Expo Go 6,418 is a store app containing React Native 36,878 , Hermes 11,328 and the Expo SDK 6,418 , compiled once by Expo. Run npx expo start, scan the QR code (or press a for an emulator), and your JavaScript runs inside it with no Gradle 19,597 or Xcode 10 , even on an iPhone without a Mac. Expo's documentation calls it "a playground for students and learners", and its limits follow from its fixed native code:
| Works in Expo Go | Needs your own build |
|---|---|
| JavaScript-only libraries, Expo SDK modules | Other libraries with native code |
| Local notifications | Remote push notifications |
| Links through Expo Go's own scheme | Android App Links, iOS Universal Links |
| Your JavaScript and assets | Your icon, name, splash screen, config plugins |
Each Expo Go build supports exactly one SDK version, and the store app always carries the latest (SDK 57 today), so a project on an older SDK stops opening the day a new SDK ships. BookNest needs native libraries, so it runs as its own build from the start.