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How to run an Expo app in a simulator beside your chat with Codex Mobile Dev Plugin

Install Mobile Dev, pick a simulator, and have Codex build and run your app in view.

Who it is forA mobile developer working on an Expo or React Native app in Codex who wants to see the app running while asking Codex for changes.

The problemSwitching between the chat, a separate simulator window, and the build terminal slows down every change-and-check loop.

The outcomeThe app builds and runs on a simulator shown next to the Codex chat, and you can keep iterating from the same conversation.

What you need first

  • Codex desktop on an Apple Silicon Mac
  • Xcode 26 or later with a simulator runtime for iOS simulators
  • Android SDK platform-tools and emulator, with an AVD or an authorized physical device, for Android
  • GitHub read access and working Git authentication while the repository is private
  • An existing local Metro server for Metro logs and React Native inspection

Steps

  1. Run codex plugin marketplace add https://github.com/callstackincubator/codex-mobile-dev-plugin.git --ref release/latest
  2. Run codex plugin add mobile-dev@mobile-dev
  3. Open a new chat in Codex, then open Mobile Dev from the sidebar.
  4. Pick a device from the toolbar; selecting a stopped simulator boots it.
  5. Ask Codex: "Build and run my Expo app in the simulator beside this chat."

Prompt for your agent

Using the callstackincubator/codex-mobile-dev-plugin Mobile Dev plugin, build and run the Expo app at <project path> on the simulator named <device name>. Expected output: the app launches on that simulator and is visible beside the chat. Verify the device panel shows the running app before reporting success.

Caveat. The prebuilt plugin targets Codex desktop on an Apple Silicon Mac, and the app project's own tools still build and launch the app.

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