Automated pipelines
Lint, typecheck, unit tests and optional detox/Appium hooks on pull requests and release branches.
Services
React Native App Modernisation & Upgrade Consultancy
We help UK organisations modernise existing React Native apps: dependency upgrades, architecture review, native integration risk, performance work, and release planning — without assuming every app should rebuild or move to Expo.
The problem
Why React Native apps become difficult to maintain.
Production React Native applications rarely fail overnight. Maintenance pain usually accumulates: React Native and React versions drift from community defaults, native toolchains move forward, dependencies pin incompatible versions, and custom native modules lag behind iOS and Android SDK requirements.
Teams then see longer build times, flaky CI, crashes that only reproduce on specific OS versions, and fear around every store release. Modernisation is about restoring predictable upgrade paths and measurable stability — not chasing every new framework flag on day one.
Upgrades
Version upgrades and dependency compatibility.
We inventory your dependency graph, native project settings, and breaking changes between your current and target React Native releases.
- React Native and React version alignment
- Community CLI / Gradle / CocoaPods / Xcode compatibility
- Third-party library support matrices and replacements
- Patch management and lockfile hygiene
- Release-branch strategy for long-running upgrade work
New Architecture
Fabric, TurboModules and migration assessment.
React Native’s New Architecture changes how JavaScript talks to native code. Enabling it can improve performance and unlock library improvements, but compatibility varies by dependency and custom native code.
We assess whether your app is a candidate for staged enablement, which modules block migration, and how to validate behaviour in internal builds before production rollout. We do not treat New Architecture adoption as mandatory for every product.
Expo
Expo adoption and brownfield migration.
Expo provides strong tooling for builds (EAS), updates, and developer experience. Some brownfield apps can adopt Expo modules incrementally; others with heavy custom native code may remain on bare workflow or require a phased plan.
We compare bare React Native vs Expo against your native integrations, build pipeline, store requirements, and team skills — then document a migration path or a deliberate decision to stay bare.
Native code
Native modules, iOS and Android build issues.
Native module compatibility
Audit custom and third-party native modules for New Architecture support, maintenance status, and alternatives.
Platform build health
Resolve Gradle and Xcode failures, signing and provisioning drift, and 16 KB page size / SDK minimum changes as they apply.
Performance
Hermes, profiling and optimisation.
We review whether Hermes is appropriate for your app, analyse startup and navigation performance, and use profiling tools to find JavaScript thread bottlenecks, over-rendering, and expensive lists.
Improvements are tied to user-visible outcomes — cold start, scroll smoothness, memory use — with before/after measurements where feasible.
Application structure
Navigation, state and TypeScript.
- React Navigation (or alternative) structure and deep linking
- State management simplification and data-layer boundaries
- TypeScript migration or tightening strictness incrementally
- Accessibility labelling, focus order and screen reader checks
Delivery
CI/CD, EAS Build, testing and monitoring.
Build & submit
EAS Build profiles, credentials management, and store submission workflows where Expo is in use.
Production signals
Crash reporting (e.g. Sentry), release health, and structured logging for diagnosing field issues.
Strategy
Staged migration vs rebuild.
Most apps should modernise in stages: stabilise releases, upgrade core versions, refactor the riskiest modules, then consider larger structural changes. A full rebuild is occasionally justified when product scope has changed dramatically or the codebase cannot support required security and compliance controls.
We document trade-offs honestly — including when a rebuild will take longer than stakeholders expect.
Technical audit
Sample modernisation audit process.
A typical audit produces written findings your team can execute internally or with our delivery support.
- Codebase assessment — structure, ownership boundaries, test coverage signals, critical user flows.
- Dependency inventory — versions, licences, maintenance status, upgrade blockers.
- Native integrations review — custom modules, SDK usage, permissions, background behaviour.
- Architecture review — navigation, state, API layer, offline and error handling.
- Performance & stability — crash trends, ANRs, startup, memory, network patterns.
- Risk assessment — security, store compliance, bus factor, release process gaps.
- Prioritised roadmap — phased plan with effort ranges, dependencies, and rollback strategy.
Knowledge transfer
Maintenance and team enablement.
Modernisation only sticks when your team can ship confidently afterwards. We pair on upgrades, document decisions, and leave runbooks for builds, releases, and common failure modes.
Timeline
Typical engagement length.
A focused technical audit often fits in two to three weeks. Dependency upgrades and stabilisation commonly run from several weeks to a few months depending on native modules, release constraints and test coverage. We agree phases up front so you can pause between milestones.
How it works
From discovery call to delivery.
We start with a discovery call, then define scope for an audit or delivery phase. You receive written findings, a prioritised plan and clear options — upgrade path, staged Expo adoption, or targeted rescue work — before larger build spend is committed.
FAQ
Common questions.
Can every React Native app migrate to Expo?
No. Expo is a strong option for many greenfield and some brownfield apps, but custom native modules, unusual build pipelines, or legacy native code may require a bare workflow or a hybrid phased approach. We assess fit before recommending migration.
Should we adopt the New Architecture immediately?
Not always. Adoption depends on your React Native version, library compatibility, native module usage, and release risk tolerance. We inventory blockers and propose a staged enablement plan when appropriate.
What does a React Native technical audit include?
Typically: codebase and dependency inventory, native integrations review, architecture and navigation/state assessment, build and CI/CD review, performance and stability signals, risk register, and a prioritised modernisation roadmap with upgrade-versus-rebuild options.
Do you work with teams across the UK remotely?
Yes. Algobots is based in Wirral and works with product and engineering teams UK-wide, combining on-site discovery when useful with remote delivery.
How long does a React Native upgrade usually take?
It depends on how far behind your app is, how many custom native modules you use, and how mature your CI and test coverage are. Small jumps with good automation can be weeks; multi-version catch-up with native rework can be months. We time-box discovery and give you a phased estimate before major delivery.
Will you work alongside our internal developers?
Yes. Many engagements pair our senior engineers with your team for pairing, code review and knowledge transfer. We can also lead a workstream while your team continues feature delivery on a separate branch strategy.
Ready to talk?
Book a free discovery call or send a short brief — we will respond with sensible next steps.