Build the App

Revive ST is open source, so you can build the app yourself, for free, instead of getting it from a store. This page takes you from the source code to the app on your phone.

A build you make yourself works like the store app: it uses the Revive ST server unless you run your own.

What you needCopy Anchor Link

• Node.js 26 or newer.
• Vite+ (vp), which installs the project's dependencies.
• Git.
• For Android: a computer running macOS, Windows or Linux, and a phone running Android 11 or newer.
• For iOS: a Mac with Xcode, and an iPhone.

Get the code and install its dependencies:

git clone https://github.com/pradel/revive-st.git
cd revive-st
vp install

The app lives in apps/app. Every command below runs from there:

cd apps/app

AndroidCopy Anchor Link

Set up Android toolsCopy Anchor Link

1. Install Android Studio. Its setup wizard installs the Android SDK and a Java runtime (JDK 17 or newer).

2. Tell the build where the SDK is with the ANDROID_HOME environment variable. The SDK's default location is:

   • macOS: ~/Library/Android/sdk
   • Linux: ~/Android/Sdk
   • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Android\Sdk

   On macOS and Linux, add a line like this one to your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc), then open a new terminal:

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   export ANDROID_HOME="$HOME/Library/Android/sdk"

Build the APKCopy Anchor Link

Generate the Android project, then build the app in release mode:

npx expo prebuild --platform android
cd android
./gradlew assembleRelease

On Windows, run gradlew.bat assembleRelease instead. The first build downloads its tools and takes several minutes; later builds are faster.

The app is written to apps/app/android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk.

Install it on your phoneCopy Anchor Link

With a USB cable:

1. On the phone, turn on Developer options (tap Build number seven times in Settings → About phone), then USB debugging in Developer options.

2. Connect the phone and accept the prompt on its screen.

3. Install the APK:

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   ~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools/adb install app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk

   Use your own SDK location if it differs (see above).

Without a cable, copy the APK to the phone (by email, a cloud drive, …), open it, and allow your browser or file app to install unknown apps when asked.

Already have Revive ST from Google Play? Uninstall it first: Android refuses to replace an app signed by someone else. Your speakers keep their settings and presets.

Your APK is signed with a development key. That's fine for your own phones, but it can't be published on Google Play.

iOSCopy Anchor Link

Set up XcodeCopy Anchor Link

1. Install Xcode from the Mac App Store, open it once to finish installing its components, and install the iOS platform when it offers to.
2. Install CocoaPods: brew install cocoapods, or sudo gem install cocoapods.
3. In Xcode, open Settings → Accounts and sign in with your Apple Account.

Use your own app identifierCopy Anchor Link

Apple ties each app identifier to one developer team, and app.revivest.app belongs to the Revive ST team. In apps/app/app.json, change ios.bundleIdentifier to one of your own, for example:

"bundleIdentifier": "com.yourname.revivest"

Build and installCopy Anchor Link

1. Generate the iOS project:

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   npx expo prebuild --platform ios

2. Open apps/app/ios/ReviveST.xcworkspace in Xcode. Select the ReviveST target, open Signing & Capabilities, and pick your team under Team.

3. Connect your iPhone, unlock it, and trust the computer. Turn on Developer Mode if the iPhone asks (Settings → Privacy & Security → Developer Mode).

4. Build the app and install it:

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   npx expo run:ios --device --configuration Release

   Pick your iPhone in the list. The first build takes several minutes.

5. The first time, iOS doesn't trust your app yet: open Settings → General → VPN & Device Management, select your Apple Account, and tap Trust.

Free Apple accountsCopy Anchor Link

You don't need a paid Apple Developer Program membership to build the app, with two limits:

• The app stops opening after 7 days. Apps signed with a free account expire; build and install again to renew it.
• The Hotspot capability. Revive ST uses it to join a speaker's setup Wi-Fi when you set up a new speaker. If Xcode reports that your team doesn't support it, remove the entitlements block from ios in app.json and run npx expo prebuild --platform ios again. The app still controls speakers already on your Wi-Fi, but can't set up new ones.

Update your buildCopy Anchor Link

To get the latest version, pull the code and install its dependencies:

git pull
vp install

Then follow the build steps for your platform again. npx expo prebuild recreates the Android or iOS project each time, so on iOS you pick your team again in Xcode.

TroubleshootingCopy Anchor Link

• SDK location not found: ANDROID_HOME isn't set in this terminal. Set it as shown above and open a new terminal.
• INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE: another copy of Revive ST, signed with a different key, is installed. Uninstall it, then install again.
• iOS: No profiles for 'app.revivest.app' were found: change the bundle identifier as described above, then run npx expo prebuild --platform ios again.

If you're stuck, ask in GitHub Discussions. To work on the app's code, see Contributing.