Bolt 🤝 Expo

Engineering

Skip the coding bootcamp! With Bolt and Expo you can create mobile applications simply by describing the app you want to build.

Get your idea to the app store without writing code

As of today, Bolt.new allows you to build iOS and Android apps without writing any code. You can literally go from idea to App Store simply by describing what you want in everyday language.

In the video below, I test out the integration by building a portfolio app to showcase some of my open-source work. The result is stunning—I was able to create a clean, professional-looking portfolio application for web, iOS, and Android without writing a single line of code. If you’re curious, here’s the live demo: https://beto-fyi.expo.app.

Jump straight into the video if you want to see this integration in action:

Learn how to build and deploy an app with Bolt & Expo

What is Bolt?

Bolt, from StackBlitz, is an AI-powered web development agent that allows you to build web, iOS, and Android apps directly from your browser.

With the new Expo integration, developers—and even non-technical users—can generate mobile app code and preview it in real time, regardless of their platform (Windows, Mac, etc.). As they provide feedback, the AI agent refines their vision, allowing them to watch their app take shape in real time.

This streamlined development process is incredibly useful for building an MVP or brainstorming ideas with teammates. For freelance developers, it’s also a great way to impress potential clients.

And this is just the beginning…

How to get started with Bolt and Expo?

Getting started couldn’t be simpler. Just go to Bolt.new and choose the Expo starter template. Then, prompt the tool to start building your app by simply describing what you want.

Bolt includes a “prompt enhancer” that you should absolutely use. If you have the time, it’s helpful to think through the following and include these details in your prompt:

• What general qualities should the app have? Should it be professional or playful? Bold or subtle?
• What is the basic layout? Consider the screens you want to include, such as a home page, an about page, a product page, or a pricing page.
• Should the app pull specific data from anywhere? You can ask Bolt to use particular images or pull data from specific public sources.
• Do you have reference materials? You can attach images and Figma assets in your prompt and ask Bolt to use them as references.

Once you submit your prompt, Bolt’s AI agent will start coding your app. Within seconds, you’ll have an MVP. It feels like magic—maybe someday this will feel normal, but today, it still feels like magic.

For more details on deploying your app, please visit the Bolt documentation.

What’s next for Bolt and Expo?

Today, you can build an app with Bolt and Expo—which is fantastic. The next step in this integration is bringing Expo Application Services (EAS) into Bolt. Once that happens, you’ll be able to build, submit, and deploy your apps in a single seamless motion.

Personally, I’m super excited about this integration and hope it empowers both developers and non-technical users to start building awesome multiplatform apps—and even dive deeper as their requirements grow. It’s also exciting to see more and more companies, like StackBlitz, adopting Expo as the framework for universal development.

Don’t forget to share what you build on X and tag @expo or me @betomoedano!

Happy AI coding! 🤓

p.s. Join the livestream on February 25th to see a live demo of the integration:

Bolt 🤝 Expo: Live demo

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