Choosing between Expo and Bare CLI in React Native
So, you’ve decided to develop a mobile application using React Native, but you are unsure whether to choose CLI or Expo. Therefore, let’s explore each option and understand why one might be better for your application.
Determine your Requirements
First, outline your application’s requirements. This helps you decide if the framework is suitable. For example, choosing Expo for an enterprise application can cause problems, while using Bare CLI for a small project may result in unnecessary tasks like managing dependencies and manually creating builds. Here are two examples to illustrate the difference: one application uses Expo, and the other uses Bare CLI.
Fitness Tracking Application – Built with Expo
Requirements for Expo:
- Quick development and deployment
- Cross-platform compatibility with minimal configuration
- Access to a wide range of built-in APIs (e.g., camera, GPS, notifications)
- Focus on UI/UX with faster iteration cycles
- No need for extensive custom native modules
Why choose Expo?
For the Fitness Tracker App, the goal was to develop and deploy a user-friendly application quickly for both iOS and Android. The team needed a framework that handled setup and configuration, allowing them to focus on core features. Expo’s library of built-in APIs provided essential functions like camera access and GPS tracking. Moreover, Expo’s fast refresh and hot reloading enabled rapid UI/UX iterations, making the development process smooth and efficient without native code complexities.
Enterprise Inventory Management System
Requirements for Bare CLI:
- High customization and flexibility with native code
- Integration with custom third-party native modules and libraries
- Advanced performance optimizations
- Enterprise-level security features
- Long-term scalability and maintenance
Why choose Bare CLI?
The Enterprise Inventory Management System needed high customization and integration with specific native libraries not supported by Expo. The application required advanced performance optimizations and custom native modules for complex inventory tracking and reporting. Additionally, enterprise-level security and compliance standards demanded a tailored approach only achievable through Bare CLI. The experienced development team chose Bare CLI to gain full control over the build configuration, ensuring the application met all stringent requirements. Despite more setup and manual dependency management, this choice provided a robust and scalable solution for the enterprise’s needs.
Native Modules in Expo
Connect with native modules in Expo by creating local Expo modules. Expo projects don’t have Android and iOS directories with native code; these directories are generated just before building the application. This process is called Continuous Native Generation (CNG).
Summary
For developing an MVP with swift development, publishing, and release, choose Expo. For a complex enterprise application requiring native code integration, Bare CLI is the better choice.
