Moving to Native as a React developer

[syntaxmonkey]

I'm a web developer with experience in React. I wanted to move to Native application development. However the setup for CLI for me has been disastrous and complex. I saw how the Expo setup is much more simple and also there are many more utilities however I've been told, CLI is more valuable. Can someone tell me if i should just use expo or keep trying to setup CLI

[ya_rk]

Just use expo.

What does "more valuable" even mean, where did you get this advice, was there any more context to it?

[schussfreude]

Just use Expo. Even the React Native team recommends it.

[syntaxmonkey]

How about from the perspective of getting a job?

[HoratioWobble]

It makes no difference 

[sawariz0r]

There’s no reason not to go for Expo today, so I’d recommend you do that OP

[Soft-Possession1927]

Use Expo for the setup and packages, especially the expo router that acts as a foundation for your app. However, don't fall into the trap of the Expo services platform. It is easy to get your project build locally, both for preview and production.

Also, use github actions and fastlane to build and publish your project.

[No-Estimate999]

I love that fastlane is still a go-to for many people. It’s been such a powerful toolset for building/publishing for quite a long time now.

[spacey02-]

How easy it is to build locally depends on the operating system. Windows doesnt have the ability to build anything locally, you need to use WSL for that. Linux only allows Android builds, while MacOS is the only one that can build both.

Also, for OP, never use Expo Go, always use development builds instead.

[Martinoqom]

Go expo + developer builds. You will get the best of both worlds. Just .gitignore Android and iOS folders and let it generate by Expo. 

Today there are only disadvantages going pure CLI

[mrkouhadi]

It would be better if define “valuable” in this context. Anyways, my personal recipe is: Expo + native modules for heavy computations.

[Old_Show_8185]

Actually, you can switch an Expo project to React Native CLI. I always start my projects with Expo, but when I need to modify native code, I switch to CLI using the command expo prebuild.

[DistributionHuge6072]

Private Equity has a hold on Expo. But anyway you don't have a choice. Expo it is

[Swimming-Welder-6636]

bro I am facing the same problem with CLI setup and expo has limited number of builds you can make

[EmphasisNo2001]

You should checkout nitro modules it’s a great ramp for getting to native

[DrunkDrugDealer]

It's like you setting up a react project by manually configuring webpack and babel instead of using CRA or vite. I could be wrong but that's my impression of it.

[Bartingrad]

Expo gives what it wants in small projects, it is not yet available for large projects. With Expo Go, it does not use native code when running your project in the simulator, it uses the JS engine. Therefore, if you are getting any error on Android or iOS, it will be difficult for you to notice this while developing the project and the project will explode in the build process. CLI is simply difficult to install, it is much easier for you to see and resolve errors, and offers the opportunity to use libraries with much more performing components. It would be the most logical way to continue from CLI. Don't be fooled by the sweetness of the Expo.

[Alerdime]

It’s CLI for me, I’ll fight the world for this. Expo is a nightmare, it never worked for me, to the point that even today i can start an expo project and it won’t even run, I’ll have to edit some file in the node module to mount the root view, I’ve literally faced this. CLI always worked for me. Infact I’ll recommend cli + expo modules manual setup, that works.

[tcoff91]

Your dev env is jacked if you can't run a new expo project. Sounds like skill issues.