jutsu-expo:expo-updates

Over-the-air updates let you deploy JavaScript and assets without app store releases. Enable updates in your app.json under expo.updates, set a runtimeVersion policy, then call Updates.checkForUpdateAsync on app startup to detect new versions and Updates.reloadAsync to apply them.

Updates.checkForUpdateAsync detects if a new update is available without downloading it, letting you prompt the user first. Updates.fetchUpdateAsync downloads the update in the background. Call fetch only after check succeeds, then reload to activate.

Yes. Call Updates.checkForUpdateAsync and Updates.fetchUpdateAsync during app startup or background, then reload silently when ready. Alternatively, prompt users and let them choose when to apply the update, giving control over timing.

runtimeVersion in app.json defines which update versions are compatible with your native app build. Set it as a string or policy to control which updates clients can fetch, preventing incompatible JavaScript from running against older native code.

No. Over-the-air updates deploy JavaScript and assets without app store releases. Rebuild only when you change native code, dependencies, or expo.updates configuration. Between rebuilds, use Updates to push hotfixes and feature updates instantly.

Expo Updates works across development and production environments. Configure separate update channels in app.json, use environment-specific runtimeVersion policies, and manage development builds and production releases independently through the same update pipeline.