React Native 0.79 brought faster Metro startup, made package exports and imports resolution stable and enabled by default, and changed Android bundle compression defaults. It also supported moving JavaScriptCore (JSC) use to a community-maintained package. These are release-specific changes, not current upgrade advice: the official releases overview now lists the 0.79.x line as unsupported.
What changed in React Native 0.79?
React Native announced version 0.79 on April 8, 2025. Its main changes affect developer startup time, package resolution, JavaScript engine maintenance, and Android app startup versus storage. The release authors also reported 944 commits from 100 contributors.
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Metro can start faster
React Native 0.79 includes Metro 0.82, which uses deferred hashing. The release authors said the first yarn start is typically over three times faster, with larger projects and monorepos seeing greater benefits. This is the authors’ reported typical result, not a guarantee for every codebase or development environment.
Package exports and imports resolution is on by default
Metro 0.82 made resolution of the exports and imports fields in package.json stable and enabled it by default for React Native 0.79 projects. This can improve alignment with package-defined entry points, but may expose compatibility problems in packages or project setups. The release announcement noted reported issues involving Firebase and AWS Amplify while fixes were being addressed.
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At release time, the React Native team suggested a Metro 0.81.5 hotfix or opting out with resolver.unstable_enablePackageExports = false as contemporaneous workarounds. Treat those as 2025 guidance rather than assuming they are the right fix now; consult current documentation before changing a project.
JSC can be used through a community package
React Native 0.79 supports @react-native-community/javascriptcore, which follows its own release schedule and community-maintenance path. The change does not affect apps using Hermes. Core JSC was still available in React Native 0.79 when the release was announced.
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Android bundles are uncompressed by default
The JavaScript bundle is shipped uncompressed inside the APK by default, so Android does not need to decompress it before startup. The trade-off is more app storage on the device in exchange for potentially faster startup. Projects can restore compression by setting enableBundleCompression = true in app/build.gradle.
The release authors reported a Margelo team test on Discord using a Samsung A14: the bundle change lowered time-to-interactive by 400 ms, described as a 12% speedup. That result is specific to that app and device; it does not predict the improvement for other apps or phones.
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How to interpret the trade-offs
| Change | Potential benefit | Trade-off or caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Metro deferred hashing | The release authors reported a typically over 3× faster first yarn start, with larger projects and monorepos potentially benefiting more. |
That is a release-author-reported typical result, not a universal benchmark. |
| Stable, default package exports and imports resolution | Metro resolves package entry points using the package’s exports and imports fields. |
Some packages or setups may encounter compatibility issues; the announcement cited Firebase and AWS Amplify reports. |
| Community JSC package support | Projects choosing JSC can use a separately maintained community package with its own schedule. | The change concerns JSC users; Hermes users are unaffected. |
| Uncompressed Android bundle default | Avoids decompression before startup and may improve startup time. | Uses more on-device storage; compression can be enabled again in app/build.gradle. |
Is React Native 0.79 supported now?
No. The current React Native releases overview lists 0.79.x as unsupported. The April 2025 announcement is useful for understanding what changed in that release, but anyone planning an upgrade today should use the current React Native releases overview and the official upgrade documentation to identify a supported target and follow the applicable migration steps.
Quick Recap
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Sources
- React Native 0.79 release announcement, April 8, 2025.
- React Native releases overview, for current support status.
- Bytes #386 – React Native sneak attack, April 22, 2025.
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