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Step 1: Create Your Configuration File

Run this command in your terminal to create your config file: 
cp app.json.example app.json

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Step 2: Update Your App Settings

Open app.json and replace the placeholder values with your actual app information: 
{
  "expo": {
    "name": "Travel App",                    // ← Your app's display name
    "slug": "travel-app",                    // ← Your app's URL identifier
    "scheme": "travelapp",                   // ← Your app's deep link scheme
    "ios": {
      "bundleIdentifier": "com.buildwithai.travelapp"  // ← Your unique iOS ID
    },
    "android": {
      "package": "com.buildwithai.travelapp"           // ← Your unique Android ID
    }
  }
}

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Understanding Each Setting

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1. App Name (name)

What it is: The name people see when they download your app from the App Store or Google Play. Format: Normal words with spaces and capital letters Examples:
  • "Travel App"
  • "Fitness Tracker"
  • "Recipe Book"

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2. App Slug (slug)

What it is: A unique identifier used in URLs and file names. Think of it as your app’s “username” on the internet. Format: lowercase-letters-with-hyphens Examples:
  • "Travel App" → "travel-app"
  • "Fitness Tracker" → "fitness-tracker"
⚠️ Important: You cannot change this after publishing your app!

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3. App Scheme (scheme)

What it is: A special code that lets other apps open your app directly. Like a “phone number” for your app. Format: lowercaseletters (no spaces, no hyphens) Examples:
  • "travel-app" → "travelapp"
  • "fitness-tracker" → "fitnesstracker"
Deep Linking Example: When someone taps a link like travelapp://bookings in an email, their phone automatically opens your Travel App and goes to the bookings screen.

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4. Bundle Identifier (bundleIdentifier for iOS & package for Android)

What it is: A unique “address” for your app that Apple and Google use to identify it. Like a postal address for your app. Format: com.[identifier].[slug] (all lowercase, no spaces) Identifier options:
  • Your name: johndoe
  • Your company: acmecorp
  • Your domain: mysite (without .com)
Examples:
  • "travel-app" → com.johndoe.travelapp
  • "fitness-tracker" → com.acmecorp.fitnesstracker
⚠️ Important: The iOS bundleIdentifier and Android package must be exactly the same!

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Step 3: App Icons & Splash Screens

The boilerplate includes placeholder app icons and splash screens in the assets/images/ folder. These placeholders are functional and allow you to continue with development, so you can customize them later when you’re ready to brand your app.
For detailed instructions on creating and customizing your app icons, please see our App Icons & Splash Screens Guide.
While not urgent for initial development, you’ll want to replace these placeholders with your own branded assets before publishing to app stores.