2026-06-01 · #31
React Native Weekly #31 Expo Desktop Announced, Swift Package Manager Support, Evan Bacon Leaves Expo and more
App.js Conf 2026 Held#
“App.js Conf 2026,” the global React Native / Expo conference, was held in Kraków, Poland. Many of this week’s topics tie directly to announcements made at the conference, including SPM support, Gesture Handler 3.0, Legend List 3.0, and Expo Desktop — a wave of impactful releases across the entire ecosystem.
Let’s start the first day of App.js conf! 🥳 @kzzzf just took the stage for the Software Mansion Keynote with a look at where the React Native ecosystem is heading and the role we play in shaping it. 👀
I’ve put together session-by-session notes in my Zenn scraps:
- Day 1: https://zenn.dev/kazutoyo/scraps/05a1faff93abce
- Day 2: https://zenn.dev/kazutoyo/scraps/f7df15ab380693
React Native Adds Swift Package Manager Support#
With CocoaPods going read-only and effectively unavailable this December, React Native is moving ahead with a migration from CocoaPods to Swift Package Manager (SPM).
At App.js Conf, a session introduced a npx react-native spm command that handles the migration from CocoaPods to SPM.
Goodbye pods! SPM support explained by @chrfalch and @CipolleschiR at @appjsconf Can’t wait to start using it!
Straight from our scene: the RFC for Swift package manager for React Native iOS projects is open 👇 github.com/chrfalch/discussion… twitter.com/Danny_H_W/status/2…
React NativeのSPM対応のRFC github.com/chrfalch/discussion…
Expo Desktop Announced#
At App.js Conf, birch_js announced “Expo Desktop” — a way to build desktop apps with Expo. It was unveiled during a session titled “React Native Beyond the Phone” and has been generating a lot of buzz in the community.
We just got @expo desktop from @birch_js at @appjsconf! ⚛️🚀
NativeScript Now Available in React Native#
A preview has been released that lets NativeScript run as a Turbo Module inside React Native, available as the @nativescript/react-native package and callable directly from React Native code.
This enables access to arbitrary native APIs, defining custom UIKit Views, and applying custom effects via Metal.
What if you had access to all native APIs in React Native? Defining custom UIKit views anywhere you want, using cutting edge platform APIs, or adding custom effects to your views using Metal We've published a preview of NativeScript compiled as a RN TurboModule using JSI. We'd twitter.com/NativeScript/statu…
Use NativeScript in React Native right now 📲 @nativescript/react-native 🤙 @appjsconf
Expo Router v56: Forking React Navigation#
Expo Router v56 is the biggest release since the library launched, and it includes an internal fork of React Navigation to give the team greater control. This is said to unlock feature expansions that were previously difficult to achieve. Full details are available in the blog post.
🚀 Expo Router v56 comes with the biggest shift to the library since it launched. You've probably already read about us forking React Navigation. In the blog below you'll get all the details but essentially we needed to fork in order to control/tune the internals. This unlocks
Reanimated 4.4.0: CSS Animation Offloading to Core Animation on iOS#
Reanimated 4.4.0 introduces offloading of supported animations to Core Animation on iOS, with a demo showing improvement from 25 FPS to 120 FPS on the UI thread. If you’re already using the Reanimated CSS API, you get this benefit with no code changes required.
The release also includes Animation Backend integration behind a flag, a new useTimestamp hook, and precompiled header support to reduce C++ build times on Android.
Reanimated 4.4.0 is here and it can push CSS animations straight to Core Animation on iOS! ✨ What else? Animation Backend integration (behind a flag), useTimestamp hook, and precompiled headers cutting C++ build times on Android. Check out the demo with 25 vs 120 FPS on the UI
Reanimated now offloads supported animations to Core Animation on iOS improving perf and framerate in many common scenarios. Best thing: if you're using reanimated CSS API you don't have to do anything to benefit from this change. That's the power of a good abstraction twitter.com/swmansion/status/2…
React Native Gesture Handler 3.0 Reaches Stable#
Timed with the App.js Conf keynote, React Native Gesture Handler 3.0 has been officially released as stable. Developed by Software Mansion, it includes a hooks-based API compatible with React Compiler and deep integration with Reanimated.
Our App.js keynote has finished, so we can officially spill the beans also here 📣 React Native Gesture Handler 3.0 is now officially stable, offering a hook-based API compatible with the React Compiler, deep Reanimated integration, the new recommended way to build buttons, and
Legend List 3.0: Nearly 1,000 Commits Since v2#
Legend List 3.0 has been released, adding React DOM support, KeyboardAwareLegendList for chat and AI apps, and Reanimated item transitions. This release comes after nearly 1,000 commits since v2.
Legend List 3.0 is here! 🎉 ✨ React DOM support ✨ Even faster, more stable ✨ Perfect initial scroll ✨ KeyboardAwareLegendList for chat and AI apps ✨ Reanimated item transitions ✨ So much more! It’s been almost 1,000 commits since v2, super excited to finally release it!
React Native Screens 5.0 Coming Soon#
App.js Conf teased the upcoming release of React Native Screens 5.0. It is expected to include improved state management via a new stack implementation, more reliable view lifecycle events, and support for Android’s predictive back gesture.
React Native Screens 5.0 coming soon! The new stack will bring better state management, reliable view lifecycle events, predictive back gestures, and more! Stay tuned 🤩
TypeGPU CLI Released#
At App.js Conf, iwoplaza announced the TypeGPU CLI — a command-line tool designed to improve the developer experience for TypeGPU, which enables type-safe GPU programming in React Native and on the web.
TypeGPU CLI just announced by @iwoplaza. Have fun using it! docs.swmansion.com/TypeGPU/
Expo MCP Server Now Available on Free Plan#
Expo MCP Server is now available to all Expo accounts. It’s being used to surface official Expo documentation and SDK guidance directly in editors via AI coding assistants, strengthening integration with AI agents.
📚 The Expo MCP Server is now available on the Free plan ✍️ @kudochien expo.dev/changelog/the-expo-mc…
Apex: An AI Model Fine-Tuned for React Native Development#
Callstack has opened early access to “Apex,” an AI model fine-tuned specifically for React Native development. Combined with their agent-device and React Native itself, it enables agent-driven development throughout the mobile development workflow. A demo showed a per-minute execution cost of just $0.008876, highlighting its low operational cost.
there's something magical in using the tools your team ships: → Apex: an AI model fine-tuned for React Native dev → agent-device: mobile verification for AI agents → React Native: best mobile cross-platform lib Cost of Apex running this flow for 1 minute: $0.008876
8-Year-Old Android Crash Bug Fixed#
A React Native bug that had been crashing Android apps for 8 years — java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: invalid pointerIndex -1 for MotionEvent — has finally been fixed.
React Native bug that's been crashing Android apps for 8 years 💥 𝚓𝚊𝚟𝚊.𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚐.𝙸𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚕𝙰𝚛𝚐𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝙴𝚡𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗: 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝙸𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚡 -𝟷 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙼𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝 Now it's fixed! github.com/facebook/react-nati…
Performance Issue in useWindowDimensions() to Be Fixed#
After jmeistrich pointed out a performance issue with useWindowDimensions() at App.js Conf, the React Native team has a fix ready to merge.
Big thanks to @jmeistrich for highlighting the 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗗𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀() perf. issue at @appjsconf 👏 Now the #reactnative team can merge the fix! 🎉 Link: github.com/facebook/react-nati…
Evan Bacon Leaves Expo#
Evan Bacon, who joined Expo at age 19 and spent 9 years with the company, has announced his departure. Having been involved since Expo’s earliest days, his exit has resonated widely across the community.
After 9 years, I just finished my last week at Expo. Started working on it when I was 19, and it's been the center of my life ever since. Incredibly grateful to the team and community we built along the way!
One More Thing#
What a week — App.js Conf announcements just kept coming! SPM support, Expo Desktop, NativeScript as a Turbo Module… so many releases that really give you a sense of where React Native is headed!
And then there’s the news that Evan Bacon, who played such a huge role in Expo’s growth, has left the company. It came out of nowhere and was genuinely surprising. I’m really curious to see what he does next!