2025-10-27 · #8
React Native Weekly #8 Solito 5, liquid-glass 0.5.0, Expo UI and more
Solito 5 Is Here#
Solito version 5 has been released. Solito unifies the router (navigation) between Expo Router (React Navigation) and Next.js’s router.
The dependency on react-native-web has been removed, and whereas previously a Link component wrapping next/link was provided, now the pure next/link is exposed directly. As a result, the Link component’s props on Web — which were previously limited — now support all props available in next/link.
Introducing Solito 5: A simplified way to share code between Next.js and React Native. → Pure Next.js on Web → react-native-web dependency dropped → Next.js 16 support → Expo 54 starter monorepo yarn add solito
Release notes → solito.dev/v5 (I wrote these on a plane without WiFi or AI.)
This approach is the outcome of implementing the library’s API in a Web-first manner (using index.tsx for Web and index.native.tsx for native). If you’re building libraries or applications that target both native and Web, it’s well worth reading through this thinking.
Upgrade to Solito 5 | SolitoSolito 5 drops react-native-web as a dependency. It now works with zero special configuration on Web. On iOS and Android, nothing has changed.solito.dev
@callstack/liquid-glass 0.5.0 Released#
Version 0.5.0 of @callstack/liquid-glass — which brings the Liquid Glass effect to React Native — has been published. It leverages the new border radius APIs from iOS 26 and can render in a way that’s compatible with Zeego, a context menu library.
New version of @callstack/liquid-glass has been released! This one makes use of the new iOS 26 API for border radius, making it compatible with context menus from Zeego 🔥 You can now achieve this awesome merge effect ⬇️
react-native-live-activity in Development?#
A developer from the familiar Callstack team appears to be working on a new library for handling Live Activities in React Native. Until now, implementing out-of-app UI like Live Activities in React Native required writing SwiftUI. This library lets you build Live Activity UI entirely in React Native — without SwiftUI — and apparently supports Fast Refresh too. Once it’s released, implementing Live Activities in React Native should become a whole lot easier!
I finally decided to try out an idea I had a while ago - using a custom React renderer to power Live Activities through React Native. And you know what? It actually works pretty well. Fast refresh is there too!
Detents Support Coming to React Native’s Modal?#
A Pull Request has been opened to allow setting detents on React Native’s Modal component, enabling sheet modals to be displayed at arbitrary heights. A similar PR was submitted before but was closed due to performance issues. Recent improvements to React Native’s APIs appear to have resolved those concerns, prompting the PR to be reopened.
I've been looking forward to this feature being added in React Native for a while now 👀 Thanks to some recent improvements with synchronous state updates it's now possible to make modal resizing buttery smooth 🧈 So.. I've opened a PR implementing modal detents ⬇️
React Native Gesture Handler 2.29.0#
React Native Gesture Handler 2.29.0 has been released. This update is primarily focused on bug fixes.
React Native Gesture Handler 2.29.0 has landed 🫰 ✔️ Fixed ReanimatedSwipeable crashes ✔️ Resolved edge cases where Pressables stopped responding ✔️ Gestures now properly trigger callbacks on iOS 26 Full changelog 🧵👇
expo-drawpad 0.3.0 Released#
expo-drawpad 0.3.0, which provides a drawing-tool-style UI, has been published. This release adds support for gradients, brushes, SVG export, and smooth curves.
v0.3.0 of expo-drawpad just dropped🎨 added gradients, brushes, SVG export & smoother curves feels way better now:) twitter.com/S0LARIN/status/195…
react-native-get-random-values v2.0.0#
Version 2.0.0 of react-native-get-random-values — which brings crypto.getRandomValues to React Native — has been released. The library now supports New Architecture only, and support for visionOS has also been added.
react-native-get-random-values v2.0.0 now supports the New Architecture! (the only architecture 😉) Also, Linus casually sneaked in visionOS support - a PR that I sent 2y ago 😂 nice!
A CLAUDE.md Example for Building Expo Modules#
Expo developer Evan Bacon has shared an example CLAUDE.md for iOS when developing Expo Modules. Using it, he was reportedly able to create a module to replace react-native-view-shot in under two minutes.
👀 Here's my go-to Claude Code workflow for using Swift in @Expo: Step 1: npx create-expo-module --local Step 2: touch modules/CLAUDE.md Step 3: Add the iOS section
Where Expo UI Fits In#
Apologies for the self-promotion, but I published an article on my company’s tech blog introducing Expo UI and discussing where it makes sense to use it. If you’re curious about Expo UI, give it a read!
React NativeでSwiftUIやJetpack Composeを使う！Expo UIの基本と使いどころZenn
One More Thing#
Personally, the Solito 5 news was a great learning moment for me. I work with React Native and Web in a monorepo and share components between them, so the idea that creating a Web-first index.ts means the bundler doesn’t need any special Web-specific configuration really clicked — makes total sense when you think about it!