expo-upgrade Skill for Claude: Upgrade Your Expo SDK and Fix Dependencies

Makes your assistant upgrade your Expo SDK step by step, fix dependency problems and migrate deprecated packages.

Installs: 29.8K; on skills.sh
Stars: 4K; on GitHub
Files: 8; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Nov 2026; last repo commit

expo-upgrade walks your assistant through an Expo SDK upgrade. It installs the newer SDK, fixes dependency versions, runs expo-doctor, clears caches and works through a breaking-changes checklist. It also covers prebuild for native changes, bare workflow cache cleanup, deprecated packages, Metro, PostCSS and Hermes V1 notes.

It triggers when you ask to upgrade Expo SDK versions or fix dependency issues. The file says that if you start from SDK 55 or earlier you should skip SDK 56 and go straight to SDK 57, and not use expo@57.0.8 or below. The folder holds 9 files including SKILL.md and bundles no scripts.

Good for

Expo developers moving to a newer SDK
Teams fixing dependency conflicts after an upgrade
Anyone stuck on a memory or build regression after a bump

Install expo-upgrade

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the expo-upgrade skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

claude plugin install expo@claude-plugins-official

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Claude Code.

The README recommends the plugin for Claude Code and Codex. It installs all 23 skills in the expo plugin folder and also wires up the Expo MCP server (https://mcp.expo.dev/mcp) that the plugin bundles. To take only this skill, use the skills CLI command.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Guidelines for upgrading Expo SDK versions and fixing dependency issues

Sections in SKILL.md

References
Beta/Preview Releases
Step-by-Step Upgrade Process
Breaking Changes Checklist
Prebuild for Native Changes
Clear caches for bare workflow
Housekeeping
Deprecated Packages
expo.install.exclude
Removing patches
Postcss
Metro
Hermes engine v1
New Architecture
Submitting Feedback

Key facts

Author: Expo (expo/skills)
Repo: expo/skills
License: MIT (SKILL.md frontmatter and README badge)
Installs on skills.sh: 29,798 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars (whole repo): 4,005 (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit: Nov 1, 2026
Skill folder: 9 files including SKILL.md: SKILL.md, agents/openai.yaml, 7 reference notes
Official: README: official AI agent skills from the Expo team
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk pass

What it includes

Seven notes: React 19, new architecture, Compiler, native tabs, expo-av, Navigation
Seven migration notes under references/: React 19, new architecture, React Compiler, native tabs, expo-av to expo-audio, expo-av to expo-video and React Navigation to expo-router
Reference notes
Beta versions use a .preview suffix; looks up exp.host to see if the latest is beta
Network · Check beta releases
Installs the target Expo SDK, then fixes dependency versions
Runs code · Step 1: upgrade packages
Runs expo-doctor
Runs code · Step 2: run diagnostics
Runs expo export --clear, deletes node_modules and .expo, resets watchman
Delete · Step 3: clear caches
Check removed APIs, moved imports, native module changes and media features
Check removed APIs, moved imports, native module changes, camera, audio, video and navigation
Breaking-changes checklist
Only if ios/ or android/ exist: regenerates them with expo prebuild --clean
Delete · Prebuild for native changes
Pod install, no-build-cache run and Gradle clean, only when ios/ or android/ exist
Pod install with repo update, no-build-cache run, Gradle clean; only when ios/ or android/ exist
Runs code · Bare workflow cache cleanup
Bumps doc links, checks worklets, React Compiler, sdkVersion, babel and metro configs
Bumps doc links in AGENTS.md, checks worklets, React Compiler, sdkVersion, babel and metro configs
Delete · Housekeeping
Replaces expo-av, expo-permissions, AsyncStorage and others with current packages
Replaces expo-av, expo-permissions, @expo/vector-icons, AsyncStorage and others with current packages
Write · Deprecated packages
Looks at excluded packages that may be old workarounds
Review expo.install.exclude
Checks the patches/ folder and removes patches no longer needed
Delete · Remove outdated patches
Removes autoprefixer and Metro options that are default in newer SDKs
Write · PostCSS and Metro cleanup
Warns about a Hermes V1 memory regression and says the new architecture is on by default
Hermes V1 and new architecture notes
Runs npx --yes @expo/agent-cli@latest feedback for specific errors in the skill
Runs code · Submit feedback to Expo

From the official docs

Permissions

High risk

This skill runs install commands, deletes node_modules and .expo, and may regenerate your ios and android folders. Commit your work first and review the diff.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It deletes folders and can regenerate ios and android
SKILL.md runs rm -rf node_modules .expo and, when native changes are needed, npx expo prebuild --clean. Commit or stash your work first, and check the native folders before you let it run. github.com
It installs and removes packages
It runs expo install and --fix, then removes or replaces packages such as expo-av. Review package.json and the lockfile in the diff. github.com
It can send a report to Expo
SKILL.md tells the assistant to run npx --yes @expo/agent-cli@latest feedback for specific errors in the skill, or when it repeatedly fails an Expo task. The report describes the task and what went wrong, so check it first. github.com
The plugin route adds more than this skill
The plugin folder has 23 skills and a config for the Expo MCP server at mcp.expo.dev. The README says that server can read docs, install dependencies, trigger EAS builds and screenshot a simulator. Use the skills CLI command to take only this skill. github.com

Technical details

Talks to	npm registry through expo install. exp.host version lookup. Expo feedback service, only if the assistant submits feedback
Scopes	Your Expo project folder and its node_modules

Questions

What does expo-upgrade do?

It guides your assistant through an Expo SDK upgrade: install the new SDK, fix dependencies, run diagnostics, clear caches and migrate deprecated packages. It also lists known breaking changes.

How do I install expo-upgrade?

Use the install box at the top of this page. The README recommends the plugin for Claude Code and Codex, and the skills CLI for Cursor and other agents. Run the skills CLI from your project root and restart the agent session.

Which SDK should I upgrade to?

The file says: If upgrading from SDK 55 or earlier, skip SDK 56 and upgrade directly to SDK 57. Don't use expo@57.0.8 or below. It cites a Hermes V1 memory regression with react-native-worklets or react-native-reanimated.

Will it delete my files?

It runs rm -rf node_modules .expo, and with ios and android folders present it may run expo prebuild --clean, which regenerates them. Commit your work before you start.

Is expo-upgrade safe to install?

The folder holds SKILL.md, an agent config file and seven migration notes, and bundles no scripts. What matters is what the assistant runs: package installs, deletions and possibly prebuild. Use a clean git branch.

Does it handle expo-av and React Navigation migrations?

Yes. Its reference notes cover expo-av to expo-audio and expo-video, and React Navigation imports to expo-router entry points for SDK 56 and later.

Is expo-upgrade official?

The README describes expo/skills as official AI agent skills from the Expo team.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: expo/skills
Folder: plugins/expo/skills/expo-upgrade

expo/skills skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 4

expo/skills README · github.com
expo-upgrade on skills.sh · skills.sh
expo-upgrade SKILL.md · github.com
expo plugin .mcp.json · github.com