How to upgrade to Expo SDK 55
Blog post from Expo
Expo SDK 55 introduces support for React Native 0.83.2 and React 19.2, maintaining compatibility with Android API level 36 and Xcode 16.1, while requiring adoption of the New Architecture as support for the Old Architecture ends. It emphasizes the importance of consulting the changelog for potential breaking changes and encourages developers to use development builds over Expo Go for a stable transition. The SDK includes enhancements like the separation of expo-av into expo-audio and expo-video, and an opt-in Hermes v1 compiler for performance improvements. The upgrade process involves using Claude Code and Expo's skills library to manage package updates and breaking changes, while emphasizing careful testing, particularly in development builds, to ensure smooth integration. Developers are advised to upgrade to the New Architecture separately from the SDK to isolate and troubleshoot issues effectively, with support available through community channels and detailed troubleshooting guides.