upgrading-react-native

name	upgrading-react-native
description	Upgrades React Native apps to newer versions by applying rn-diff-purge template diffs, updating package.json dependencies, migrating native iOS and Android configuration, resolving CocoaPods and Gradle changes, and handling breaking API updates. Use when upgrading React Native, bumping RN version, updating from RN 0.x to 0.y, or migrating Expo SDK alongside a React Native upgrade.
license	MIT
metadata	{"author":"Callstack","tags":"react-native, upgrade, upgrade-helper, npm, changelog, cocoapods, ios, android","vendored_from":"github:callstackincubator/agent-skills@0ba043ab"}

Upgrading React Native

Overview

Covers the full React Native upgrade workflow: template diffs via Upgrade Helper, dependency updates, Expo SDK steps, and common pitfalls.

In the ATLAS app-dev system: use this for bare/ejected React Native version bumps where native iOS/Android config (CocoaPods, Gradle, AppDelegate) must change. For a managed Expo project, prefer upgrading-expo — reach for this only once the project has ejected or needs native-side migration Expo's flow doesn't cover. (the user's default stack is Expo/EAS, so this skill triggers on bare-RN/native work, not the managed path.)

Typical Upgrade Sequence

1. Route: Choose the right upgrade path via upgrading-react-native.md
2. Diff: Fetch the canonical template diff using Upgrade Helper via upgrade-helper-core.md
3. Dependencies: Assess and update third-party packages via upgrading-dependencies.md
4. React: Align React version if upgraded via react.md
5. Expo (if applicable): Apply Expo SDK layer via expo-sdk-upgrade.md
6. Verify: Run post-upgrade checks via upgrade-verification.md

# Quick start: detect current version and fetch diff
npm pkg get dependencies.react-native --prefix "$APP_DIR"
npm view react-native dist-tags.latest

# Example: upgrading from 0.76.9 to 0.78.2
# 1. Fetch the template diff
curl -L -f -o /tmp/rn-diff.diff \
  "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/react-native-community/rn-diff-purge/diffs/diffs/0.76.9..0.78.2.diff" \
  && echo "Diff downloaded OK" || echo "ERROR: diff not found, check versions"
# 2. Review changed files
grep -n "^diff --git" /tmp/rn-diff.diff
# 3. Update package.json, apply native changes, then install + rebuild
npm install --prefix "$APP_DIR"
cd "$APP_DIR/ios" && pod install
# 4. Validate: both platforms must build successfully
npx react-native build-android --mode debug --no-packager
xcodebuild -workspace "$APP_DIR/ios/App.xcworkspace" -scheme App -sdk iphonesimulator build

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• Moving a React Native app to a newer version
• Reconciling native config changes from Upgrade Helper
• Validating release notes for breaking changes

Quick Reference

File	Description
upgrading-react-native.md	Router: choose the right upgrade path
upgrade-helper-core.md	Core Upgrade Helper workflow and reliability gates
upgrading-dependencies.md	Dependency compatibility checks and migration planning
react.md	React and React 19 upgrade alignment rules
expo-sdk-upgrade.md	Expo SDK-specific upgrade layer (conditional)
upgrade-verification.md	Post-upgrade verification checklist, including agent-device-assisted checks
monorepo-singlerepo-targeting.md	Monorepo and single-repo app targeting and command scoping

Problem → Skill Mapping

Problem	Start With
Need to upgrade React Native	upgrade-helper-core.md
Need dependency risk triage and migration options	upgrading-dependencies.md
Need React/React 19 package alignment	react.md
Need workflow routing first	upgrading-react-native.md
Need Expo SDK-specific steps	expo-sdk-upgrade.md
Need manual or agent-assisted regression validation	upgrade-verification.md
Need repo/app command scoping	monorepo-singlerepo-targeting.md