#205 by installsMobile & cross-platform
expo-brownfield
Embed React Native screens into existing native iOS or Android apps incrementally
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2.7K
May 19, 2026
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/expo/skills --skill expo-brownfieldWhat it does
Guides you through adding React Native to a brownfield native app—one with existing Swift/UIKit or Kotlin code—without rewriting from scratch. Choose between isolated (prebuilt AAR/XCFramework, separate teams) or integrated (single codebase, shared tooling) approaches. Handles navigation handoff, native build system preservation, and avoids pitfalls like running prebuild on manually maintained hosts.
- Audit the host app: entry points, navigation, build system, deployment targets, and existing React Native versions
- Embed React Native features into SwiftUI/UIKit or Kotlin while preserving native screens and navigation flow
- Select isolated (AAR/XCFramework) or integrated (source) strategy based on team structure and tooling comfort
- Avoid breaking patterns: don't prebuild in manual native hosts, keep generated ios/android separate in isolated setups
