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name mobile-project-setup
description Create a new Expo (React Native) project with TypeScript, file-based routing, and opinionated defaults. Use when the user wants to start a new mobile app or needs help choosing project configuration.
standards-version 1.6.3

Mobile Project Setup

Trigger

Use this skill when the user:

  • Wants to create a new mobile app from scratch
  • Asks how to set up an Expo or React Native project
  • Needs help choosing between Expo templates
  • Wants a recommended project structure
  • Mentions "create app", "new project", "scaffold", or "starter"

Required Inputs

  • App name: What the user wants to call their app (lowercase, no spaces)
  • Template preference (optional): blank, tabs, or navigation
  • Additional features (optional): Which integrations they plan to add (camera, auth, etc.)

Workflow

  1. Verify environment. Before scaffolding, confirm Node.js 20+ is installed (required for SDK 55+):

    node --version

    If not installed, refer to the mobile-dev-environment skill.

  2. Create the project. Use create-expo-app with the TypeScript template:

    npx create-expo-app@latest my-app

    This creates a project with Expo Router (file-based routing), TypeScript, and the default template. SDK 55+ uses the New Architecture by default (Legacy Architecture is no longer supported).

  3. Recommended project structure. After creation, the project should look like:

    my-app/
├── app/                  # File-based routes (Expo Router)
│   ├── (tabs)/           # Tab navigation group
│   │   ├── index.tsx     # Home tab
│   │   ├── explore.tsx   # Explore tab
│   │   └── _layout.tsx   # Tab layout
│   ├── _layout.tsx       # Root layout
│   └── +not-found.tsx    # 404 screen
├── assets/               # Static assets (images, fonts)
├── components/           # Reusable components
├── constants/            # Theme colors, config values
├── hooks/                # Custom React hooks
├── app.json              # Expo config
├── package.json
└── tsconfig.json

  4. Configure app.json. Update with the user's app name and basic settings:

    {
  "expo": {
    "name": "My App",
    "slug": "my-app",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "orientation": "portrait",
    "icon": "./assets/images/icon.png",
    "scheme": "myapp",
    "userInterfaceStyle": "automatic",
    "newArchEnabled": true,
    "ios": {
      "supportsTablet": true,
      "bundleIdentifier": "com.yourname.myapp"
    },
    "android": {
      "adaptiveIcon": {
        "foregroundImage": "./assets/images/adaptive-icon.png",
        "backgroundColor": "#ffffff"
      },
      "package": "com.yourname.myapp"
    }
  }
}

  5. Install and verify. Start the dev server to confirm the project works:

    cd my-app
npx expo start

  6. Suggest next steps. Based on the user's stated goals:

    • Camera app: recommend expo-camera, point to mobile-camera-integration skill
    • Auth: recommend Supabase or Firebase, point to mobile-auth-setup skill
    • Navigation: Expo Router is already included. Point to mobile-navigation-setup skill

Key References

Example Interaction

User: "I want to build a camera app for iOS and Android. Where do I start?"

Agent:

  1. Checks environment with mobile_checkDevEnvironment
  2. Scaffolds a new Expo project with mobile_scaffoldProject using name "camera-app"
  3. Explains the file-based routing structure
  4. Notes that expo-camera can be added with the mobile-camera-integration skill
  5. Runs the dev server and helps connect to a physical device

MCP Usage

Step MCP Tool Description
Check environment mobile_checkDevEnvironment Verify Node, Expo CLI, and platform tools are installed
Create project mobile_scaffoldProject Generate a new Expo project with TypeScript template
Run on device mobile_runOnDevice Start dev server and connect to a phone

Common Pitfalls

  1. Using react-native init instead of create-expo-app - Expo manages native tooling for you. Bare React Native requires Xcode and Android Studio setup before you can run anything.
  2. Skipping TypeScript - TypeScript catches errors early and improves autocomplete. Always use it.
  3. Wrong Node version - Expo requires Node 18+. Check with node --version.
  4. Not setting bundleIdentifier/package - You need these for device builds and store submission. Set them early with reverse domain notation (e.g. com.yourname.appname).
  5. Ignoring the scheme field - Required for deep linking. Set it to a short, unique string matching your app name.

See Also