CI/CD for Mobile Apps Part 1/3 - Know Where Our Code Lives (Web vs Mobile Explained)

Mobile apps differ from web apps in that code is compiled into binaries distributed to user devices, meaning users must download updates rather than receiving them automatically. This architectural difference requires a runtimeVersion config (e.g., appVersion, sdkVersion, or fingerprint policies) to determine update compatibility with installed native code. Understanding this distributed model is essential for designing CI/CD pipelines for mobile apps, which Part 2 will cover using Expo's EAS Workflow.