VibeFast

Should I Use Expo in 2025?

The 'Expo vs React Native CLI' debate is over. Meta recommends Expo. Here is why the new 'Prebuild' workflow makes Ejecting a thing of the past.

Yes. In fact, if you aren't using Expo in 2025, you are actively choosing to make your life harder.

Meta (Facebook) now officially recommends Expo as the default way to build React Native apps. The documentation literally says: "If you are new to mobile development, the easiest way to get started is with Expo."

But what about the old complaint: "I need native modules, so I can't use Expo"?

The "Ejecting" Myth is Dead

In the past, if you needed a specific native library (like a specialized Bluetooth SDK), you had to "eject" from Expo. You lost all the nice tools.

In 2025, we use "Prebuild".

You generates the native android and ios folders on demand. You never commit them to git. You use Config Plugins to modify them.

Example: Adding a Native Permissions Strings

Instead of opening Xcode and editing Info.plist manually (which is brittle), you write this in app.json:

{
  "expo": {
    "plugins": [
      [
        "expo-camera",
        {
          "cameraPermission": "Allow $(PRODUCT_NAME) to access your camera to scan receipts."
        }
      ]
    ]
  }
}

When you run npx expo prebuild, Expo generates the native code for you. It’s deterministic, clean, and reproducible.

Features You Get for Free

By choosing Expo, you get a suite of tools that would take months to build yourself:

  1. EAS Build: Cloud CI/CD. Build your iOS app on Windows.
  2. EAS Update: Push JavaScript bug fixes instantly. Bypass the App Store review process for small changes.
  3. Expo Go: Hand your phone to a friend, scan a QR code, and they are testing your app.

The Verdict

  • Building a generic SaaS/Consumer app? Use Expo.
  • Building a high-performance AR game or a crypto wallet with custom C++ modules? You can arguably still use Expo (via Custom Dev Clients), but bare CLI is valid here.

VibeFast Pro is built 100% on Expo. It uses the Prebuild workflow so you can add any native library you want while keeping the developer experience easy.