Vibe Code a Mobile App: Complete Guide

Vibe coding has taken over web development. Tools like Lovable and Bolt let you describe a web app in plain English and get working code back in minutes. But mobile apps have been left out of the conversation. Getting something onto the App Store or Google Play still meant hiring a developer or learning React Native yourself.

Fastshot brings vibe coding to mobile. You describe your app in a chat interface, AI generates production-ready React Native code, and you iterate by telling it what to change. The output is real, typed TypeScript running on Expo — not a wrapped web view or a drag-and-drop prototype. And you can ship it to both app stores without opening a code editor.

Here's how the full process works, step by step.

Step 1: Write your first prompt

Open the editor at fastshot.ai and describe what you want to build. No templates, no component library to browse. You type a description and the AI builds from it.

The specificity of your prompt determines the quality of your first build. Compare:

Make me a fitness app

vs.

A workout tracker where users log exercises with sets, reps, and weight. Home screen shows today's workout. A separate screen for weekly progress charts. A library of exercises browsable by muscle group. Dark theme with blue accents.

The second version names specific screens, describes the data model, and sets a design direction. That means fewer rounds of iteration afterwards.

You can also give the AI visual context. Upload screenshots of apps you like, hand-drawn sketches, or Figma mockups. Or paste a website URL. Fastshot scrapes the site with a headless browser and extracts the colour palette, typography, layout patterns, and navigation structure to inform your app's design.

Step 2: Answer any clarifying questions

The AI may ask one or two questions before it starts generating. Things like "should users be able to create their own categories, or are they fixed?" or "do you want a light or dark theme?" Be specific. If you don't have a preference, tell it to decide.

Detailed prompts sometimes skip this step entirely.

Step 3: Wait for the first build

Code generation takes about five to seven minutes for the initial version. You'll see progress updates as it works through the stages: setting up the template, starting the preview, running the AI agent, fine-tuning.

When it finishes, a live preview loads in the right panel. You can click through the app in your browser, but for accuracy, install Expo Go on your phone and scan the QR code from the preview panel. The browser preview approximates how things look. Real devices show the actual native rendering, which matters for things like navigation bars, modals, and date pickers.

Step 4: Iterate through conversation

This is where the vibe coding loop kicks in. Send follow-up messages to adjust the app. Each one triggers a targeted code update rather than a full rebuild.

Examples of what you can ask for:

• "Move the search bar above the list on the home screen"
• "Add a settings screen with a dark mode toggle and a logout button"
• "The save button on the profile page doesn't respond when tapped"

Keep each message to a single change. Bundling multiple requests into one message produces worse results than sending them separately. The AI handles focused instructions better.

Every change creates a version checkpoint, so you can roll back if something breaks and try a different approach.

Step 5: Generate your design assets

If you need an app icon, a logo, or illustrations for your app, describe what you want and Fastshot generates it in 10 to 30 seconds. "An app icon with a blue gradient and a dumbbell" gets you a usable result without opening Figma or commissioning anything on Fiverr.

You can also upload your own images if you have existing branding (up to 20 files per project). Once an asset is in your project, tell the AI where to use it: "set the uploaded logo as the header image" or "use the new icon as the app icon."

Step 6: Add a backend if you need one

If your app needs user accounts, a database, or file storage, Fastshot integrates with Supabase. When the AI detects your app needs backend features, a connect widget appears in the chat. Authorise it, and you get email/password login, Google and Apple sign-in, a PostgreSQL database with real-time subscriptions, and file storage.

No backend needed? Skip it. The app defaults to on-device storage, and you can connect Supabase later without starting over.

Step 7: Set up monetisation

Fastshot has Adapty built in, so adding in-app purchases is a chat message away. Ask for monthly and yearly subscription plans, paywalls gating premium features, free trials, or a freemium model. The AI generates both the paywall UI and the purchase logic.

RevenueCat is also supported if you prefer to use your own account. Either way, purchases work across iOS and Android.

Step 8: Deploy to the app stores

Before you publish, you'll need a GitHub account (free), an Expo account (free), and a developer account for your target store. Apple charges $99/year. Google charges a one-time $25 fee.

When you click Deploy:

1. Your code is pushed to a GitHub repository created automatically (you own it)
2. You paste an Expo access token from your account settings
3. You choose Android, iOS, or both
4. Fastshot triggers a build through Expo EAS, which takes three to four minutes

For Android, you download the APK and upload it to Google Play Console. For iOS, Expo handles code signing and submits the build directly to App Store Connect. You then complete the store listing and submit for review.

A few things worth knowing

Test on a real device before deploying. The browser preview can't simulate camera access, biometrics, push notifications, or native pickers. Expo Go on your phone shows the real experience.

Credits are based on AI usage. Simple tweaks cost less than generating new features. Single-change messages are the most efficient way to spend them.

You own the code. Your full codebase lives in your GitHub repository. You can clone it, modify it locally, or hand it to a developer. The generated code uses standard React Native and Expo patterns, so anyone familiar with the stack can work with it.