Put a live app demo in your developer portfolio

Most mobile portfolios are screenshots, a screen recording and a GitHub link. They show that an app exists. They don’t let anyone feel how it scrolls, how fast the search is or what happens when you mistype a password, which is exactly what a hiring manager is trying to judge. And an app that never shipped to a store, or was pulled from it, is usually reduced to a video.

A live demo changes the question from “watch this” to “try it”.

1. Make the build interview-proof

Whoever opens your demo has none of your setup, so the build has to run on its own:

For React Native or Expo, upload a release build, or a simulator build with the JavaScript bundled in. A debug build that waits for Metro will show an error screen.
For iOS, upload a simulator .app; for Android, an .apk.
Point it at a backend that will stay up. If the original backend is gone, a version with seeded demo data is worth the hour it takes.
If the app has a sign-in, create a demo account and put the credentials next to the link, or add a “try as guest” path.

Open the build on the Devices page with your dev server stopped. If it works there, it works for the person on the other end.

2. A link for your CV and portfolio

Open the app, go to the Share tab and click Share this app, then choose Send a link:

Build: Pin to a build, so the demo stays on the version you are proud of.
Device models: the phone the app looks best on; add a tablet and turn on Let visitors choose the device if it has a tablet layout.
Max session duration: a few minutes is plenty for a reviewer, and it keeps your streaming minutes predictable.
Max concurrent sessions: a small number, for the same reason.

Put the URL on your CV, in each project’s write-up and in your LinkedIn featured section. Anyone who opens it sees a Tap to Start screen with your app’s name and icon, then the app itself on a live device. It works from a phone browser too, which matters when a recruiter opens your CV on the train.

Every visit uses your plan’s streaming minutes. That is why the duration and concurrency limits are worth setting on a link that sits on a public CV.

3. An embed on your portfolio site

On Team and Business you can put the live app directly on your portfolio page instead of linking out. Create an embed under Sharing (Share an app → Embed on a website), add your portfolio’s domain as an allowed domain, and paste the iframe snippet next to the project description. A visitor taps the device and uses the app without leaving your page. On Team, one domain covers your portfolio and its subdomains.

The embed reports events such as a session starting to the page around it, so you can count how many visitors actually tried the app, not just how many loaded the page. The embed guide shows the snippet and the event listener.

4. In the interview

In a live technical interview, start a session yourself, click Collaborate and send the interviewer a Can control link in the call chat. They open it in their browser and drive the app while you explain what is happening underneath. It beats sharing your screen: there is no lag on the device, and they choose where to tap.

If you are asked to walk through code, keep your editor on screen share and the app in the collaboration link side by side. For a React Native project, vibeview dev connects the cloud device to your local Metro server, so a change you make during the conversation shows up on the device in about a second.

What it shows that a video can’t

Responsiveness. How the app feels under a real thumb, not an edited recording.
Edge cases. The reviewer can type nonsense into your form and see your validation.
Platform range. An Apple TV or Android TV app runs too, driven with the arrow keys, which is rare enough in a portfolio to stand out.

Frequently asked questions

Does the hiring manager need an account? No. The link opens in a browser with no sign-in.

What if my app was removed from the App Store? Upload the simulator build and it runs as before. The demo depends on your build and its backend, not on a store listing.

Can I show the same project on iOS and Android? Yes, with a link for each platform’s build.

Will strangers use up my minutes? They can if the link is public. Set a max session duration, a concurrency limit and an expiry date, and regenerate the link if it ends up somewhere you didn’t intend.