Expo SDK Overview

A comprehensive collection of native modules for React Native and Expo applications

Expo SDK Overview

The Expo SDK is a collection of 100+ native modules that provide access to device and system functionality for React Native and Expo applications. Each module is designed to work seamlessly across iOS, Android, and web platforms.

What is the Expo SDK?

The Expo SDK provides:

• Native API Access: Direct access to device features like camera, sensors, file system, and more
• Cross-Platform: Write once, run on iOS, Android, and web
• TypeScript Support: Full type definitions for all APIs
• Modular Architecture: Install only the modules you need
• Auto-Configuration: Most modules auto-configure with npx expo prebuild

Module Categories

Core Modules

Foundational modules for app architecture and configuration:

• expo-modules-core - Module API architecture
• expo-constants - System and app constants
• expo-asset - Asset management
• expo-file-system - File system access
• expo-font - Custom font loading

UI Components

Pre-built UI components with native performance:

• expo-camera - Camera access and capture
• expo-image - High-performance image component
• expo-video - Video playback
• expo-blur - Native blur effects
• expo-symbols - SF Symbols for iOS

Device APIs

Access to device hardware and system information:

• expo-device - Device information
• expo-battery - Battery status
• expo-sensors - Accelerometer, gyroscope, etc.
• expo-haptics - Haptic feedback
• expo-brightness - Screen brightness control

Data & Storage

• expo-secure-store - Encrypted storage
• expo-sqlite - SQLite database
• expo-file-system - File operations

Media

• expo-camera - Photo and video capture
• expo-image-picker - Select from gallery
• expo-media-library - Access photo library
• expo-audio - Audio playback and recording

Communication

• expo-notifications - Push notifications
• expo-sharing - System share sheet
• expo-sms - Send SMS messages
• expo-mail-composer - Compose emails

Installation

Install Individual Modules

npx expo install expo-camera expo-image expo-file-system

Auto-Configuration

Most modules automatically configure native projects:

npx expo prebuild

This generates ios/ and android/ directories with all required native configuration.

Basic Usage

import * as Device from 'expo-device';
import { Image } from 'expo-image';
import * as FileSystem from 'expo-file-system';

function App() {
  // Get device info
  const deviceName = Device.deviceName;
  
  // Use high-performance image
  return (
    <Image 
      source={{ uri: 'https://example.com/image.jpg' }}
      style={{ width: 200, height: 200 }}
    />
  );
}

Version Compatibility

SDK Versioning

Each Expo SDK version is tied to specific React Native versions:

Expo SDK	React Native	Release Date
SDK 55	0.83.x	Feb 2024
SDK 54	0.82.x	Jan 2024
SDK 53	0.81.x	Dec 2023

Module Versions

When you install modules with npx expo install, the correct versions are automatically selected based on your Expo SDK version.

# Automatically installs compatible versions
npx expo install expo-camera expo-image

Platform Support

Most modules support iOS, Android, and web:

• iOS: Full native implementation
• Android: Full native implementation
• Web: JavaScript implementation or polyfill

Check individual module documentation for specific platform support details.

TypeScript Support

All modules include full TypeScript definitions:

import * as FileSystem from 'expo-file-system';

// Fully typed
const info: FileSystem.FileInfo = await FileSystem.getInfoAsync(
  FileSystem.documentDirectory + 'test.txt'
);

Bare React Native

Expo modules work in bare React Native projects:

npx install-expo-modules@latest
npx expo install expo-camera

Module Architecture

Expo modules are built on expo-modules-core, which provides:

• Swift API: Write iOS modules in Swift
• Kotlin API: Write Android modules in Kotlin
• JavaScript API: Consistent JavaScript interface
• Auto-Linking: Automatic native module discovery

See expo-modules-core for architecture details.

Resources

• API Reference
• GitHub Repository
• Expo Documentation

Next Steps

• Explore Core Modules
• Browse UI Components
• Learn about Device APIs