A Guide to Upgrade Your React Native Project to the New Architecture

With the introduction of the New Architecture in React Native, many developers are looking to upgrade their projects to leverage the benefits of improved performance, lower bridge overhead, and better developer experience. However, upgrading a React Native project can seem daunting, especially when dealing with legacy code, third-party libraries, and custom native modules. In this blog, we’ll walk through the key steps for upgrading your React Native project to the New Architecture.

1. Use the React Native Upgrade Helper

The first step in upgrading your project is ensuring that you are using the latest React Native version that supports the New Architecture. The React Native Upgrade Helper is an excellent tool to guide you through the process of upgrading your project to the latest React Native version.

Steps to Upgrade Your Project:

• Visit the React Native Upgrade Helper.
• Select your current React Native version on the left and the target version on the right.
• The tool will show you the differences between your current version and the latest one, highlighting necessary changes in your package.json, configuration files, and native code.

Make sure you follow all the upgrade instructions carefully, especially for native files, as there are crucial changes that enable the New Architecture.

2. Update or Replace Dependencies to Support the New Architecture

Once your project is on the latest React Native version, the next step is to update or replace third-party libraries and dependencies to ensure they support the New Architecture.

How to Find Compatible Libraries:

• Go to the React Native Directory.
• Use the filter labeled "Supports New Architecture" to find libraries that are compatible with the New Architecture.

Libraries that do not support the New Architecture might cause issues in your app or rely on the old bridge-based architecture. You may need to either:

• Update them to their latest versions (if they now support the New Architecture).
• Replace them with alternatives that are compatible with the new system.

If the library you rely on doesn't support the New Architecture and has no alternatives, you might consider contributing to the library or forking it to make the necessary changes.

3. Upgrade Custom Native Modules for Bridgeless Mode

If your project includes custom native modules, you’ll need to upgrade them to work with React Native’s Bridgeless Mode, which is part of the New Architecture. This mode eliminates the need for the traditional JavaScript-to-Native bridge, enabling faster and more efficient communication between the two.

How to Upgrade Custom Native Modules:

• Follow the guidance in the React Native New Architecture documentation.
• Convert your native modules to use the new TurboModules system, which is part of the New Architecture. TurboModules provide faster communication between JavaScript and native code and are optimized for the new runtime.
• You might also need to update the JSI (JavaScript Interface) bindings for custom native modules to remove reliance on the bridge.

Key Changes for Bridgeless Mode:

• Implement the new JSI bindings for native modules.
• Replace the traditional bridge-based APIs with TurboModules.
• Follow the recommended practices for creating native code that aligns with the Bridgeless Mode’s performance and scalability improvements.

Example:

If you have a custom native module that uses the old NativeModules API, you will need to migrate it to the new TurboModules API, ensuring that your code no longer relies on the bridge but instead uses direct JSI calls for communication.

Resources to Help:

• The React Native New Architecture Working Group provides detailed documentation and examples to help you understand the migration process.

4. Test Your App Thoroughly After Each Step

After upgrading to the New Architecture, it’s crucial to thoroughly test your app, especially if you have custom native modules or rely on a variety of third-party libraries.

Conclusion

Upgrading your React Native project to the New Architecture is a critical step toward better performance, improved developer experience, and modern mobile app standards. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can ensure a smooth transition:

1. Use the Upgrade Helper to move your project to the latest version of React Native.
2. Update or replace third-party libraries that are compatible with the New Architecture.
3. Upgrade your custom native modules to support Bridgeless Mode and TurboModules.

Embracing the New Architecture will future-proof your React Native project and enable you to take full advantage of the evolving ecosystem. Happy coding!

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