What is Expo?

Expo is the complete platform for building, deploying, and updating React Native applications. Rather than dealing with Xcode, Android Studio, CocoaPods, and Gradle directly, Expo abstracts all of that complexity behind a managed toolchain. You write React Native code; Expo handles the native infrastructure.

Expo is the recommended starting point for new React Native projects as of the official React Native documentation. It’s not a separate framework — it’s a layer on top of React Native that makes the developer experience dramatically better.

Managed vs Bare Workflow

Managed Workflow

In the managed workflow, Expo controls the native layer. You never touch android/ or ios/ directories. All native functionality comes through Expo SDK modules.

npx create-expo-app MyApp
cd MyApp
npx expo start   # Opens Expo Go on your device

Best for: New projects, solo developers, teams without native iOS/Android expertise.

Bare Workflow

In the bare workflow, you have full access to native project files alongside Expo tools. You can use any React Native library, write custom native modules, and still benefit from EAS Build and EAS Update.

npx create-expo-app MyApp --template bare-minimum

Best for: Projects needing native modules not in Expo SDK, or migrating existing React Native projects.

Expo SDK Modules

The Expo SDK is a collection of high-quality, maintained native modules. Key highlights:

Module	Functionality
expo-camera	Camera access with barcode scanning
expo-location	GPS with background tracking
expo-notifications	Push notifications (APNs + FCM)
expo-image-picker	Photo library and camera picker
expo-av	Audio and video playback
expo-secure-store	Keychain/Keystore secure storage
expo-file-system	File read/write access
expo-sqlite	SQLite database
expo-in-app-purchases	iOS/Android IAP
expo-haptics	Haptic feedback

All modules have consistent APIs across iOS and Android, are actively maintained by the Expo team, and are tested with the current Expo SDK version.

EAS: Expo Application Services

EAS is Expo’s cloud build and deployment infrastructure:

EAS Build

Cloud-based iOS and Android builds. Run eas build and Expo’s servers compile your native app — iOS included, without needing a Mac locally.

npm install -g eas-cli
eas login
eas build:configure
eas build --platform all

EAS Build handles provisioning profiles, signing certificates, and keystores automatically.

EAS Submit

Submit your built apps directly to the App Store and Google Play from the command line:

eas submit --platform ios
eas submit --platform android

EAS Update

Push JavaScript/TypeScript code changes to users instantly without App Store review. Only JS bundle updates are supported (no native code changes):

eas update --branch production --message "Fix checkout bug"

Users get the update on next app launch (or background). This is a game-changer for fixing critical bugs without waiting 1-3 days for App Store approval.

expo-router: File-Based Routing

expo-router brings Next.js-style file-based routing to React Native. Create files in the app/ directory and they become routes:

app/
  _layout.tsx      # Root layout (like RootLayout in Next.js)
  index.tsx        # / route
  profile.tsx      # /profile route
  (tabs)/
    _layout.tsx    # Tab navigator
    home.tsx       # /home tab
    settings.tsx   # /settings tab
  users/
    [id].tsx       # /users/:id (dynamic route)

This dramatically reduces navigation boilerplate compared to manually configuring React Navigation stacks.

Expo vs Bare React Native: When to Choose Each

Scenario	Recommendation
New project, no native requirements	Expo Managed
Need a native module not in Expo SDK	Expo Bare or eject
Team has no iOS/Android experience	Expo Managed
Need maximum app store optimization	Expo Bare
Rapid prototyping / MVP	Expo Managed
Existing bare React Native project	Add Expo modules selectively

Getting Started

# Create new Expo app
npx create-expo-app@latest MyApp

# Start development server
npx expo start

# Scan QR code with Expo Go app on your phone
# Or press 'i' for iOS Simulator, 'a' for Android Emulator

For most new React Native projects in 2026, starting with Expo managed workflow is the right call. You can always eject to bare workflow later if you hit a wall — but most apps never need to.

Expo — The Easiest Way to Build React Native Apps

✅ Pros

⚠️ Cons