Plugins

Expo · Reference cheat sheet

📋 Overview

Config plugins are JS functions that modify native projects during prebuild. They let managed/CNG apps add permissions, activities, Podfile changes, and Gradle tweaks without maintaining permanent ios/ / android/ forks.

🔧 Core concepts

• Declaration — plugins array in app.config.
• With options — ["expo-camera", \{ cameraPermission: "..." \}].
• Autolinking — many expo-* packages ship a plugin; still list them when options are required.
• Custom plugins — plugins/withMyNativeChange.js using @expo/config-plugins mods.
• Apply — changes take effect on next prebuild / EAS Build, not in Expo Go unless the feature is already in the client.

💡 Examples

// app.config.ts
export default {
  expo: {
    plugins: [
      [
        "expo-camera",
        {
          cameraPermission: "Allow MyApp to take photos",
          microphonePermission: "Allow MyApp to record audio",
          recordAudioAndroid: true,
        },
      ],
      "expo-secure-store",
      ["./plugins/withAndroidQueries", { packages: ["com.android.vending"] }],
    ],
  },
};

// plugins/withAndroidQueries.js
const { withAndroidManifest } = require("@expo/config-plugins");

function withAndroidQueries(config, { packages = [] }) {
  return withAndroidManifest(config, (cfg) => {
    const manifest = cfg.modResults.manifest;
    // mutate queries / intents as needed
    void packages;
    return cfg;
  });
}

module.exports = withAndroidQueries;

⚠️ Pitfalls

• Expecting plugin native changes inside Expo Go — need a dev client or store build.
• Forgetting to rebuild after adding a plugin.
• Hand-editing ios//android/ then losing changes on --clean prebuild.

🔗 Related

• config.md — where plugins are listed
• build.md — builds apply plugins
• commands.md — prebuild
• gradle.md — Android mods