruction and supporting files are preserved.