The React Native App Builder System — Guide
What this system is, what it costs, and what you need before you start.
What this is
A complete pipeline for building, shipping, and growing iOS apps with Claude Code doing most of the engineering — you direct, Claude builds. Built on Expo + React Native + EAS, so no Mac is required at any point — build, test, and publish all run from Windows. 16 phases across two arcs:
- Arc 1 — Build (phases 1-9): idea → scaffold → assets → code → test → monetize → compliance → build/submit → publish
- Arc 2 — Grow (phases 10-16): marketing foundation → ASO → conversion → retention → paid acquisition → organic growth → weekly intelligence
This course focuses on the hands-on path through those phases — SYSTEM.md at the project root has the full technical reference for anyone continuing past this course.
What you need (accounts + costs)
| Item | Cost | Required? | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Apple Developer Program | $99/year | Required once you add any native module (ads, IAP, etc.) | Not deferrable to "just before submission" — EAS needs real Apple credentials to build anything beyond a pure-JS Expo Go preview. If your app never adds a native module, you can skip this entirely and still demo via Expo Go. | | Claude Code | $20/month (Pro) or $99/month (higher tier) | Required | This is the AI doing the actual coding work. | | GitHub | Free | Required | Version control — EAS builds tie into your repo. | | ChatGPT (asset generation) | Free tier or $20/month (Plus) | Required for Phase 3 (Assets) | Used to generate icon/screens/UI assets from prompts. | | Expo account | Free | Required | Scaffolds the project, manages the dev client. | | EAS (Expo Application Services) | Free tier (15 iOS builds/month, lower-priority queue) or paid tiers | Required for Phase 8 (Build/Submit) | Free tier is enough for a course project if you test in Expo Go before spending a build. | | Website hosting | Free | Optional | Vercel's free tier covers a privacy policy / support page. | | Domain name | ~$9.99/year | Optional | Only if you want a real domain instead of a free subdomain. | | A Mac | Not needed, ever | N/A | This is the entire reason this system exists — EAS Build compiles in the cloud, EAS Submit pushes to App Store Connect directly from Windows. |
Minimum to actually publish an app with native features (ads/IAP): $99/year (Apple) + $20/month (Claude Code). A pure-JS app with no native modules can be built, previewed (Expo Go), and demoed for free.
What you'll actually be doing
You're not memorizing syntax by hand. You're learning to:
- Describe what you want clearly
- Read what Claude Code built well enough to catch mistakes
- Test it yourself before trusting it
- Iterate
That's the real skill. The code is Claude's job; direction and judgment are yours.
Before you start this course
- [ ] A Windows PC (or any OS — this system needs no Mac)
- [ ] A physical iPhone with the free Expo Go app installed (for live preview)
- [ ] An Apple ID (free — you likely already have one if you own an iPhone)
- [ ] $20 available for a Claude Code subscription (or ask your instructor if a shared account is being used for class)
- [ ] Curiosity, not experience — zero coding background required