React Native 0.82 Drops Legacy Architecture: A New Chapter Begins

React Native 0.82 Arrives — Legacy Architecture No Longer Supported

The React Native team has released version 0.82, marking the first time the framework runs entirely on the New Architecture. This is a decisive shift away from the legacy system that powered React Native for years.

React Native 0.82 Drops Legacy Architecture: A New Chapter Begins

"This is a milestone release and the start of a new era for React Native," said the React Native core team in today's announcement. "Future versions will remove remaining legacy code to reduce install size and streamline the codebase."

What's New in 0.82

Alongside the architectural shift, React Native 0.82 ships with an experimental opt-in for a newer version of the JavaScript engine Hermes, called Hermes V1. It also updates React to version 19.1.1 and adds support for DOM Node APIs.

Key highlights:

New Architecture only — legacy mode disabled
Experimental Hermes V1
React 19.1.1
DOM Node APIs

Background: The Road to New Architecture Only

React Native 0.76, released earlier this year, made the New Architecture the default but still allowed fallback to legacy. Since then, the New Architecture has undergone extensive testing and refinement.

"We're now confident in making it the only architecture for this and future versions," the team stated. Attempts to set newArchEnabled=false on Android or RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED=0 on iOS will be ignored; apps will always run on the New Architecture.

What This Means

Developers still using the legacy architecture must migrate before upgrading to 0.82. The recommended path is to first update to React Native 0.81 or Expo SDK 54 — the last versions supporting legacy mode — enable the New Architecture, verify compatibility, then upgrade to 0.82.

"If an incompatible third-party dependency blocks migration, reach out to the library maintainers directly," the team advised. "For bugs in React Native core, use our issue tracker."

Interop layers that allow backward compatibility with legacy libraries will remain in place for the foreseeable future. However, the team plans to begin removing legacy architecture APIs starting with the next version to reduce bundle size significantly.

Experimental Hermes V1 and React 19

The optional Hermes V1 upgrade promises performance improvements, while React 19.1.1 brings the latest features and fixes. DOM Node API support aligns React Native more closely with web standards, simplifying cross-platform development.

Note: Developers should test thoroughly with the new Hermes version before enabling it in production.

Removal of Legacy Architecture Classes

No legacy APIs are removed in 0.82 to minimize breaking changes. Removal is scheduled to begin in the next version, as detailed in RFC0929. This will eventually shrink app size and simplify maintenance.

Stay tuned for future announcements on the interop layer timeline.