Guided Tutorials

Build a Mobile App with Autohand

Create a cross-platform mobile app for iOS and Android from a plain English description. Use Autohand in interactive mode to build screen by screen, or non-interactive mode to generate the entire app at once.

Beginner 20 min

echo "Create a habit tracker mobile app using Expo and React Native. Include a home screen with today's habits, an add habit form, streak tracking, and push notification reminders. Use AsyncStorage for local data." | autohand --auto-mode -p

What you'll learn

How to describe a mobile app and have Autohand build it
The difference between interactive and non-interactive mode for app building
How to test your app on a real phone with Expo Go
How to use design mockups as input for app generation

Step 1: Understand the command

The prompt block above uses non-interactive mode to build a complete mobile app. Here is what each part means.

echo "..." pipes your instructions to Autohand instead of typing them in a live session. This is pipe mode, and it lets you script app generation or run it from a Makefile.
--auto-mode tells the agent to work autonomously: scaffold the project, install packages, write all screens and components, and iterate until the task is finished. You can cap the effort with --max-iterations 30 or --max-cost 5. See the auto mode guide for every option.
-p (short for --prompt) reads the piped text as the prompt and prints progress to your terminal. Without it, Autohand tries to start an interactive session. All flags are listed in the CLI reference.

Before you start

Make sure you have the following ready, then create a folder for your app.

Requirements

Node.js 18 or newer. Run node --version to check.
Autohand Code installed. See Your First Autohand Session if you need to set up.
For iOS testing: A Mac with Xcode installed, or Expo Go for iOS on your phone.
For Android testing: Android Studio with an emulator, or Expo Go for Android on your phone.

Project setup

Create a new empty folder for your mobile app.

Tip: Expo Go on your phone is the fastest way to test. No emulator setup needed. Autohand generates Expo projects by default because of this.

Step 2: Build with interactive mode

Interactive mode lets you build the app screen by screen. You control the pace and review each piece before moving on.

Create the project

You are now in an interactive session. Start with the project setup.

The agent scaffolds the full project, installs dependencies, and creates the initial screen files.

Build the home screen

Build the add habit form

Add the stats screen

Test on your phone

Scan the QR code with Expo Go on your phone. The app loads over the network and hot-reloads when files change.

Tip: Keep the Autohand session open while testing. When you find something you want to change, describe it in the session. The agent sees all your project files and makes targeted edits without breaking what already works.

Step 3: Build with non-interactive mode

If you want the entire app generated in one shot, use non-interactive mode with a detailed description.

The one-liner

Useful flag combinations

Every flag is documented in the CLI reference.

Step 4: Refine the app

Whether you used interactive or non-interactive mode, you can always open a new session to make changes.

Or refine with a quick non-interactive command.

Note the difference: autohand -p without --auto-mode runs a single pass. It makes the change and stops. Use it for quick edits. Use --auto-mode when the change needs multiple steps like installing packages, creating files, and running tests.

Step 5: Start from a design

If you have a design mockup, wireframe, or screenshot of an app you want to build, include it as context.

Interactive mode

Non-interactive mode

Autohand reads the image and extracts the screen structure, navigation flow, colors, and component layout. Works with photos of whiteboard sketches, Figma exports, or screenshots of other apps you want to use as inspiration.

Step 6: Try other frameworks

This tutorial uses Expo because it has the simplest setup, but Autohand works with any mobile framework. Mention the framework in your prompt.

The prompts and flags work the same way regardless of framework. Autohand adapts its output to the tools you ask for.

What you learned

Built a cross-platform mobile app from a plain English description
Used interactive mode to build screen by screen
Used non-interactive mode for one-shot generation
Tested the app on a real device with Expo Go

Try next

autohand "Add push notifications to my habit tracker that remind me at the time I set for each habit"