What is Expo and how does it relate to React Native?

Question

IT Interview Practice · Accepted Answer

**Expo** is a framework and platform built around React Native that simplifies development — providing tools, pre-built native modules, and services that make building, running, and deploying React Native apps easier, especially for getting started.

## What Expo provides

```text
EXPO = a framework + tools/services on top of React Native that simplify development:
  → easy SETUP — start a project quickly without configuring native iOS/Android tooling
  → many built-in NATIVE APIS ready to use (camera, location, notifications, etc.) —
    no manual native module setup
  → EXPO GO app — run your app on a real device instantly (scan a QR code) for development
  → over-the-air UPDATES; EAS (build/submit services) for building and deploying
  → great DEVELOPER EXPERIENCE, especially for beginners and many apps
```

## Expo vs bare React Native

```text
EXPO (managed) → Expo handles the native side; easy, fast, less config; use Expo's APIs/
  modules; the RECOMMENDED starting point for most apps now
BARE / plain React Native → full control over native code; needed for custom native modules
  not supported by Expo, or specific native requirements
→ Modern Expo supports custom native code too (config plugins, development builds), so the
  line is blurrier than before — Expo is increasingly the default recommendation.
```

## Getting started with Expo

```bash
npx create-expo-app my-app      # create a new Expo project
npx expo start                  # start the dev server (run in Expo Go / simulator)
```

## Why it matters

Understanding Expo is valuable because it's **increasingly the standard, recommended way to build React Native apps**, significantly simplifying development, so it's useful practical knowledge.

Expo provides a framework and tools/services on top of React Native that make development much easier: **easy setup** (starting a project quickly without configuring complex native iOS/Android tooling — a significant barrier removed), **many built-in native APIs** (camera, location, notifications ready to use without manual native module setup), the **Expo Go app** (running your app instantly on a real device by scanning a QR code, great for development), and services like over-the-air updates and EAS (for building and deploying).

This dramatically improves the developer experience, especially for getting started and for many apps.

Understanding **Expo vs bare React Native** is important: **Expo (managed)** handles the native side for an easy, fast, low-config experience (the recommended starting point for most apps now), while **bare React Native** gives full native control (needed for custom native modules not supported by Expo) — though modern Expo increasingly supports custom native code (via config plugins and development builds), blurring the line and making Expo increasingly the default recommendation.

Understanding when Expo fits (most apps, easier development) versus when bare React Native is needed (specific native requirements) reflects practical judgment.

Since Expo is increasingly the standard, recommended way to build React Native apps (greatly simplifying setup, native APIs, and development), and since understanding it and its relationship to React Native (managed vs bare) is valuable for modern React Native development, understanding Expo is valuable, practically-relevant knowledge — increasingly the default starting point for React Native apps, important for understanding how most React Native development now happens and for choosing the right approach (Expo's ease vs bare's control).

What Expo provides

Expo vs bare React Native

Getting started with Expo

Why it matters

Related questions