| name | expo-mcp-setup |
| description | Set up and troubleshoot the Expo MCP server for coding agents (live Expo docs, SDK-compatible package install, EAS builds/workflows, store data, local UI automation). Use when configuring MCP for an Expo project, when the Expo MCP connection fails, hangs, or needs auth, or before EAS/store automation tasks. |
Expo MCP Setup
What the server provides
Remote (https://mcp.expo.dev/mcp, OAuth, Expo account required):
- Docs:
search_documentation (requires EAS Paid Plan), read_documentation, learn
- Packages:
add_library (installs SDK-compatible versions via npx expo install)
- EAS:
build_* (list/info/logs/run/cancel/submit), workflow_* (create/validate/list/info/logs/run/cancel)
- Stores:
testflight_crashes/feedback, appstore_reviews/reply_review/delete_review_response, playstore_crashes/reviews/reply_review
Local (only with a running dev server, SDK 54+): automation_tap, automation_take_screenshot, automation_find_view, collect_app_logs, open_devtools, expo_router_sitemap.
Recommended project-level config (.mcp.json)
{
"mcpServers": {
"expo": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.expo.dev/mcp"]
}
}
}
Known pitfall: kimi-code ≤ 0.27 native HTTP transport hangs
Verified 2026-07-19: kimi-code 0.27.0 detects the native HTTP server (needs-auth), completes OAuth, and stores valid tokens (~/.kimi-code/credentials/mcp/), but every connect with a stored token hangs until the 30 s timeout. Token and server are fine (direct curl initialize with the token returns HTTP 200).
Workaround (the durable fix): use the mcp-remote stdio bridge as in the config above. mcp-remote runs its own OAuth flow once (browser), caches tokens with refresh under ~/.mcp-auth/, and reconnects by itself on every session start.
Retest on newer kimi versions: swap the entry for a native url entry, start a fresh session, and grep the session log for expo … status=failed. If clean, keep the native entry.
Auth checklist
- Expo account exists and
npx expo whoami / eas whoami is logged in.
- First bridge run:
npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.expo.dev/mcp → confirm in browser → tokens cached in ~/.mcp-auth/.
- MCP servers load at session start — after any
.mcp.json change, start a new session.
Local capabilities setup (per project)
npx expo install expo-mcp --dev
EXPO_UNSTABLE_MCP_SERVER=1 npx expo start
- Reconnect the MCP connection in the agent after every dev-server start/stop.
- Only one dev server at a time; local iOS capabilities are simulator-only and macOS-only.
Privacy / compliance
- Expo does not train models on MCP data; the MCP server itself runs no model. Screenshots/logs proxy through Expo servers to the local MCP client.
- Never use real user data in the app during MCP automation sessions.
mcp.expo.dev / api.expo.dev are build-time tooling endpoints — they do NOT extend the app's runtime network whitelist (local-only rule stays untouched).
