skills/eas-observe/references/queries.md

# EAS Observe CLI

EAS Observe collects app performance telemetry and custom events from Expo apps and exposes them through six EAS CLI commands. Pass the `--help` flag to any command for the latest API — the flags below were verified against `eas-cli` 21.8.0.

> Source: https://docs.expo.dev/eas/observe/eas-cli/ — the canonical CLI page. This reference adds table layouts, JSON output shapes, and pagination details that the docs page does not cover.

## Commands Overview

| Command | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `eas observe:metrics-summary` | Per-version statistical aggregates for startup and navigation metrics (median, p90, etc.) |
| `eas observe:metrics` | Individual metric samples ordered by value or timestamp (paginated) |
| `eas observe:routes` | Per-route statistical aggregates for navigation metrics (Nav Cold TTR, Nav Warm TTR, Nav TTI) |
| `eas observe:events` | Custom events emitted by the app via `logEvent` — name summary, all events, or filtered by event name (paginated) |
| `eas observe:session` | Full timeline of metric and log events for one session |
| `eas observe:versions` | App version hierarchy with build numbers, OTA update IDs, and event counts |

> Older published docs list only `metrics-summary`, `metrics`, `events`, and `versions`. All six are on the [Querying with EAS CLI](https://docs.expo.dev/eas/observe/eas-cli/) page; run `--help` to confirm them on your installed version.

All six commands share these flags:

- `--start <ISO date>` and `--end <ISO date>` — explicit time range
- `--days <N>` — show data from the last N days (mutually exclusive with `--start`/`--end`, minimum 1)
- `--project-id <id>` — run against a specific project without needing a project directory. When passed, the command will not try to create a new EAS project where one is unneeded.
- `--json` — machine-readable output (implies `--non-interactive`)
- `--non-interactive` — fail instead of prompting

`--platform ios` / `--platform android` (default: both) is on every command **except `observe:session`**, which is scoped to one session already.

Default time range is the last 60 days when none of `--days`, `--start`, `--end` is given.

**Plan gating.** Observe is a paid feature, and the server rejects queries the account's plan does not include (`EAS_OBSERVE_PLAN_UPGRADE_REQUIRED` or `EAS_OBSERVE_FEATURE_NOT_AVAILABLE_IN_FREE_TIER`). The CLI surfaces the server's upgrade message, which links to the account's billing page. Session timelines in particular are checked before the interactive picker runs. A plan-gate failure is not a bug in the command or its flags.

## Supported Metrics

### App-startup metrics

| Alias | Full name | Display |
|-------|-----------|---------|
| `tti` | `expo.app_startup.tti` | Startup TTI (time to interactive) |
| `ttr` | `expo.app_startup.ttr` | Startup TTR (time to render) |
| `cold_launch` | `expo.app_startup.cold_launch_time` | Cold Launch |
| `warm_launch` | `expo.app_startup.warm_launch_time` | Warm Launch |
| `bundle_load` | `expo.app_startup.bundle_load_time` | Bundle Load |
| `update_download` | `expo.updates.download_time` | Update Download |

### Navigation metrics

Emitted only when a navigation integration is enabled (SDK 56+). Measured per route name.

| Alias | Full name | Display |
|-------|-----------|---------|
| `nav_cold_ttr` | `expo.navigation.cold_ttr` | Nav Cold TTR |
| `nav_warm_ttr` | `expo.navigation.warm_ttr` | Nav Warm TTR |
| `nav_tti` | `expo.navigation.tti` | Nav TTI |

**Which command takes which alias.** `observe:metrics` (positional argument) and `observe:metrics-summary --metric` accept **all nine** aliases — startup and navigation. `observe:routes --metric` accepts only the three navigation aliases. Use the `nav_` prefix everywhere; there are no bare `cold_ttr` / `warm_ttr` aliases.

`observe:metrics` also accepts a full metric name in place of an alias, for example `eas observe:metrics expo.app_startup.tti`. `observe:routes` accepts full navigation names the same way. The `--metric` flags on `metrics-summary` and `routes` are strict oclif options, so they take aliases only.

## `eas observe:metrics-summary`

Shows per-version statistical aggregates for one or more metrics, with separate tables per platform.

```bash
# All default metrics, last 60 days, both platforms
eas observe:metrics-summary

# Single metric
eas observe:metrics-summary --metric tti

# Multiple metrics — each renders as its own table
eas observe:metrics-summary --metric tti --metric cold_launch

# Navigation metrics aggregate per version here, per route in observe:routes
eas observe:metrics-summary --metric nav_tti

# Choose which statistics to display
eas observe:metrics-summary --metric tti --stat median --stat p90 --stat eventCount

# Narrow time range and platform
eas observe:metrics-summary --metric tti --days 14 --platform ios
```

**Stat flags:** exactly `min`, `median`, `max`, `average`, `p80`, `p90`, `p99`, `eventCount`. This command takes **no aliases** — `med`, `avg`, and `count` are rejected here (they work only on `observe:routes`).

**Default stats:** `median` + `eventCount` in the table; all eight in JSON.

This command has no `--limit`, `--after`, `--app-version`, or `--update-id`. It always aggregates every version in the time range.

**Table layout:**
- One table per metric (with merged value + event count cells, e.g. `0.45s (150)`)
- Each table shows iOS and Android in separate sections
- App Version column includes build numbers in parentheses (e.g. `1.2.0 (42)`)
- Footer row per platform shows total events per metric
- **Update IDs are omitted from the table** to keep output readable when a version has many updates; they are included in the JSON output as an array per version

**JSON output shape:**
```json
{
  "versions": [
    {
      "appVersion": "1.2.0",
      "platform": "IOS",
      "buildNumbers": ["42"],
      "updateIds": ["abc-def-...", "..."],
      "metrics": {
        "expo.app_startup.tti": { "median": 0.45, "p90": 0.9, "...": "..." }
      }
    }
  ],
  "totalEventCounts": {
    "expo.app_startup.tti": { "IOS": 1234, "ANDROID": 890 }
  }
}
```

## `eas observe:metrics`

Shows individual performance metric samples, paginated. The metric is a positional argument, not a flag. If omitted and running interactively, prompts for selection; in non-interactive mode it throws an error.

```bash
# Interactive: prompts for metric
eas observe:metrics

# Specify metric as positional arg
eas observe:metrics tti

# Navigation metrics work here too
eas observe:metrics nav_tti --sort slowest

# Filter by version or update, sort by slowest
eas observe:metrics tti --app-version 1.2.0 --sort slowest --limit 20

# Pagination — pass the endCursor from the previous run
eas observe:metrics tti --after <cursor>
```

**Sample-specific flags:**
- `--sort <oldest|newest|slowest|fastest>` — defaults to `oldest`
- `--limit <N>` — samples per page (default 10, max 100)
- `--after <cursor>` — pagination cursor from the previous run
- `--app-version <version>` — filter by app version string
- `--update-id <id>` — filter by EAS update ID

**Table layout:**
- Summary header shows the metric name, time range, and total sample count across all versions (e.g. `TTI samples for the last 60 days — 1,234 total events`)
- Columns: Value, App Version (with build number), Update (only when any sample has one), Platform, Device, Country, Timestamp
- When `hasNextPage` is true, prints `Next page: --after <endCursor>` hint below the table
- JSON output also includes `sessionId`, `easClientId`, and a `customParams` object per sample

## `eas observe:routes`

Shows per-route statistical aggregates for navigation metrics (Cold TTR, Warm TTR, Nav TTI), grouped by route name with separate sections per platform.

```bash
# All three navigation metrics, default stats, last 60 days, both platforms
eas observe:routes

# Single metric, last 7 days, iOS only
eas observe:routes --metric nav_tti --days 7 --platform ios

# Multiple metrics and stats
eas observe:routes --metric nav_cold_ttr --metric nav_warm_ttr --stat median --stat p90 --stat count

# Filter to a single build
eas observe:routes --app-version 1.2.0 --build-number 42

# Narrow to specific routes (repeat the flag for multiple routes)
eas observe:routes --route-name /new --route-name /settings

# Pagination — each platform has its own cursor; pass the relevant endCursor
eas observe:routes --after <cursor>
```

**Routes-specific flags:**
- `--metric <nav_cold_ttr|nav_warm_ttr|nav_tti>` — navigation metric(s) to display, can be repeated. Defaults to all three.
- `--stat <median|p90|count>` — statistic(s) per metric. Aliases: `med` → `median`, `event_count` / `eventCount` → `count`.
- `--limit <N>` — routes per page (default **50**, max **200**, different from `metrics`/`events` which default to 10).
- `--after <cursor>` — pagination cursor from the previous run.
- `--app-version <version>` — filter by app version string.
- `--build-number <number>` — filter by app build number (routes-only).
- `--route-name <name>` — filter by route name. Repeatable; only the listed routes are returned across both platforms. Duplicates are de-duplicated; omitting the flag returns all routes.
- `--update-id <id>` — filter by EAS update ID.

**Default stats:** `median` + `count` in the table; `median`, `p90`, `count` in JSON.

**Table layout:**
- Summary header with the chosen stats and time range, e.g. `Med, P90 values (navigation count) for the last 7 days`.
- Separate iOS and Android sections.
- First column is **Route**, followed by one column per metric/stat. With both display stats and `count`, cells are merged like `0.32s (1240)`.
- Each platform has its own pagination hint: `Next page (iOS): --after <endCursor>`.

**JSON output shape:**
```json
{
  "routes": [
    {
      "routeName": "(tabs)/home",
      "platform": "IOS",
      "metrics": {
        "expo.navigation.cold_ttr": { "median": 0.32, "p90": 0.85, "count": 1240 },
        "expo.navigation.tti":       { "median": 0.55, "p90": 1.10, "count": 1240 }
      }
    }
  ],
  "pageInfoByPlatform": {
    "IOS":     { "hasNextPage": true,  "endCursor": "..." },
    "ANDROID": { "hasNextPage": false, "endCursor": null }
  }
}
```

## `eas observe:events`

Shows custom events emitted by the app via the `logEvent` API in `expo-observe`. Behavior depends on what is passed:

| Invocation | Result |
|---|---|
| `observe:events` | Summary table of available event names with counts |
| `observe:events --all-events` | Full list of events across **all** event names |
| `observe:events <event-name>` | Full list of events filtered by that event name |

```bash
# List the available custom event names and their counts (last 60 days)
eas observe:events

# All events across all names, last 7 days, iOS only
eas observe:events --all-events --days 7 --platform ios

# Only events with the given name
eas observe:events login_failed --limit 50

# Drill into a single session
eas observe:events --all-events --session-id <session-id>

# Pagination
eas observe:events login_failed --after <cursor>
```

**Events-specific flags:**
- `--all-events` — when no event name argument is given, list all events instead of the name summary. Cannot be combined with an event name argument.
- `--session-id <id>` — filter to events from a single session (events-only). With no event name argument, this lists the session's events instead of the event-name summary. For the full timeline — metrics as well as log events — use `observe:session`.
- `--app-version <version>` — filter by app version string
- `--update-id <id>` — filter by EAS update ID
- `--limit <N>` — events per page (default 10, max 100)
- `--after <cursor>` — pagination cursor

**Table layout (event listings):**
- Summary header: `<event-name> events <time range>` or `Custom events <time range>` for `--all-events`, with a total event count when available
- Columns: Timestamp, Event (only when listing across multiple names), Severity (only when at least one event in the page has a severity), App Version (with build number), Platform, Device, Country
- `Next page: --after <endCursor>` hint below the table when there is a next page

**Empty-result helper:** if a specific event name is queried and returns no events, the command prints a yellow `No events found matching "<name>"` warning followed by the available event names + counts in the same time range — useful for fixing typos.

**Truncation note:** the event-names summary may flag `Result is truncated; not all event names are shown.` when there are more names than the server returns in a single response.

**JSON output shape (event listing):**
```json
{
  "events": [
    {
      "id": "...",
      "eventName": "login_failed",
      "timestamp": "2026-...",
      "sessionId": "...",
      "severityNumber": 13,
      "severityText": "WARN",
      "properties": [{ "key": "reason", "value": "bad_password", "type": "string" }],
      "appVersion": "1.2.0",
      "appBuildNumber": "42",
      "appUpdateId": null,
      "appEasBuildId": null,
      "deviceModel": "...",
      "deviceOs": "iOS",
      "deviceOsVersion": "17.4",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "environment": "production",
      "easClientId": "..."
    }
  ],
  "pageInfo": { "hasNextPage": true, "endCursor": "..." }
}
```

The name-summary mode returns `{ "names": [{ "eventName": "...", "count": 123 }], "isTruncated": false }`.

## `eas observe:session`

Shows the full timeline of metric and log events for a single session — the CLI equivalent of the dashboard's session view. Use it after `observe:metrics` surfaces a slow sample: take that sample's `sessionId` (present in `--json` output) and replay everything that session recorded.

```bash
# Interactive: pick a metric, then pick a session from the candidate list
eas observe:session

# Inspect a known session
eas observe:session <session-id>

# Pick a session from the slowest TTI events in the last 7 days
eas observe:session --event-name tti --sort slowest --days 7
```

**Session-specific flags:**
- `[SESSIONID]` — positional. Omit it in interactive mode to choose from a list. **Required in non-interactive mode**, including under `--json`.
- `--event-name <name>` — metric or log event used to build the candidate session list (for example `tti`, `cold_launch`, `login_pressed`). Prompts when omitted in interactive mode.
- `--sort <slowest|fastest|newest|oldest>` — orders the candidate events. Prompts when omitted in interactive mode. No default, unlike `observe:metrics`.

**The picker flags and the session ID are mutually exclusive.** `--event-name`, `--sort`, `--days`, `--start`, and `--end` describe how to *find* a session, so passing any of them together with a session ID throws. Query a known session with the ID alone.

This command has no `--platform`, `--limit`, or `--after` flag. It takes the shared time-range, `--project-id`, `--json`, and `--non-interactive` flags.

**JSON output shape:**
```json
{
  "sessionId": "...",
  "metadata": { "...": "..." },
  "entries": [{ "...": "..." }],
  "hasMoreMetricEvents": false,
  "hasMoreLogEvents": false
}
```

`entries` interleaves metric and log events for the session. The two `hasMore*` flags report truncation per event kind; there is no cursor to page with.

## `eas observe:versions`

Shows app version hierarchy with build numbers, OTA update IDs, and event counts per version.

```bash
# Both platforms, last 60 days
eas observe:versions

# iOS only, last 14 days
eas observe:versions --days 14 --platform ios
```

No metric-related flags. Output shows separate iOS and Android tables with columns: **App Version, First Seen, Events, Users, Builds (count), Updates (count)**.

JSON output returns the full nested hierarchy with `buildNumbers[].easBuilds[]` and `updates[].easBuilds[]`, including `firstSeenAt`, `eventCount`, and `uniqueUserCount` at every level.

## Common Workflows

**"What are my app's startup times right now?"**
```bash
eas observe:metrics-summary --days 7 --stat median --stat p90
```

**"Which TTI samples were slowest this week?"**
```bash
eas observe:metrics tti --sort slowest --days 7 --limit 20
```

**"How fast are over-the-air updates downloading in the field?"**
```bash
eas observe:metrics-summary --metric update_download --days 7
```

**"Which screens are slowest to navigate to?"**
```bash
eas observe:routes --metric nav_tti --stat median --stat p90 --days 7
```

**"What happened during that one slow session?"**
```bash
eas observe:metrics tti --sort slowest --days 7 --json   # read sessionId from a sample
eas observe:session <session-id>
```

**"How does navigation perform on just the routes I care about?"**
```bash
eas observe:routes --route-name /home --route-name /checkout --days 7
```

**"What custom events is my app emitting?"**
```bash
eas observe:events --days 7
```

**"Show me every error event from one user's session."**
```bash
eas observe:events --all-events --session-id <session-id>
```

**"What versions of my app are in the field?"**
```bash
eas observe:versions
```

**"Show me metrics for a specific project without needing to be in the repo"**
```bash
eas observe:metrics-summary --project-id <uuid> --metric tti
```

**"Get JSON for scripting"**
```bash
eas observe:metrics-summary --metric tti --json --non-interactive
```

## Notes

- Requires the user to be logged in (`eas login`).
- When `--project-id` is provided, the command does not require running inside an EAS project directory; otherwise the project ID is read from the local `app.config` / `app.json`. If using this option, ensure that you are logged in as a user that has access to the specified project.
- `observe:metrics-summary` does not print update IDs in the table but still returns them in JSON for scripting or piping into other commands.