Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is this app?

The Botble Ecommerce Mobile App is a React Native application built with Expo that connects to your Botble e-commerce website, providing your customers with a native mobile shopping experience on iOS and Android.

What do I need to use this app?

• A Botble e-commerce website with API access enabled
• Node.js 18 or higher
• Expo CLI
• Developer accounts for app stores (if publishing)

Is Flutter or React Native version better?

Both versions offer similar features. Choose based on your development team's expertise:

• React Native (this app): JavaScript/TypeScript, Expo ecosystem
• Flutter: Dart language, single codebase compilation

Setup & Installation

How do I install the app?

1. Download the source code from CodeCanyon
2. Run npm install to install dependencies
3. Create .env file with your API URL
4. Run npm start to launch the development server

See the Installation Guide for detailed steps.

Why do I see "Development Build" screen on my phone?

You installed a development build, which requires a running development server. To test on your phone without a server:

1. Create free Expo account at expo.dev
2. Run npm install -g eas-cli && eas login
3. Run eas build --platform android --profile preview for APK

See Troubleshooting Guide for details.

What are EAS login credentials?

EAS (Expo Application Services) login requires an Expo account - NOT your CodeCanyon credentials.

1. Create account at expo.dev/signup (free)
2. Use that email and password when running eas login

What's the difference between development build and production APK?

Development Build	Production APK
Needs dev server running	Standalone app
For developers only	For end users
Hot reload enabled	No hot reload
Can't distribute	Can share/publish

How do I build an APK without Android Studio?

Use EAS Build (cloud-based, no local SDK needed):

npm install -g eas-cli
eas login
eas build:configure
eas build --platform android --profile preview

Download APK from expo.dev when build completes.

Why does my app show a black screen after installing APK?

Your .env file is gitignored and not included in EAS builds. You must set environment variables using EAS Secrets before building:

eas secret:create --name API_BASE_URL --value "https://your-website.com"
eas secret:create --name API_KEY --value "your-api-key"

Then rebuild: eas build --platform android --profile production

See Environment Variables section in Deploying Guide for complete details.

What's the difference between .env file and EAS Secrets?

Source	Local Dev	EAS Build
.env file	Yes	No
EAS Secrets	No	Yes

• .env file: Used for local development only. Gitignored for security.
• EAS Secrets: Required for production builds. Set via eas secret:create command.

Why won't the app connect to my website?

Check these common issues:

1. Verify your API URL is correct in .env
2. Make sure your website is online and accessible
3. Ensure API access is enabled on your Botble backend
4. Check CORS settings allow mobile app requests

Can I use this with any Botble theme?

Yes! The app works with any Botble e-commerce theme since it connects via API, not the frontend.

Customization

How do I change the app colors?

Edit the CSS variables in global.css. See Theme Colors Guide for details.

How do I add my logo?

Replace the image files in the assets/ folder:

• icon.png (1024x1024)
• splash.png (1284x2778)
• adaptive-icon.png (1024x1024)

See App Logo Guide for details.

How do I add a new language?

1. Create a new JSON file in src/i18n/locales/
2. Register it in src/i18n/index.ts
3. Add all translation keys

See Translations Guide for details.

Can I customize the checkout page?

The app uses WebView checkout, so the checkout page comes from your Botble website. Customize it there.

Features

Does the app support push notifications?

Push notifications can be added using Expo Notifications. This requires additional setup with Firebase/APNs.

Does the app support social login?

Currently, the app supports email/password authentication. Social login can be added following Botble's API documentation.

Can customers pay through the app?

Yes! The app uses WebView checkout which supports all payment methods configured on your Botble website.

Is offline mode supported?

The app requires internet connection to fetch products and process orders. Some data is cached for faster loading.

Deployment

How do I publish to the app stores?

Use Expo Application Services (EAS):

eas build --platform all --profile production
eas submit --platform all

See Deploying App Guide for details.

How much does it cost to publish?

• Apple App Store: $99/year developer account
• Google Play Store: $25 one-time fee
• Expo: Free tier available

How long does app review take?

• Apple: Usually 1-3 days, sometimes up to a week
• Google: Usually 1-3 days

Can I update the app without going through app stores?

Yes! Use EAS Update for JavaScript changes:

eas update --branch production --message "Bug fixes"

Native changes require new builds and store submissions.

Troubleshooting

The app shows "Network Error"

1. Check your internet connection
2. Verify API URL in .env
3. Test the API in a browser
4. Check if your website is online

Products don't appear in the app

1. Make sure products exist on your website
2. Verify products are published/active
3. Check API response in browser
4. Clear app cache and reload

Login doesn't work

1. Test login on your website first
2. Check API authentication settings
3. Verify user account exists
4. Check for CORS issues

The app is slow

1. Enable production mode: npx expo start --no-dev
2. Optimize images on your website
3. Check network speed
4. Reduce number of products per page

Technical

What React Native version does it use?

The app uses React Native 0.81+ with Expo SDK 54.

What Node.js version is required?

Node.js 18 or higher is required.

Can I use npm instead of yarn?

Yes, npm is the default package manager for this app.

Does it support TypeScript?

Yes, the entire codebase is written in TypeScript with strict mode enabled.

Support

Where can I get help?

• Documentation: You're reading it!
• Email: [email protected]
• Support Center: https://botble.ticksy.com

How do I report a bug?

1. Check if it's a known issue in the documentation
2. Try to reproduce the issue
3. Contact support with:
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Expected behavior
   • Actual behavior
   • Screenshots if applicable

Can I request new features?

Yes! Contact us at [email protected] with your feature request.

Updates

How do I update to a new version?

1. Backup your customizations
2. Download the new version
3. Compare and merge changes
4. Test thoroughly before deploying

See Upgrade Guide for details.

Where can I see what's new?

Check the Release Notes for version history and changes.