expo-56

Expo SDK 56

Verified against the live Expo docs and the SDK 56 changelog as of 2026-05-22. Bundled native-dep versions below (reanimated 4.3.1, screens 4.25.1, React 19.2.3, etc.) are SDK 56.0 pins — re-verify against npx expo install --fix output after any SDK patch/minor bump, since these references are a point-in-time snapshot.

Verification status (spot-check 2026-05-22): Independently re-confirmed against live docs — core versions (RN 0.85.2, React 19.2.3, Hermes v1, Node ≥20.19.4), expo-contacts (Contact.getAllDetails / ContactField / ContactsSortOrder), expo-file-system (async copy/move + *Sync + File/Directory/Paths), and expo-widgets (createWidget / updateTimeline). Not yet confirmed: the expo-type-information package name and its module-interface / inline-modules-interface / short-module-interface command names — the capability (CLI TypeScript generation for inline modules with watch mode) is documented, but these exact names were not found on npm or the docs index. Treat them as unverified; check npx <pkg> --help / the live inline-modules reference before relying on them. SDK 56 was in beta at this date, so some package versions/APIs may still shift before stable.

This skill covers both building new SDK 56 apps with correct, current APIs and migrating existing apps from SDK 55. SDK 56 shipped many breaking changes and new defaults that postdate model training — treat the bundled references/ files as ground truth and consult them before writing non-trivial code. Don't rely on memory for Expo APIs; verify against the relevant reference.

Why this matters

Several SDK 56 APIs are new or breaking versus what most React Native knowledge assumes:

• expo/fetch is now the default globalThis.fetch.
• expo-file-system copy()/move() are now async; the whole module moved to an object-oriented File/Directory/Paths API.
• expo-router no longer depends on React Navigation.
• expo-av is removed — use expo-video + expo-audio.
• Calendar / Contacts / MediaLibrary were redesigned (old APIs deprecated, importable only from /legacy).
• @expo/vector-icons is deprecated in favor of scoped @react-native-vector-icons/*.

If you write code from memory for any of these, it will likely be wrong. Check the reference.

Quick facts (SDK 56)

Thing	Value
React Native	0.85
React	19.2 (index pins 19.2.3)
JS engine	Hermes v1 (default; opt out useHermesV1: false in expo-build-properties)
New Architecture	Mandatory — no opt-out
Node.js	≥ 20.19.4
Xcode	≥ 26.4
iOS / tvOS min	16.4 (macOS 13.4)
TypeScript	6.0.3
New project	npx create-expo-app@latest --template default@sdk-56
Upgrade	npx expo install expo@^56.0.0 --fix then npx expo-doctor@latest
Expo Go	Not on App Store / Play Store for SDK 56 — install via CLI / TestFlight beta / eas go (see references/19)

Key bundled native dep versions: reanimated 4.3.1 (needs react-native-worklets), gesture-handler ~2.31.1 (use the Gesture.Pan() builder API), screens 4.25.1, safe-area-context ~5.7.0, svg 15.15.4. Details in references/17.

How to use this skill

1. Identify the topic of the user's task.
2. Open the matching reference file(s) from the routing table below — read the relevant section, not the whole file. Most files use numbered H2 sections (## 1., ## 2., …); a few (07, 12, 17, 20) use descriptive un-numbered H2 headings instead. Either way, grep the file's ^## headings first and jump to the one you need rather than reading top-to-bottom — several references run 700–1050 lines.
3. For migrations, also read the Migration checklist section below and the per-topic "what changed in SDK 56" / "Migration" sections inside each reference.
4. Write code using the verbatim signatures and import paths from the reference. When a reference flags a discrepancy (see "Known discrepancies" below), prefer the reference's note and verify against the live docs if it's load-bearing.

Routing table

Read the file whose domain matches the task, then jump to the relevant H2 section (see step 2 above on how sections are organized) rather than reading the whole file.

If the task involves…	Read
Versions, environment/tooling requirements, New Architecture, creating a project, upgrading to 56, the top-level breaking-change & codemod list	references/01-core-setup-upgrade.md
Routing, navigation, <Stack>/<Tabs>/<Link>, layouts, typed routes, API routes, React Navigation removal + codemod, native stack v5, streaming SSR, data loaders, SuspenseFallback	references/02-expo-router.md
@expo/ui (SwiftUI / Jetpack Compose), universal components, native components, datetimepicker/bottom-sheet drop-in replacements	references/03-expo-ui.md
Authoring native modules, the Module DSL, inline modules, expo-type-information, create-expo-module, type-safe config plugins	references/04-expo-modules-api.md
Expo CLI flags, Metro config, on-demand filesystem, Node watcher vs Watchman, tree-shaking, env vars, TypeScript 6/7, import.meta	references/05-cli-metro-bundling.md
expo-file-system (File/Directory/Paths, upload/download tasks, async copy/move) and expo/fetch networking	references/06-filesystem-networking.md
Redesigned expo-calendar, expo-contacts, expo-media-library; expo-audio useAudioStream; expo-haptics; expo-asset GLB	references/07-media-device-apis.md
expo-sqlite (blobs, changesets), expo-updates / EAS Update + Hermes bytecode diffing, Convex integration	references/08-sqlite-updates-convex.md
<StatusBar>, <NavigationBar>, iOS Widgets (expo-widgets), expo-dev-client updates, vector-icons migration	references/09-system-ui-components.md
iOS/Android build performance, EAS Build precompiled artifacts, brownfield/native integration (multipleFrameworks), AGENTS.md/CLAUDE.md scaffolding	references/10-eas-build-brownfield.md
expo-camera, expo-image, expo-image-picker, expo-image-manipulator, expo-gl, expo-video-thumbnails	references/11-camera-visual-media.md
expo-video, expo-audio (playback/recording), expo-av removal/migration, expo-screen-capture	references/12-video-audio-playback.md
expo-auth-session, expo-secure-store, expo-local-authentication, expo-crypto, expo-apple-authentication, expo-web-browser, Router auth pattern (Stack.Protected)	references/13-auth-security.md
expo-notifications, push setup, FCM/APNs credentials, expo-task-manager, expo-background-task, expo-device, expo-application	references/14-notifications-background.md
expo-location, expo-sensors, expo-screen-orientation, expo-brightness, expo-battery, expo-cellular, expo-network	references/15-location-sensors.md
app.json/app.config.[js,ts] schema, config plugins, app icons & splash, expo-build-properties, expo-constants, expo-system-ui, expo-splash-screen, expo-font, expo-linking, expo-localization	references/16-app-config-foundational.md
react-native-reanimated, react-native-gesture-handler, react-native-screens, react-native-safe-area-context, react-native-svg + bundled versions	references/17-animation-gesture-deps.md
eas.json, EAS Build profiles, internal distribution, credentials, EAS Submit, EAS Update channels/branches, EAS Workflows, EAS Metadata, EAS env vars	references/18-eas-full-workflow.md
Development builds, debugging tools, unit testing (jest-expo), E2E (Maestro), Expo Go SDK 56 install path	references/19-dev-workflow-testing.md
expo-maps, web support / output modes (single/static/server), expo-clipboard/sharing/print/mail-composer/sms/store-review/tracking-transparency/blur/linear-gradient	references/20-maps-web-utilities.md

If a task spans multiple domains (e.g. "build a screen that records audio and uploads it"), read each relevant file.

Migration checklist (SDK 55 → 56)

When upgrading an existing app, work through this. Full detail in references/01 §7 and the per-topic "Migration" sections.

1. Bump & fix deps: npx expo install expo@^56.0.0 --fix, then npx expo-doctor@latest. Confirm tooling minimums (Node ≥20.19.4, Xcode ≥26.4, iOS ≥16.4).
2. Expo Router → no React Navigation: run npx expo-codemod sdk-56-expo-router-react-navigation-replace src. Maps @react-navigation/* imports to expo-router/*. See references/02 §1.
3. Vector icons: run npx @react-native-vector-icons/codemod; migrate @expo/vector-icons → scoped @react-native-vector-icons/*. The expo package no longer pulls in @expo/vector-icons. See references/09 §4.
4. expo/fetch is now default fetch: audit code relying on RN fetch quirks; opt out with EXPO_PUBLIC_USE_RN_FETCH=1 if needed. See references/06 §6.
5. expo-file-system: copy()/move() are now async (use copySync()/moveSync() for old behavior); migrate to the new File/Directory/Paths API. See references/06 §1 & §7.
6. expo-av removed: migrate Video → expo-video, Audio → expo-audio. See references/12.
7. Calendar / Contacts / MediaLibrary: old APIs deprecated and only importable from /legacy (throw at runtime otherwise); adopt the redesigned object-oriented APIs. See references/07.
8. Notifications: foreground handler now uses shouldShowBanner/shouldShowList (not shouldShowAlert); expo-background-fetch → expo-background-task. See references/14.
9. DOM WebView: @expo/dom-webview is the default (no longer needs react-native-webview).
10. Hermes v1: default engine; opt out via useHermesV1: false in expo-build-properties only if you hit issues.
11. Reanimated 4: now requires the separate react-native-worklets package. See references/17.

Known discrepancies (read before trusting a single source)

These were flagged while compiling the references because the live docs lagged the SDK 56 changelog. When one is load-bearing, verify against the current docs page:

• android.usePrecompiledHeaders: named in the changelog but not surfaced on the live expo-build-properties page; closest documented keys are usePrecompiledModules / buildReactNativeFromSource. (references/16 §5, references/10 §2)
• gesture-handler API: the live docs render a newer 3.x usePanGesture() hook, but SDK 56 pins 2.31.x whose canonical API is the Gesture.Pan() builder. Use the builder API. (references/17)
• expo-type-information / typegen CLI: references/04 documents this as the package + module-interface / inline-modules-interface / short-module-interface commands for auto-generating TypeScript from Swift/Kotlin native modules. The capability is real and documented (CLI typegen for inline modules, watch mode), but as of the 2026-05-22 spot-check the exact package name and command names could not be confirmed on npm or the docs index. Before instructing the user, verify the installed package and run npx <pkg> --help; do not present the names as certain.
• Some changelog-only items (EAS per-step timing, "EAS Observe coming soon") have no dedicated docs page yet. (references/10, references/18)

Conventions when generating code

• Use TypeScript and file-based routing (expo-router) unless the user's project clearly does otherwise.
• Install packages with npx expo install <pkg> (not bare npm install) so versions match the SDK.
• Use permission hooks where a package offers them (e.g. useCameraPermissions, useAudioPermissions) rather than imperative permission calls, and wire required permission strings/config-plugin props in app.json.
• Prefer the SDK 56 API surface (e.g. expo-video's useVideoPlayer, file-system's File/Paths) over deprecated/legacy equivalents, and tell the user when you're avoiding a deprecated path.