Upgrading React Native
Overview
Covers the full React Native upgrade workflow: template diffs via Upgrade Helper, dependency updates, Expo SDK steps, and common pitfalls.
Typical Upgrade Sequence
- Route: Choose the right upgrade path via upgrading-react-native.md
- Diff: Fetch the canonical template diff using Upgrade Helper via upgrade-helper-core.md
- Dependencies: Assess and update third-party packages via upgrading-dependencies.md
- React: Align React version if upgraded via react.md
- Expo (if applicable): Apply Expo SDK layer via expo-sdk-upgrade.md
- Verify: Run post-upgrade checks via upgrade-verification.md
# Quick start: detect current version and fetch diff
npm pkg get dependencies.react-native --prefix "$APP_DIR"
npm view react-native dist-tags.latest
# Example: upgrading from 0.76.9 to 0.78.2
# 1. Fetch the template diff
curl -L -f -o /tmp/rn-diff.diff \
"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/react-native-community/rn-diff-purge/diffs/diffs/0.76.9..0.78.2.diff" \
&& echo "Diff downloaded OK" || echo "ERROR: diff not found, check versions"
# 2. Review changed files
grep -n "^diff --git" /tmp/rn-diff.diff
# 3. Update package.json, apply native changes, then install + rebuild
npm install --prefix "$APP_DIR"
cd "$APP_DIR/ios" && pod install
# 4. Validate: both platforms must build successfully
npx react-native build-android --mode debug --no-packager
xcodebuild -workspace "$APP_DIR/ios/App.xcworkspace" -scheme App -sdk iphonesimulator build
When to Apply
Reference these guidelines when:
- Moving a React Native app to a newer version
- Reconciling native config changes from Upgrade Helper
- Validating release notes for breaking changes
Quick Reference
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| upgrading-react-native.md | Router: choose the right upgrade path |
| upgrade-helper-core.md | Core Upgrade Helper workflow and reliability gates |
| upgrading-dependencies.md | Dependency compatibility checks and migration planning |
| react.md | React and React 19 upgrade alignment rules |
| expo-sdk-upgrade.md | Expo SDK-specific upgrade layer (conditional) |
| upgrade-verification.md | Post-upgrade verification checklist, including agent-device-assisted checks |
| monorepo-singlerepo-targeting.md | Monorepo and single-repo app targeting and command scoping |
Problem → Skill Mapping
| Problem | Start With |
|---|---|
| Need to upgrade React Native | upgrade-helper-core.md |
| Need dependency risk triage and migration options | upgrading-dependencies.md |
| Need React/React 19 package alignment | react.md |
| Need workflow routing first | upgrading-react-native.md |
| Need Expo SDK-specific steps | expo-sdk-upgrade.md |
| Need manual or agent-assisted regression validation | upgrade-verification.md |
| Need repo/app command scoping | monorepo-singlerepo-targeting.md |