React Native Architecture

Production-ready patterns for React Native development with Expo, including navigation, state management, native modules, and offline-first architecture.

When to Use This Skill

• Starting a new React Native or Expo project
• Implementing complex navigation patterns
• Integrating native modules and platform APIs
• Building offline-first mobile applications
• Optimizing React Native performance
• Setting up CI/CD for mobile releases

Core Concepts

1. Project Structure

src/
├── app/                    # Expo Router screens
│   ├── (auth)/            # Auth group
│   ├── (tabs)/            # Tab navigation
│   └── _layout.tsx        # Root layout
├── components/
│   ├── ui/                # Reusable UI components
│   └── features/          # Feature-specific components
├── hooks/                 # Custom hooks
├── services/              # API and native services
├── stores/                # State management
├── utils/                 # Utilities
└── types/                 # TypeScript types

2. Expo vs Bare React Native

Quick Start

# Create new Expo project
npx create-expo-app@latest my-app -t expo-template-blank-typescript

# Install essential dependencies
npx expo install expo-router expo-status-bar react-native-safe-area-context
npx expo install @react-native-async-storage/async-storage
npx expo install expo-secure-store expo-haptics

// app/_layout.tsx
import { Stack } from 'expo-router'
import { ThemeProvider } from '@/providers/ThemeProvider'
import { QueryProvider } from '@/providers/QueryProvider'

export default function RootLayout() {
  return (
    <QueryProvider>
      <ThemeProvider>
        <Stack screenOptions={{ headerShown: false }}>
          <Stack.Screen name="(tabs)" />
          <Stack.Screen name="(auth)" />
          <Stack.Screen name="modal" options={{ presentation: 'modal' }} />
        </Stack>
      </ThemeProvider>
    </QueryProvider>
  )
}

Patterns

Pattern 1: Expo Router Navigation

// app/(tabs)/_layout.tsx
import { Tabs } from 'expo-router'
import { Home, Search, User, Settings } from 'lucide-react-native'
import { useTheme } from '@/hooks/useTheme'

export default function TabLayout() {
  const { colors } = useTheme()

  return (
    <Tabs
      screenOptions={{
        tabBarActiveTintColor: colors.primary,
        tabBarInactiveTintColor: colors.textMuted,
        tabBarStyle: { backgroundColor: colors.background },
        headerShown: false,
      }}
    >
      <Tabs.Screen
        name="index"
        options={{
          title: 'Home',
          tabBarIcon: ({ color, size }) => <Home size={size} color={color} />,
        }}
      />
      <Tabs.Screen
        name="search"
        options={{
          title: 'Search',
          tabBarIcon: ({ color, size }) => <Search size={size} color={color} />,
        }}
      />
      <Tabs.Screen
        name="profile"
        options={{
          title: 'Profile',
          tabBarIcon: ({ color, size }) => <User size={size} color={color} />,
        }}
      />
      <Tabs.Screen
        name="settings"
        options={{
          title: 'Settings',
          tabBarIcon: ({ color, size }) => <Settings size={size} color={color} />,
        }}
      />
    </Tabs>
  )
}

// app/(tabs)/profile/[id].tsx - Dynamic route
import { useLocalSearchParams } from 'expo-router'

export default function ProfileScreen() {
  const { id } = useLocalSearchParams<{ id: string }>()

  return <UserProfile userId={id} />
}

// Navigation from anywhere
import { router } from 'expo-router'

// Programmatic navigation
router.push('/profile/123')
router.replace('/login')
router.back()

// With params
router.push({
  pathname: '/product/[id]',
  params: { id: '123', referrer: 'home' },
})

Pattern 2: Authentication Flow

// providers/AuthProvider.tsx
import { createContext, useContext, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
import { useRouter, useSegments } from 'expo-router'
import * as SecureStore from 'expo-secure-store'

interface AuthContextType {
  user: User | null
  isLoading: boolean
  signIn: (credentials: Credentials) => Promise<void>
  signOut: () => Promise<void>
}

const AuthContext = createContext