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For the local dev loop, generate a dev build using the Debug configuration. For automated testing or CI, use a release-like build once you’re ready.

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Build Guidance

To use the Dev Loop, a build is required only on native code changes (new native modules, Podfile/Gradle changes, build configuration). JS/TS changes hot reload via Metro — see Dev Loop: Hot reload and rebuild configuration for the full breakdown.

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Build via Revyl CLI

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Prerequisites

  • Node.js 18+
  • Expo CLI (npx expo)
  • EAS CLI (npx eas-cli) for local or cloud builds
  • Revyl CLI installed and authenticated (revyl auth login)

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Setup

Initialize the project using the Revyl CLI:
This detects React Native and writes named profiles with the applicable iOS and Android recipes. Review or fill in the app IDs, commands, and output paths before the first build. See Types of Builds for more information. Development builds power the dev loop. Preview builds are for testing and starting sessions when the Metro server isn’t needed.

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Run Build

Run one profile/platform recipe in the cloud:
Profile names and their ios or android recipes live under build.profiles in .revyl/config.yaml. There is no active/default profile. See Configuration for selection and recipe fields. This command automatically builds and uploads the app to Revyl, where you can use it to start sessions.

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Advanced Configuration

Revyl makes a best effort to determine the build commands to be used. If the build does not complete successfully modify the build commands manually in the config.yaml file.

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Troubleshooting

Simulator builds don’t require an Apple distribution certificate or provisioning profile. Let Xcode apply its default local signature so the app retains entitlements used by services such as Keychain. Don’t set Code Signing Identity to “Don’t Code Sign” or pass CODE_SIGNING_ALLOWED=NO.Missing dependencies:
Gradle fails:
Assets missing:

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Dev loop

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React Native (bare)

Bare React Native projects use full hot reload via Metro, similar to Expo but without deep links. JS/TS changes appear on the device within seconds. Press [r] only when native dependencies change.

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How detection works

The CLI looks for react-native in package.json dependencies without expo also being present. If both react-native and expo exist, the Expo provider takes precedence. Detection confidence is 0.8 — higher than Swift (0.7) and Android (0.6), so bare RN projects are correctly identified even when ios/ and android/ directories are present. Additional indicators that boost detection: metro.config.js, metro.config.ts, react-native.config.js, react-native.config.ts.

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No app-native scheme needed

Unlike Expo, bare React Native hot reload does not use deep links. The dev client loads the JavaScript bundle directly from the tunnel URL, so it needs no custom app URL scheme or scheme-prefix configuration. The .revyl/config.yaml uses build.framework: react_native and named profiles containing the applicable iOS and Android recipes; it has no authored hot-reload provider block.

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iOS packager URL (HTTPS relay)

On iOS simulators, Revyl points the Debug app at the Metro relay by setting:
  • RCT_jsLocation to the relay host:443
  • RCT_packager_scheme to https
Those values are applied as launch arguments and seeded into the app’s NSUserDefaults before launch. You should not patch RCTBundleURLProvider.mm (or change React Native’s default http scheme) for the Revyl tunnel — without https, the app would request http://…:443/… against a TLS-only relay and fail to load the bundle.

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Monorepo considerations

The same directory rules apply as Expo:
  • Run all commands from the React Native app directory, not the monorepo root
  • If react-native is hoisted, run revyl init --detect from the app directory; edit build.framework and the generated profile recipes, then run revyl config validate, if detection remains ambiguous
  • Watch for multiple .revyl/ directories in the monorepo