React Native Workshop

Organized by Tiigsi Workshops

Should you use Expo or plain React Native?

There are two popular ways to create a React Native app — you can use the Expo CLI or you can use the React Native CLI. Planning to build a cross-platform app, you may get confused between React Native or Expo.

So which one is better for the development of your app?

Expo

  • If you are new to mobile development, the easiest way to get started is with Expo Go. Expo is a set of tools and services built around React Native and, while it has many features, the most relevant feature for us right now is that it can get you writing a React Native app within minutes.

Expo is a framework to build React Native apps. It is a set with tools and services built for React Native. It will help you begin with building React Native apps with ease.

  • If you are already familiar with mobile development, you may want to use React Native CLI. It requires Xcode or Android Studio to get started. If you already have one of these tools installed, you should be able to get up and running within a few minutes. If they are not installed, you should expect to spend about an hour installing and configuring them.

macOS

  • Expo on physical device: ~10 minutes (Android or iOS)
  • Expo on iOS simulator: ~1 hour
  • Expo on Android emulator: ~1.5 hours
  • Plain React Native on physical device: ~2 hours (Android or iOS)
  • Plain React Native on iOS simulator: ~2 hours
  • Plain React Native on Android emulator: ~2 hours

Windows or Linux

  • Expo on physical device: ~20 minutes (Android or iOS)
  • Expo on iOS simulator: ❌
  • Expo on Android emulator: ~2 hours
  • Plain React Native on physical device: ~2.5 hours (Android only)
  • Plain React Native on iOS simulator: ❌
  • Plain React Native on Android emulator: ~3 hours

Expo Limitations

Expo restrictions only really come to play when you're doing advanced things with React Native. In particular, if you need to make any native changes to your code. Basically if you need to install any libraries or add anything that changes any of the non-JavaScript code or configurations. You'll have to eject from the Expo safe space and start managing all your native code yourself as you would with plain React Native.