Heidelberg AICurriculum

How to Build Mobile Apps with Claude Code: Full Course (2026)

Nick Saraev ·2026-05-11 ·2 min read

Summary written by us from the video's transcript. The video, and everything in it, is Nick Saraev's work.

Learn how to build a real mobile habit‑tracker app from scratch using Claude Code, Expo, and React Native, then test it on your phone and prepare for store submission.

Takeaways

  • Claude Code can scaffold an entire Expo/React Native project from a single natural‑language prompt.
  • Using Expo gives one codebase that runs on iOS, Android, and web with built‑in hot‑reload for fast testing on real devices.
  • You only need a Claude account (Pro tier works) and the VS Code Claude Code extension to start building mobile apps.
  • The habit‑tracker example covers common app features: local storage, optional API integration, authentication, and UI customization.
  • Publishing to both app stores is handled through Expo’s build pipeline, requiring no separate native toolchains.

Overview of the Course Flow

The tutorial starts with a quick demo of a working habit‑tracker app on an iOS device, then walks through setting up Claude Code, configuring the development environment, building the app, testing on a physical phone, and finally publishing to the App Store and Google Play.

It emphasizes that no prior mobile experience is required—if you can type English into a terminal you can follow along.

Getting Started with Claude Code

Sign up at claw.ai/lo, choose a plan (the Pro tier works for the demo), and log in via the email link. The Claude chat interface becomes "Claude Code" when you switch to the coding view, recognizable by the space‑invader icon.

You can use the web app, download the desktop client, or integrate with VS Code through the Claude Code extension (installed via the Anti‑Gravity IDE or directly in VS Code).

Setting Up the Mobile Development Stack

The preferred stack is **Expo** + **React Native**, which uses JavaScript/TypeScript and a single codebase for iOS, Android, and web. Expo handles cloud builds and hot‑reload on device, simplifying testing.

Alternative stacks mentioned are Flutter (Dart + Material widgets) and Capacitor (HTML/CSS/JS wrapped as an app), but the course focuses on Expo because it avoids language lock‑in and complex backend choices.

Creating the Project with Claude

In your workspace folder, delete any placeholder files, then prompt Claude: “I want to build a mobile app with Expo and React Native. Set up my workspace.” After enabling the "dangerously skip permissions" toggle, Claude generates all required Expo files automatically.

Next, ask Claude to create a simple habit‑tracker demo and launch it on your phone; Claude plans the app structure and begins building the code.

Testing on a Physical Device

Once Claude finishes scaffolding, you can run the app directly on your connected iPhone or Android device using Expo’s hot‑reload feature, allowing real‑time updates as you edit code.

The tutorial shows how to open the generated project in VS Code, make quick adjustments (e.g., changing displayed names), and see those changes reflected instantly on the phone.

Preparing for Store Submission

After the app works locally, the guide walks through the steps to package the Expo project for iOS and Android, generate the necessary signing credentials, and submit the builds to the App Store and Google Play.

The process is demonstrated end‑to‑end so you can produce a publishable binary without needing additional tooling.