Give the assistant a specific job
An assistant is more useful when it can inspect the environment it is changing. Expo provides a remote MCP server with OAuth authentication at https://mcp.expo.dev/mcp. It connects supported coding tools to Expo documentation and project capabilities. See the official setup guide for current prerequisites and tool availability.
A useful first task is narrow: investigate a failed build, check how a particular SDK API works, or verify one screen after a change. Avoid beginning with an instruction to modernize the entire app. It is harder to review and harder to tell whether the tool actually solved the problem.
Remote and local capabilities are different
The remote connection does not by itself provide a running simulator. Expo documents an additional local setup using the expo-mcp development dependency and a development server started with MCP enabled. Local capabilities support actions such as screenshots, view interaction and opening React Native DevTools. Some server tools have plan requirements, so check the capability table before relying on them in a team workflow.
Make the expected result observable
Consider a form with a keyboard overlap bug. A useful request identifies the screen, device size, focused field and expected submit-button behavior. Ask the assistant to reproduce that state, propose a small change and capture the same state after the fix.
A screenshot confirms appearance at one moment. Also test typing, dismissing the keyboard, validation errors and returning to the screen. If the change affects a reusable component, inspect a second screen that uses it.
Keep build and release decisions separate
Start with development credentials and a test environment. Review proposed dependency changes and any action that starts a build or modifies a remote resource. Keep the resulting diff small enough that another engineer can explain it.
For the pull request, record the original issue, the behavior after the fix and the checks performed. Include a limitation when a device or platform was not tested. This is more useful than a broad statement that everything passed.
MCP can shorten the distance between a code change and visible feedback. A dependable mobile delivery process still needs explicit acceptance criteria, physical-device checks and a release owner.