Expo Router v56: Decoupling from React Navigation
Blog post from Expo
Expo Router v56 represents a major update for the library, notably marked by its decision to fork parts of React Navigation for enhanced control and customization, particularly for file-based routing and server-side rendering. This change allows Expo Router to evolve independently while offering improvements such as streaming server-side rendering, Android toolbar support, and expanded Native Tabs API, aimed at achieving feature parity with iOS. The fork simplifies integration, improves compatibility, and reduces complexity by addressing dependency versioning issues. Users are encouraged to migrate using provided tools and guides, with the Expo team facilitating this transition and continuing to collaborate with the React Navigation team on a shared API for library authors. The release also includes enhancements for web capabilities with new SSR options and helper utilities, alongside features like Suspense customization and metadata generation, to improve user experiences and streamline development.