The React Native new architecture is a major update that has been in development since 2018 and is now enabled by default in new React Native applications. This update brings significant improvements to how React Native works under the hood.
Key Benefits
- Improved Performance: The new architecture replaces the old bridge system with JavaScript Interface (JSI), eliminating serialization overhead when communicating between JavaScript and native code
- Support for Modern React Features: Enables the use of React 18/19 features like Suspense, data fetching transitions, and other newer React APIs
- Synchronous Layout Effects: Provides better support for layout-related operations
New Architecture in Expo
When using Expo (SDK 52 or newer), the new architecture is automatically enabled and managed for you. You don't need to do any additional configuration. All Expo modules and packages are compatible with the new architecture and work across Android, iOS, and in some cases, web platforms.
Expo Modules
Expo provides an API for creating native modules that work with the new architecture. This allows developers to:
- Create custom native functionality exposed through JavaScript
- Build modules that are compatible with the new architecture
- Share modules with other developers through publication
For more detailed information about the new architecture, you can refer to the official React Native documentation.