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Mob — Architecture

Deploy model

Initial deploy (mix mob.deploy --native)

Requires USB. Does a full push:

  • Compiles native code (APK for Android, iOS app bundle)
  • Installs the app on the device via adb / xcrun
  • Copies the compiled BEAMs to the device
  • Starts the BEAM runtime

USB is only required for this step. Once the base app is installed and the BEAM is running, all subsequent updates go through Erlang distribution.

Subsequent deploys (mix mob.deploy)

No USB required (unless the device isn't already connected via dist). Does a lightweight push:

  • Compiles BEAMs
  • Saves them to the mob_dev server
  • mob_dev distributes the updated modules to connected devices via Erlang distribution (:rpc.call / nl/1)

If no device is connected via dist yet, fall back to USB push (same as --native minus the native build step).

Erlang distribution

Distribution is the backbone of the development loop. Once the base app is installed, the BEAM node on the device connects to (or accepts a connection from) the Mac's node and stays connected. All code updates, log streaming, and remote inspection go through this channel.

Node naming convention:

  • Android: mob_demo_android@127.0.0.1 (USB tunnel via adb forward)
  • iOS simulator: mob_demo_ios@127.0.0.1 (simulator shares Mac network stack)
  • iOS physical / Android wireless: device's LAN IP (future)

Cookie: :mob_secret (dev only, not for production use)

Connection lifecycle

USB (once)
  └─ mix mob.deploy --native   → installs APK/IPA + BEAMs, starts BEAM
  └─ mix mob.connect           → sets up port forward, joins Erlang cluster

WiFi / dist (ongoing)
  └─ mix mob.deploy            → compile + push BEAMs via dist
  └─ mix mob.watch             → auto-push on file save via dist
  └─ mob_dev dashboard         → live logs, deploy buttons, device status

mob_dev server role

The mob_dev server (mix mob.server) is the Mac-side hub:

  • Discovers connected devices (adb + xcrun simctl)
  • Streams logs from all connected devices
  • Holds the latest compiled BEAMs and distributes them to devices via dist
  • Provides a dashboard UI for deploy, log filtering, and device status

It is intentionally a dev-only tool — not shipped with the app, not running on the device.