As mobile app development continues to evolve, Expo has become a go-to tool for developers looking to streamline their projects. With the release of Expo SDK 51, creating a full-stack app has never been easier. This guide will walk you through setting up a news app project, leveraging the power of the new Expo Router to enhance your development process.
Setting Up Your Expo Environment
Getting started with Expo is straightforward. Run the following command to create a new project:
bash
This will initialize your project with all the necessary dependencies, including the new Expo Router, which simplifies navigation.
Why Expo Router?
Expo Router brings a fresh approach to handling navigation in mobile apps. Similar to the routing techniques seen in Next.js 14 and 15, it allows developers to manage complex app structures with ease. The router automatically maps your file system structure to navigational routes, reducing the need for boilerplate code.
Building the App Structure
Organizing your app’s screens and navigation is key to a seamless user experience. Here’s a simplified view of how to structure your app:
scss
App
├── (auth)
│ ├── _layout
│ ├── HomeScreen
│ ├── SplashScreen
│ └── WelcomeScreen
└── (tabs)
├── _layout
├── Home
├── Saved
└── Search
This structure keeps your authentication flows and main app screens neatly organized, making the development process smoother.
Implementing Expo Router
With Expo Router, setting up navigation becomes intuitive. Here’s how you can manage different screens within a stack:
Javascript
import React from "react";
import { Stack } from 'expo-router';
import { StatusBar } from "expo-status-bar";
function App() {
return (
<>
<Stack>
<Stack.Screen name="SplashScreen" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
<Stack.Screen name="WelcomeScreen" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
<Stack.Screen name="SearchScreen" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
<Stack.Screen name="NewsDetailsScreen" options={{ animation: 'slide_from_bottom', headerShown: false }} />
</Stack>
<StatusBar backgroundColor='#161622' style='light'/>
</>
);
}
export default App;
Adding Tab Navigation
To further enhance user experience, you can implement tab navigation, allowing users to switch between different sections of your app. Here's a quick example:
Javascript
import React from 'react';
import { Tabs } from 'expo-router';
import { Ionicons } from '@expo/vector-icons';
function TabsLayout() {
return (
<Tabs
screenOptions={({ route }) => ({
tabBarIcon: ({ focused }) => {
let iconName;
switch (route.name) {
case "Home":
iconName = "home";
break;
case "Saved":
iconName = "bookmark-outline";
break;
case "Search":
iconName = "search-outline";
break;
default:
iconName = "compass-outline";
}
return (
<Ionicons name={iconName} size={25} color={focused ? '#1e3a8a' : "gray"} />
);
},
tabBarActiveTintColor: "#1e3a8a",
tabBarInactiveTintColor: "gray",
})}
>
<Tabs.Screen name="Home" />
<Tabs.Screen name="Saved" />
<Tabs.Screen name="Search" />
</Tabs>
);
}
export default TabsLayout;
Conclusion
By using Expo SDK 51 and its Router, you can simplify the development process, making it easier to manage both simple and complex projects. The Expo Router’s intuitive file-based routing, combined with its ability to seamlessly handle navigation, puts powerful tools in the hands of developers.
Follow along with this project on GitHub, where you can dive deeper into the code and see how Expo Router can transform your app development experience.