React Native's New Architecture and Expo: What Actually Changed

React Native is a toolkit, originally from Meta, for building Android and iPhone apps using JavaScript and React. Expo is a set of tools and services built on top of it that most new React Native projects now start with. Over the past year the engine underneath React Native was replaced. This post explains the change in business terms and what to do if you own an app built on the old version.

What the New Architecture is, in one sentence

The New Architecture is a rebuilt way for the JavaScript part of an app to talk to the phone's native part, replacing an older "bridge" that passed messages back and forth one at a time. The newer design lets the two sides communicate directly, which removes a class of lag and screen flicker. Users do not see the word "architecture"; they see smoother lists, animations and gestures.

The dates that matter

According to the official React Native blog, the New Architecture became the default in version 0.76. With version 0.82, published on 8 October 2025, it became the only option: settings that tried to switch it off are ignored. The same post advised teams to first move to React Native 0.81 or Expo SDK 54, the last versions that allowed the old architecture, switch the new one on there, test, and only then upgrade further.

Version 0.84, published on 11 February 2026, began removing the old code itself. It also made Hermes V1 the default JavaScript engine on both platforms, enabled precompiled iOS binaries by default to shorten build times, and raised the minimum Node.js version to 22.11. Later releases kept the cadence: 0.85 on 7 April, 0.86 on 11 June, 0.87 on 11 August and 0.88 on 19 October 2026. Version 0.87 made the strict TypeScript API the default and raised its minimums to Android Gradle Plugin 9 and Kotlin 2.0.

Where Expo fits

Expo's own announcement says SDK 54 was the last release to support the old architecture, and SDK 55 and later support only the new one. Expo SDK 56, released on 21 May 2026, is built on React Native 0.85 with React 19.2. It requires iOS 16.4 or higher and Xcode 26.4 or higher for building, and it supports Android 7 or higher.

The headline items in the SDK 56 changelog are practical rather than flashy: precompiled iOS modules to cut clean build times, a stable Expo UI layer that uses native SwiftUI on iPhone and Jetpack Compose on Android, and smaller over-the-air updates through bytecode diffing. Over-the-air updates let you push small fixes to an installed app without a new Play Store release, within the rules of the stores.

One known issue is worth knowing about. The SDK 56 notes warn of a memory regression with Hermes V1 in apps that use the Reanimated or Worklets animation libraries, and say SDK 57 resolves it. If your app is animation-heavy, your developer should test memory use before upgrading.

What this means if you already own a React Native app

The risk is not that your app stops working tomorrow. It is that you fall behind and the eventual jump becomes large and expensive. Three situations are common:

• Your app is on 0.76 or newer and runs fine. You are already on the new architecture. Plan a routine upgrade within the next few months, mainly to meet newer Android and Xcode requirements.
• Your app is on 0.72–0.75. This is the risky band. Libraries your app depends on may not yet support the new architecture, and the upgrade is a project, not a patch.
• Your app was built several years ago and nobody has touched it. A rebuild of the affected screens may cost less than a chain of upgrades. Get an assessment first.

An upgrade checklist you can hand to your developer

1. Record the current React Native or Expo SDK version and the list of third-party libraries.
2. Check each library's documentation for new architecture support, and note replacements for any that are abandoned.
3. Upgrade in steps, not in one jump, and switch the new architecture on before changing the SDK version.
4. Test on a few real, older Android phones as well as a recent iPhone, since many Indian customers use mid-range devices.
5. Keep the previous release available so you can roll back if a store build misbehaves.

Should a new project choose React Native?

It remains a strong option when your team or developer already thinks in React, or when you want a web app and a mobile app to share some code. Expo makes the first build and the testing process much quicker. The trade-off is the same as for every cross-platform tool: you depend on the framework's upgrade cycle. Our guide Flutter vs React Native vs Native Android compares the options, and the glossary entry on cross-platform apps explains the basic idea.

VS Tech Builders builds React Native and Flutter apps alongside native Kotlin apps. We pick per project, and we hand over full source code and accounts at the end so any studio can maintain the app afterwards. You can read more on our hybrid app development page, or send us your existing app's details for an upgrade assessment. For budgeting the ongoing work, see app maintenance in India.

Sources

Checked on 3 November 2026. Technology changes quickly; always confirm details with the official source before you act on them.

• Blog · React Native — React Native (reactnative.dev)
• React Native 0.82 - A New Era — React Native (reactnative.dev)
• React Native 0.84 - Hermes V1 by Default — React Native (reactnative.dev)
• Expo SDK 56 — Expo (expo.dev)
• How to upgrade to Expo SDK 56 — Expo (expo.dev)

Frequently asked questions

Is the old React Native architecture still supported?

No. Since React Native 0.82, published in October 2025, the New Architecture is the only one that runs, and settings to turn it off are ignored. Version 0.84 started removing the old code. Apps still on older versions keep working, but each future upgrade becomes harder the longer you wait.

Do I have to use Expo for a React Native app?

No, but most new projects start with it because it speeds up builds, testing and updates. A plain React Native setup is still possible and sometimes chosen when an app needs unusual native code. Ask your developer which route they propose and why, and make sure you receive the full source code either way.

Will the New Architecture make my app faster?

It can make lists, gestures and animations feel smoother, mainly because messages no longer queue through the old bridge. The size of the gain depends on how the app was written. It is not a substitute for good design, and badly optimised screens will still feel slow.

How often should a React Native app be upgraded?

React Native releases roughly every two months and Expo several times a year, but you do not need to follow every release. A sensible rhythm for a business app is one planned upgrade every six to twelve months, plus urgent fixes when Google Play or Apple raises its requirements.