openclaw-master-skills/skills/upgrading-react-native/references/expo-sdk-upgrade.md

title, impact, tags

title	impact	tags
Expo SDK Upgrade Layer	HIGH	expo, sdk, react-native, dependencies

Skill: Expo SDK Upgrade Layer

Expo-specific add-on to the core Upgrade Helper workflow. Use only when expo exists in app package.json.

Quick Commands

npm pkg get dependencies.expo devDependencies.expo --prefix "$APP_DIR"
cd "$APP_DIR" && npx expo install --fix
cd "$APP_DIR" && npx expo-doctor

When to Apply

• expo or expo-updates is present in the target app package
• RN upgrade is paired with Expo SDK upgrade

Official Expo Reference

• Follow Expo's official upgrade skill as a primary guide:
  • Expo Upgrading Expo Skill
• Important for this workflow: skip app.json changes, because this is not an Expo Managed project.

Pre-Upgrade Audit (Required)

• Confirm SDK version and target path.
• Inventory dependencies and native modules.
• Review config plugins and prebuild behavior.
• Review native build setup (Gradle, iOS settings, CI/EAS config).
• Identify critical app flows for regression testing before changes.

Workflow Additions

1. Run Expo compatibility alignment.
   • npx expo install --fix (source of truth for SDK-compatible versions).
   • Treat expo-modules package versions as SDK-coupled; align them with Expo recommendations.
2. Run health checks.
   • npx expo-doctor; resolve blocking issues first.
3. If native folders are part of workflow, reconcile prebuild output.
   • npx expo prebuild --clean (when applicable).
4. Handle React 19 pairing.
   • Run react.md.
5. Run upgrade-verification.md for manual regression checks and release gates.

Notes

• Use npx expo ...; do not require global expo-cli.
• Some package bumps may be optional if not SDK-bound; validate before deferring.
• Read Expo and React Native release notes deeply before editing code, then map each breaking change to a concrete code/task item.

Related Skills

• upgrading-react-native.md - Routing and mode selection
• upgrade-helper-core.md - Base upgrade workflow
• react.md - React and React 19 alignment
• upgrade-verification.md - Manual post-upgrade validation
• monorepo-singlerepo-targeting.md - Repo/app selection and command scoping