Skip to content

[docs] Update Strict TypeScript API guide #5111

New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

Sign up for GitHub

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Open
huntie wants to merge 1 commit into
base: main
Choose a base branch
from
Open

[docs] Update Strict TypeScript API guide #5111

Changes from all commits
Commits
Show all changes
1 commit
Select commit
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension
Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
224 changes: 169 additions & 55 deletions docs/strict-typescript-api.md
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,62 +1,71 @@
---
id: strict-typescript-api
title: Strict TypeScript API (opt in)
title: Strict TypeScript API
---

import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';
import RNRepoLink from '@site/core/RNRepoLink';

The Strict TypeScript API is a preview of our future, stable JavaScript API for React Native.
<p><div className="label primary">Since 0.80</div></p>

Specifically, this is a new set of TypeScript types for the `react-native` npm package, available from 0.80 onwards. These provide stronger and more futureproof type accuracy, and will allow us to confidently evolve React Native's API into a stable shape. Opting in to the Strict TypeScript API brings some structural type differences, and is therefore a one-time breaking change.
:::info

The new types are:
#### New in 0.87: Enabled by default (previously an opt-in)

1. **Generated directly from our source code** — improving coverage and correctness, so you can expect stronger compatibility guarantees.
2. **Restricted to `react-native`'s index file** — more tightly defining our public API, and meaning we won't break the API when making internal file changes.
- If you need to opt out from the Strict API (e.g. in a complex app), see the guide below.
- Use the [**`/migrate-to-strict-api`**](https://www.skills.sh/react-native-community/skills/migrate-to-strict-api) skill to migrate your codebase via an agent.
- If you're getting started with a new app, skip this page.

When the community is ready, the Strict TypeScript API will become our default API in future — synchronized with deep imports removal.
:::

## Opting in
The Strict TypeScript API is React Native's modern TypeScript API, replacing the previous hand-maintained TypeScript definitions from earlier versions.

We're shipping these new types alongside our existing types, meaning you can choose to migrate when ready. We encourage early adopters and newly created apps to opt in via your `tsconfig.json` file.
### Key changes (breaking)

Opting in is a **breaking change**, since some of our new types have updated names and shapes, although many apps won't be affected. You can learn about each breaking change in the next section.
1. **No deep imports.** The API is restricted to `react-native`'s index file. This is a tighter and more intentional public API contract. It also ensures that internal file path changes in React Native's source code won't be breaking.
2. **Generated directly from source.** Previously, React Native used separately maintained manual types. Generating from source now means we improve coverage, correctness, and compatibility guarantees.

```json title="tsconfig.json"
{
"extends": "@react-native/typescript-config",
"compilerOptions": {
...
"customConditions": ["react-native-strict-api"]
}
}
```
### Opting out

:::note[Under the hood]
The Strict API is a **breaking change**, and not all apps and libraries may be able to migrate immediately.

This will instruct TypeScript to resolve `react-native` types from our new [`types_generated/`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-native?activeTab=code) dir, instead of the previous [`types/`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-native?activeTab=code) dir (manually maintained). No restart of TypeScript or your editor is required.
We continue to ship our previous manual types, which can be reverted to via your `tsconfig.json` config. Please note that in a future release we will remove this opt out.

:::
```diff title="tsconfig.json"
{
"extends": "@react-native/typescript-config",
"compilerOptions": {
...
+ "customConditions": ["react-native-legacy-deep-imports"]
}
}
```

---

The Strict TypeScript API follows our [RFC](https://github.com/react-native-community/discussions-and-proposals/pull/894) to remove deep imports from React Native. Therefore, some APIs are no longer exported at root. This is intentional, in order to reduce the overall surface area of React Native's API.
:::tip[Issues / Feedback?]

:::tip[API feedback]
The 0.87 rollout of the Strict API by default is an ecosystem-wide change, and one we need to make in order to have stable API guarantees for React Native in future.

**Sending feedback**: We will be working with the community to finalize which APIs we export over (at least) the next two React Native releases. Please share your feedback in our [feedback thread](https://github.com/react-native-community/discussions-and-proposals/discussions/893).
Design choices about which APIs are exported at root, and intentional updates to type names/shapes have been worked on with the community and partners since the original 0.80 preview.

See also our [announcement blog post](/blog/2025/06/12/moving-towards-a-stable-javascript-api) for more info on our motivation and timelines.
We believe we've ironed out all rough edges, but there may still be edge cases. If you're choosing to opt out of the Strict API in 0.87 or later, we'd love to know why: [**discussion thread**](https://github.com/react-native-community/discussions-and-proposals/discussions/1015).

:::

## Migration guide

### Codegen types should now be imported from the `react-native` package
### New `CodegenTypes` namespace

Types used for codegen, like `Int32`, `Double`, `WithDefault` etc. are now available under a single `CodegenTypes` namespace. Similarly, `codegenNativeComponent` and `codegenNativeCommands` are now available to import from the react-native package instead of using the deep import.

Namespaced `CodegenTypes` as well as `codegenNativeCommands` and `codegenNativeComponent` are also available from `react-native` package when the Strict API is not enabled to make the adoption easier for third-party libraries.

**Before**
#### Migration

<Tabs defaultValue="after">
<TabItem value="before" label="Before">

```ts title=""
import codegenNativeComponent from 'react-native/Libraries/Utilities/codegenNativeComponent';
Expand All @@ -75,7 +84,8 @@ export default codegenNativeComponent<NativeProps>(
);
```

**After**
</TabItem>
<TabItem value="after" label="After">
Comment thread
huntie marked this conversation as resolved.

```ts title=""
import {CodegenTypes, codegenNativeComponent} from 'react-native';
Expand All @@ -90,9 +100,129 @@ export default codegenNativeComponent<NativeProps>(
);
```

</TabItem>
</Tabs>

### Refs now use `*Instance` types

@cipolleschi cipolleschi Jul 13, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

this will need to be explained also in the Blogpost.


Each built-in component now has a dedicated `*Instance` type for use with refs — for example, `ViewInstance`, `TextInputInstance`, `ScrollViewInstance`. These are the **recommended way to type refs** under the Strict TypeScript API.

Previously, `useRef<View>` worked because `View` and other components were typed as a class. Under the Strict API, built-in components are typed as functions, so `View` refers to the function itself — **component type names no longer work as ref types**.

<Tabs defaultValue="after">
<TabItem value="before" label="Before">

```tsx title=""
import {useRef} from 'react';
import {View, TextInput} from 'react-native';

function MyComponent() {
const viewRef = useRef<View>(null);
const inputRef = useRef<TextInput>(null);

return (
<>
<View ref={viewRef} />
<TextInput ref={inputRef} />
</>
);
}
```

</TabItem>
<TabItem value="after" label="After">

```tsx title=""
import {useRef} from 'react';
import type {
TextInput,
TextInputInstance,
View,
ViewInstance,
} from 'react-native';

function MyComponent() {
const viewRef = useRef<ViewInstance>(null);
const inputRef = useRef<TextInputInstance>(null);

return (
<>
<View ref={viewRef} />
<TextInput ref={inputRef} />
</>
);
}
```

</TabItem>
</Tabs>

`*Instance` types also work transparently with `Animated` variants — no separate type is needed:

```tsx title=""
const viewRef = useRef<ViewInstance>(null);

<View ref={viewRef} />
<Animated.View ref={viewRef} />
```

This also replaces the removed `Animated.LegacyRef` type. Code using `ref={ref as React.Ref<Animated.LegacyRef<View>>}` can be simplified to `ref={ref}` with a `ViewInstance`-typed ref.

<details>
<summary>**Available instance types**</summary>

| Component | Instance type |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| `ActivityIndicator` | `ActivityIndicatorInstance` |
| `Button` | `ButtonInstance` |
| `DrawerLayoutAndroid` | `DrawerLayoutAndroidInstance` |
| `FlatList` | `FlatListInstance` |
| `Image` | `ImageInstance` |
| `ImageBackground` | `ImageBackgroundInstance` |
| `KeyboardAvoidingView` | `KeyboardAvoidingViewInstance` |
| `Modal` | `ModalInstance` |
| `Pressable` | `PressableInstance` |
| `ProgressBarAndroid` | `ProgressBarAndroidInstance` |
| `RefreshControl` | `RefreshControlInstance` |
| `SafeAreaView` | `SafeAreaViewInstance` |
| `ScrollView` | `ScrollViewInstance` |
| `SectionList` | `SectionListInstance` |
| `StatusBar` | `StatusBarInstance` |
| `Switch` | `SwitchInstance` |
| `Text` | `TextInstance` |
| `TextInput` | `TextInputInstance` |
| `TouchableHighlight` | `TouchableHighlightInstance` |
| `TouchableNativeFeedback` | `TouchableNativeFeedbackInstance` |
| `TouchableOpacity` | `TouchableOpacityInstance` |
| `View` | `ViewInstance` |
| `VirtualizedList` | `VirtualizedListInstance` |
| `VirtualizedSectionList` | `VirtualizedSectionListInstance` |

Components without ref support (`InputAccessoryView`, `TouchableWithoutFeedback`, `experimental_LayoutConformance`) do not have instance types.

@cipolleschi cipolleschi Jul 13, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

will they throw an error?

@huntie huntie Jul 27, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member Author

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

No error, but simply inaccessible.


</details>

**Migration**

| Before | After |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| `useRef<View>(null)` | `useRef<ViewInstance>(null)` |
| `useRef<React.ComponentRef<typeof View>>(null)` | `useRef<ViewInstance>(null)` |
| `useRef<HostInstance>(null)` (for a specific component) | `useRef<ViewInstance>(null)` |
| `Ref<Animated.LegacyRef<View>>` | `Ref<ViewInstance>` |

:::note

`React.ComponentRef<typeof View>` remains valid and produces the same type as `ViewInstance`. The `*Instance` types are convenient aliases — both approaches work.

:::

### Removal of `*Static` types

**Before**
#### Migration

<Tabs defaultValue="after">
<TabItem value="before" label="Before">

```tsx title=""
import {Linking, LinkingStatic} from 'react-native';
Expand All @@ -101,7 +231,8 @@ function foo(linking: LinkingStatic) {}
foo(Linking);
```

**After**
</TabItem>
<TabItem value="after" label="After">

```tsx title=""
import {Linking} from 'react-native';
Expand All @@ -110,11 +241,13 @@ function foo(linking: Linking) {}
foo(Linking);
```

The following APIs were previously named as `*Static` plus a variable declaration of said type. In most cases there was an alias so that value and the type were exported under the same identifier, but some were missing.
</TabItem>
</Tabs>

(For example there was an `AlertStatic` type, `Alert` variable of type `AlertStatic` and type `Alert` which was an alias for `AlertStatic`. But in the case of `PixelRatio` there was a `PixelRatioStatic` type and a `PixelRatio` variable of that type without additional type aliases.)
The following APIs were previously named as `*Static` plus a variable declaration of said type. In most cases there was an alias so that value and the type were exported under the same identifier, but some were missing.

**Affected APIs**
<details>
<summary>**Affected APIs**</summary>

- `AlertStatic`
- `ActionSheetIOSStatic`
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -145,34 +278,15 @@ The following APIs were previously named as `*Static` plus a variable declaratio
- `SettingsStatic`
- `VibrationStatic`

### Some core components are now function components instead of class components

- `View`
- `Image`
- `TextInput`
- `Modal`
- `Text`
- `TouchableWithoutFeedback`
- `Switch`
- `ActivityIndicator`
- `ProgressBarAndroid`
- `InputAccessoryView`
- `Button`
- `SafeAreaView`

Due to this change, accessing ref types of these views requires using `React.ComponentRef<typeof View>` pattern which works as expected for both class and function components, e.g.:

```ts title=""
const ref = useRef<React.ComponentRef<typeof View>>(null);
```
</details>

## Other breaking changes

### Changes to Animated types

Animated nodes were previously generic types based on their interpolation output. Now, they are non-generic types with a generic `interpolate` method.

`Animated.LegacyRef` is no longer available.
`Animated.LegacyRef` is no longer available. Use the appropriate `*Instance` type instead (e.g. `ViewInstance` for `Animated.View`).

### Unified types for optional props

Expand Down