Expo EAS vs Fastlane vs Bitrise 2026

Without CI/CD — manual release process:
  1. Pull latest code
  2. Run `cd ios && pod install`
  3. Open Xcode, update version + build number
  4. Set signing certificate (correct profile for production?)
  5. Archive → Validate → Upload to App Store Connect
  6. Wait 30 minutes for processing
  7. Repeat for Android (Gradle, keystore, Play Console)
  8. Track down why the signing certificate expired

  Reality: 2-4 hours per release, one developer blocked

With CI/CD:
  git push origin main → build triggers → both stores updated → done
  5 minutes of human time

npm install -g eas-cli
eas login
eas build:configure  # Creates eas.json

{
  "cli": {
    "version": ">= 7.0.0",
    "appVersionSource": "remote"
  },
  "build": {
    "development": {
      "developmentClient": true,
      "distribution": "internal",
      "ios": {
        "resourceClass": "m-medium"
      }
    },
    "preview": {
      "distribution": "internal",
      "channel": "preview",
      "android": {
        "buildType": "apk"
      }
    },
    "production": {
      "channel": "production",
      "ios": {
        "resourceClass": "m-medium"
      },
      "android": {
        "buildType": "app-bundle"
      },
      "autoIncrement": true
    }
  },
  "submit": {
    "production": {
      "ios": {
        "appleId": "developer@company.com",
        "ascAppId": "1234567890",
        "appleTeamId": "ABCD123456"
      },
      "android": {
        "serviceAccountKeyPath": "./google-play-key.json",
        "track": "internal"
      }
    }
  },
  "update": {
    "channel": "production"
  }
}

# iOS build (no Mac required — runs in EAS cloud)
eas build --platform ios --profile production

# Android build
eas build --platform android --profile production

# Both platforms simultaneously
eas build --platform all --profile production

# Development build (includes expo-dev-client for testing native modules)
eas build --platform ios --profile development

# Internal distribution (TestFlight alternative — direct IPA install)
eas build --platform ios --profile preview

# EAS manages certificates and provisioning profiles automatically
eas credentials

# Option: Let EAS manage everything (recommended)
eas build --platform ios --profile production
# → "Would you like us to automatically manage your credentials? y"
# → EAS creates and stores certificates in Expo's key storage

# Push JavaScript-only update (no rebuild needed)
# Users get the update on next app launch
eas update --channel production --message "Fix checkout bug"

# Preview channel for testing
eas update --channel preview --message "New feature preview"

# Rollback to previous update
eas update:roll-back-to-embedded --channel production

// expo-updates in your app — check and download updates
import * as Updates from "expo-updates";

async function checkForUpdates() {
  if (!__DEV__) {
    const update = await Updates.checkForUpdateAsync();

    if (update.isAvailable) {
      await Updates.fetchUpdateAsync();
      await Updates.reloadAsync();
    }
  }
}

// Automatic update on launch (configure in app.json)
// expo.updates.checkAutomatically: "ON_LOAD" | "ON_ERROR_RECOVERY" | "WIFI_ONLY" | "NEVER"

# .github/workflows/eas-build.yml
name: EAS Build

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]

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

      - 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: Build on EAS
        run: eas build --platform all --non-interactive --profile production

      - name: Submit to stores
        run: eas submit --platform all --non-interactive --profile production

# .github/workflows/ota-update.yml
name: OTA Update (JS-only changes)

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
    paths:
      - "app/**"
      - "components/**"
      - "hooks/**"
      - "!**/*.native.*"  # Not native code

jobs:
  update:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: 20
          cache: "npm"
      - run: npm ci
      - uses: expo/expo-github-action@v8
        with:
          eas-version: latest
          token: ${{ secrets.EXPO_TOKEN }}
      - run: eas update --channel production --message "${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}" --non-interactive

# macOS (required for iOS Fastlane)
brew install fastlane

# In your React Native project
cd ios && fastlane init
cd android && fastlane init

# ios/fastlane/Fastfile
default_platform(:ios)

platform :ios do

  before_all do
    # Ensure we're on the right branch and code is clean
    ensure_git_branch(branch: "main")
    ensure_git_status_clean
  end

  desc "Sync certificates and profiles (Match)"
  lane :sync_certificates do
    match(
      type: "appstore",                # "development" | "adhoc" | "appstore"
      app_identifier: "com.company.myapp",
      git_url: "git@github.com:company/certificates.git",  # Private cert repo
      readonly: is_ci,                # Don't modify certs on CI
    )
  end

  desc "Build and upload to TestFlight"
  lane :beta do
    sync_certificates

    # Increment build number automatically
    increment_build_number(
      build_number: latest_testflight_build_number + 1,
      xcodeproj: "MyApp.xcodeproj"
    )

    # Build
    build_app(
      workspace: "MyApp.xcworkspace",
      scheme: "MyApp",
      configuration: "Release",
      export_method: "app-store",
    )

    # Upload to TestFlight
    upload_to_testflight(
      api_key_path: "./app_store_connect_api_key.json",
      skip_waiting_for_build_processing: true,
      notify_external_testers: false,
    )

    # Notify Slack
    slack(
      message: "iOS beta uploaded to TestFlight! ✅",
      slack_url: ENV["SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL"],
    )
  end

  desc "Submit to App Store"
  lane :release do
    sync_certificates

    increment_version_number(version_number: ENV["VERSION"])
    increment_build_number(build_number: Time.now.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M"))

    build_app(
      workspace: "MyApp.xcworkspace",
      scheme: "MyApp",
      configuration: "Release",
    )

    deliver(
      api_key_path: "./app_store_connect_api_key.json",
      submit_for_review: true,
      automatic_release: false,
      force: true,               # Skip HTML report
      precheck_include_in_app_purchases: false,
      metadata_path: "./fastlane/metadata",
      screenshots_path: "./fastlane/screenshots",
    )
  end

  error do |lane, exception|
    slack(
      message: "Build failed in #{lane}: #{exception.message}",
      success: false,
      slack_url: ENV["SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL"],
    )
  end

end

# android/fastlane/Fastfile
default_platform(:android)

platform :android do

  desc "Build and upload to Google Play Internal Testing"
  lane :beta do
    gradle(
      task: "bundle",
      build_type: "Release",
      project_dir: "android/",
      properties: {
        "android.injected.signing.store.file" => ENV["KEYSTORE_PATH"],
        "android.injected.signing.store.password" => ENV["KEYSTORE_PASSWORD"],
        "android.injected.signing.key.alias" => ENV["KEY_ALIAS"],
        "android.injected.signing.key.password" => ENV["KEY_PASSWORD"],
      }
    )

    upload_to_play_store(
      track: "internal",
      aab: "./android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab",
      json_key: "./google-play-key.json",
      skip_upload_metadata: true,
      skip_upload_screenshots: true,
    )
  end

end

# .github/workflows/fastlane-ios.yml
name: iOS Release

on:
  push:
    tags: ["v*.*.*"]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: macos-14  # M1 Mac runner
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: 20

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: |
          npm ci
          cd ios && pod install

      - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
        with:
          ruby-version: "3.2"
          bundler-cache: true  # Runs bundle install automatically

      - name: Run Fastlane
        run: cd ios && bundle exec fastlane beta
        env:
          MATCH_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.MATCH_PASSWORD }}
          ASC_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.ASC_KEY_ID }}
          ASC_ISSUER_ID: ${{ secrets.ASC_ISSUER_ID }}
          ASC_KEY: ${{ secrets.ASC_KEY }}
          SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL }}

# bitrise.yml — Bitrise workflow configuration
format_version: "13"
default_step_lib_source: https://github.com/bitrise-io/bitrise-steplib.git

app:
  envs:
    - NODEJS_VERSION: "20"
    - IOS_SCHEME: MyApp
    - ANDROID_MODULE: app
    - ANDROID_VARIANT: release

workflows:
  # Run on every PR — tests only
  pull-request:
    steps:
      - git-clone@8: {}
      - nvm@1:
          inputs:
            - node_version: $NODEJS_VERSION
      - npm@1:
          inputs:
            - command: ci
      - npm@1:
          inputs:
            - command: run test
      - npm@1:
          inputs:
            - command: run lint

  # iOS production build
  ios-release:
    meta:
      bitrise.io:
        machine_type_id: g2-m1.4core  # M1 Mac (4 vCPU, 12GB RAM)
        stack: osx-xcode-15
    steps:
      - git-clone@8: {}
      - nvm@1:
          inputs:
            - node_version: $NODEJS_VERSION
      - npm@1:
          inputs:
            - command: ci
      - cocoapods-install@2: {}
      - certificate-and-profile-installer@1: {}
      - xcode-archive@5:
          inputs:
            - project_path: ios/MyApp.xcworkspace
            - scheme: $IOS_SCHEME
            - distribution_method: app-store
            - export_method: app-store
            - automatic_code_signing: api-key
      - deploy-to-itunesconnect-application-loader@1:
          inputs:
            - api_key_path: $BITRISEIO_ASC_API_KEY_FILE_URL
            - api_key_id: $ASC_KEY_ID
            - api_key_issuer_id: $ASC_ISSUER_ID
      - slack@3:
          inputs:
            - webhook_url: $SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL
            - channel: "#releases"
            - message: "iOS build deployed to TestFlight ✅"

  # Android production build
  android-release:
    meta:
      bitrise.io:
        machine_type_id: elite
        stack: linux-docker-android-20
    steps:
      - git-clone@8: {}
      - nvm@1:
          inputs:
            - node_version: $NODEJS_VERSION
      - npm@1:
          inputs:
            - command: ci
      - android-build@1:
          inputs:
            - project_location: android
            - module: $ANDROID_MODULE
            - variant: $ANDROID_VARIANT
      - sign-apk@1:
          inputs:
            - android_app: $BITRISE_AAB_PATH
            - keystore_url: $BITRISEIO_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_URL
            - keystore_password: $ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD
            - key_alias: $ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS
            - key_password: $ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD
      - google-play-deploy@3:
          inputs:
            - package_name: com.company.myapp
            - track: internal
            - service_account_json_key_path: $BITRISEIO_GOOGLE_PLAY_KEY_URL