DEV Community: bruce D

Debug Expo app with real device(iOS)

bruce D — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 12:20:38 +0000

Today. I am developing an apple that capture and and recognize the content using Expo-camera, but found that we can't debug the camere function in iOS simulator. we can only debug it with real iOS device.

Here is the way

run npm run ios to make sure the project compilied and installed successfully on the simulator,then teminate
run pnpm prebuild to generate ios directory
open projectRoot/ios/youproject.xcodeworkspace directory with XCode
make sure that you have connenct your iPhone/iPad with usb and trust your computer on your iPhone/iPad
select your iPhone and then click run button, debug version will be installed to your iPhone
after installation, don't forget to run npm start, there will be a QRcode in the terminal
scan the QR code with your iPhone camera.

6th, prepare for testing release

bruce D — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 02:38:58 +0000

I have resolved the problems yesterday, and refactor the tabs, now it's ready for testing.
before testing, there are some works

create an website for the privacy-and-terms using this link
deploy this website on Cloudflare Pages
using another app to test deeplink

Result:

I found That I can't testing the deeplink jumptation between app in the emulator, I will tested it in real device.
I also find that I need to add edit and delete function of submissions, and intregrating deeplink in use's app is too complicate and not everyone want to do this, I need to make it easier of verifying testing behavior, they can just upload an screenshot

5th, I run into a few problems

bruce D — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 01:52:11 +0000

while saving the appInfo, I forget to save the userId as well, so I need to modify table on Supabase,and relative logic in EXPO.
at that time,I noticed that I run into problems when fetching user's info, although I updated the store after user logging in with google. but the I just get error when access it.
finally I found the problem, I show save userinfo into localstorage as well as the token, everytime open the app, read them and write into store

4th, save tester's behavior

bruce D — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 12:05:04 +0000

In the 3rd post,we make AndroidClosingTestPairs get the tester's behavior using deeplink, now we need to submit this behavior, so that App's author can know who have tested his app.

firstly: we need to create a table to save the tester's info

you can easily add columns in Supabase's table editor without writing any SQL

then, just call the supabase write function in the client, I wrappered the logic with react-query here

`
export const useSaveSubmissionForm = createMutation({
mutationKey: ['save-submission'],
mutationFn: async (formValue) => {
const { data, error } = await supabase
.from(TABLE_NAME)
.insert({
email: formValue.email,
app_name: formValue.app_name,
// tester: formValue.tester,
})
.select('*')
.single()

if (error) {
  throw new Error(error.message);
}

return data as SubmissionFormType;

},
});
`

Finally, we get the info

what's next?

we will let app's author know who has tested his app, and easily jump into the helper's app,make a test back.

3rd, ensure tester open your app one day

bruce D — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 12:32:17 +0000

I have downloaded many Apps to test, but I am not sure if others test me back. or how many testers are testing my app. I need to find a way to ensure that, ideally collect the tester's email, so that I know we are closing test pair.

Solution

In my app, I will add an button, if the tester click it, then he will be led to one specific page of AndroidClosingTestPairs, once he jumps to this page, it's test behavior will be submit to server.

here we use the one technology called "android deep link", you can open a schema link with parameters. while in development, we can test it with this command adb shell am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "ClosingTestPairs://check?appName=TestApp\&email=duri999xxx@gmail.com" c om.androidclosingtestpairs.development to emulator the jump between app.

Attention !!! the deeplink should be urlencoded, otherwise you won't get all your parameters as expected.

ideally, we collect tester's info in AndroidClosingTestPairs

what's next?

In the next post, we are going to save the tester's submission, so the author know who have test his app, and he will test back in the same way.

Buding AndroidClosingTestPairs

bruce D — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 01:19:58 +0000

I am building a platform for developers who are looking for testers

Thanks for this Reddit Channel.

I’ve been using it to find testers for my Android app, but I’ve run into a few issues:

Time-consuming process: I have to sift through dozens of posts and make sure they’ve been updated in the last 3 days (older posts rarely get responses).
Tedious steps: For each post, I need to join their Google Group, download the app, test it, take a screenshot, and then leave a comment with the screenshot.
Low engagement: Ideally, I’d comment on 12 posts daily (with 12 screenshots), but Reddit might flag me as spam—some comments go unanswered, so I’m not getting enough testers in return.

My solution: Build a dedicated platform where:

1. Users submit their app info once (no duplicates).
2. Testers can easily join without repetitive steps.
3. App authors can track testers and update post statuses (e.g., "Google-approved") in real time.

Do you have any pain points and suggestions?

2nd,Create Tables In Supabase

bruce D — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 04:48:01 +0000

create Profile table to save user's general info

as we have setup Google Auth in the last step, we need a table to save user's info

CREATE TABLE
  public.profiles (
    id UUID NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
    bio TEXT NULL,
    avatar_url TEXT NULL,
    created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    CONSTRAINT profiles_id_key UNIQUE (id)
  ) TABLESPACE pg_default;

And we need an table to save user's submission.

People need to submit their closing test info by these 4 fields

you can easily add these four fields on Supabase.

Attention

before you writing or fetching data into Supabase, don't forget to set RLS policy of your table, normally we set "only authenticated user can read and write"

Integrate Google Auth & Supabase to EXPO App

bruce D — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 04:32:43 +0000

1. navigate to Google cloud dashboard, (if you have many google accounts logged in on the chrome, you need to toogle the account), add an New Project

Create OAuth Client ID

1 Follow on [the official document], create an Android Type Client ID(https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/create-credentials?hl=en#oauth-client-id)
there is one thing you should be attention is:you need to privide a SHA-1 Certificate to fill in the form,

,
you can use debug.keystore to generate the figureprint

Create an Web Client Id, as we are using EXPO/ReactNative, we can't only use the AndriodClient, go to Dashboard > APIs & Services or just go to this url, then create the web client like below

EXPO Google Sign Plugin

install and configure expo plugin, make sure you have
done things below,

configurate PLUGIN section in app.config.js
import and call the GoogleSign

then run pnpm android again to rebuild the app, add an button to call the function we defined,it will work.

Why I am failed

Check the SHA-1 figureprint of Android Client
Check the Package name of Android Client
Don't forget to configure webClient before call GoogleSignIn

Enable Supabase's Google Auth Provider

go to this link
scroll and choose Google, then fill into ClientId and Client Scret of your Google WebClient !!!!

DEV Community: bruce D

Debug Expo app with real device(iOS)

6th, prepare for testing release

5th, I run into a few problems

4th, save tester's behavior

firstly: we need to create a table to save the tester's info

then, just call the supabase write function in the client, I wrappered the logic with react-query here

Finally, we get the info

what's next?

3rd, ensure tester open your app one day

Solution

what's next?

Buding AndroidClosingTestPairs

I am building a platform for developers who are looking for testers

I’ve been using it to find testers for my Android app, but I’ve run into a few issues:

​​My solution​​: Build a dedicated platform where:

Do you have any pain points and suggestions?

2nd,Create Tables In Supabase

create Profile table to save user's general info

And we need an table to save user's submission.

Attention

Integrate Google Auth & Supabase to EXPO App

1. navigate to Google cloud dashboard, (if you have many google accounts logged in on the chrome, you need to toogle the account), add an New Project

Create OAuth Client ID

EXPO Google Sign Plugin

Why I am failed

Enable Supabase's Google Auth Provider

Next, create table in Supabase to save user's info

My solution: Build a dedicated platform where: