---
title: Overview
hideTOC: true
description: An overview of bare React Native apps with Expo tools.
---

import { BoxLink } from '~/ui/components/BoxLink';
import { Terminal } from '~/ui/components/Snippet';
import { DEMI, CODE } from '~/ui/components/Text';

A bare React Native app is a project where developers make direct changes to their native **android** and **ios** project directories rather than continuously generating them on demand using [app config](/workflow/configuration/) and [prebuild](/workflow/prebuild). All tools and services offered by Expo including [EAS](/eas), Expo CLI, and the libraries in the Expo SDK, are built around bare React Native apps.

## Prerequisites

Before you get started with a React Native app, make sure you have set up your developer environment from [React Native](https://reactnative.dev/docs/environment-setup).

## Get started

To bootstrap a new React Native project, use `create-expo-app` and run the following command:

<Terminal
  cmd={['# Create a new bare project', '$ npx create-expo-app --template bare-minimum']}
  cmdCopy="npx create-expo-app --template bare-minimum"
/>

> If you have an existing project or want to bootstrap with `npx react-native init`, then you need to [install the `expo` package](/bare/installing-expo-modules) manually.

Navigate into your project directory, and run the following commands to build the app locally for each platform:

<Terminal
  cmd={[
    '# Build your native Android project',
    '$ npx expo run:android',
    '',
    '# Build your native iOS project',
    '$ npx expo run:ios',
  ]}
/>

> Learn more about [compiling native apps](/more/expo-cli/#compiling).

## Next steps

<BoxLink
  title="Install Expo modules"
  description="If you have already initialized a React Native app without `create-expo-app`, learn how to install the Expo module library."
  description={
    <>
      If you have already initialized a React Native app without <CODE>create-expo-app</CODE>, learn
      how to install the Expo module library.
    </>
  }
  href="/bare/installing-expo-modules"
/>
<BoxLink
  title="Install libraries"
  description="Learn how to install and configure native libraries."
  href="/workflow/using-libraries#installing-a-third-party-library"
/>
<BoxLink title="Use Expo SDK" description="Start adding features to your app." href="/versions/" />
<BoxLink
  title="Adopt Prebuild"
  description={
    <>
      Automate your native directories using the <DEMI>app.json</DEMI>.
    </>
  }
  href="/guides/adopting-prebuild"
/>
<BoxLink
  title="App distribution"
  description="Build and submit your app to the app store with a single command."
  href="/distribution/introduction"
/>