# expo-ui

> Build native UI with @expo/ui: real SwiftUI on iOS and Jetpack Compose on Android, rendered from React in Expo or React Native apps. Covers universal cross-platform components, drop-in replacements for community libraries, and platform-specific SwiftUI and Jetpack Compose trees.

- Skill: `expo/expo-ui` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 7 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add expo/expo-ui`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/expo/expo-ui/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Web & Frontend, Coding & Dev Tools, Frontend Frameworks, Mobile Development
- Tags: Cross Platform, Expo, Ios, Jetpack Compose, Mobile Ui, Native Ui, React Native, Swiftui
- License: MIT
- Author: Expo (https://skillmd.com/u/expo), verified publisher
- Updated: 2026-07-06
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/expo/expo-ui

---


# Expo UI (`@expo/ui`)

`@expo/ui` renders real native UI from React: SwiftUI on iOS, Jetpack Compose on Android. Start with its universal components (one tree for iOS, Android, and web) and drop to platform-specific SwiftUI/Jetpack Compose only when the universal layer falls short. It also ships drop-in replacements for migrating off RN community UI libraries.

> These instructions track the latest Expo SDK. The **universal** layer requires **SDK 56+**. Drop-in replacements and the platform-specific layers also exist on SDK 55. For component details on a specific SDK, refer to the Expo UI docs for that version.

## Installation

```bash
npx expo install @expo/ui
```

On SDK 56, `@expo/ui` works in Expo Go, so `npx expo start` runs it directly — no custom build required. On older SDKs, build a dev client first (`npx expo run:ios` / `npx expo run:android`).

Every `@expo/ui` tree — universal or platform-specific — must be wrapped in `Host`.

## Choosing an approach (read this first)

Work down this list and stop at the first layer that meets the need:

1. **Universal components — start here.** Import from the `@expo/ui` root. One component tree runs unmodified on iOS, Android, and web from a single source (Compose on Android, SwiftUI on iOS, `react-native-web`/`react-dom` on web). No platform file splits. → `./references/universal.md`

2. **Platform-specific (SwiftUI / Jetpack Compose).** Import from `@expo/ui/swift-ui` or `@expo/ui/jetpack-compose`. Use **only** when the universal layer is missing a component or modifier you need, or when you need platform-specific behavior or optimization. **Downside:** you write two trees and split them into `.ios.tsx` / `.android.tsx` files (or branch on `Platform.OS`) — more code to maintain.

   > **`@expo/ui/swift-ui` is iOS-only. `@expo/ui/jetpack-compose` is Android-only.** Importing either in a file that runs on the other platform will crash at runtime with "Unable to get view config" errors. Isolate platform-specific trees in `.ios.tsx` / `.android.tsx` files placed in `components/` (never inside `app/` — Expo Router does not support platform extensions for route files), or guard with `Platform.OS` in a regular route file. `Host` must always be imported from `@expo/ui` (the universal package root), not from the platform-specific sub-packages. → `./references/swift-ui.md` and `./references/jetpack-compose.md`

**Already using an RN community UI library?** `@expo/ui` also ships **drop-in replacements** — API-compatible swaps for popular libraries (`@gorhom/bottom-sheet`, `@react-native-community/datetimepicker`, and more), imported from `@expo/ui/community/<name>`. This is a migration side-path for replacing an existing dependency, not a step in the universal-vs-platform decision above. → `./references/drop-in-replacements.md`

## References

Consult these resources as needed:

```
references/
  universal.md             Universal @expo/ui components and when to use them (SDK 56+)
  drop-in-replacements.md  API-compatible replacements for RN community UI libraries
  swift-ui.md              Platform-specific iOS UI: @expo/ui/swift-ui components, modifiers, RNHostView, useNativeState
  jetpack-compose.md       Platform-specific Android UI: @expo/ui/jetpack-compose components, modifiers, LazyColumn caveat, icons, useNativeState
```