---
modificationDate: August 15, 2026
title: create-expo-app
description: A command-line tool to create a new Expo and React Native project.
---

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# create-expo-app

A command-line tool to create a new Expo and React Native project.

`create-expo-app` is a command-line tool to create and set up a new Expo and React Native project. This tool simplifies the initialization process by providing various templates to get started quickly without the need for manual configuration.

## Create a new project

To create a new project, run the following command:

```sh
# npm
npx create-expo-app@latest --template default@sdk-57

# yarn
yarn create expo-app --template default@sdk-57

# pnpm
pnpm create expo-app --template default@sdk-57

# bun
bun create expo --template default@sdk-57
```

> **Note:** Without `--template`, `create-expo-app` prompts which Expo SDK version to use. Select **Latest (SDK 57)** for most projects, or **for learning with Expo Go (SDK 54)**, which matches the Google Play Store and Apple App Store versions of Expo Go.

Running the above command will prompt you to enter the app name of your project. This app name is also used in the app config's [`name`](/versions/latest/config/app.md#name) property.

```sh
What is your app named? my-app
```

## Options

Uses the following options to customize the command behavior.

### `--yes`

Uses the default options to create a new project.

### `--no-install`

Skips installing npm dependencies or CocoaPods.

### `--no-agents-md`

Skips generating **AGENTS.md**, **CLAUDE.md**, and **.claude/settings.json**. By default, `create-expo-app` generates these files so AI coding agents (such as Claude Code) have Expo-specific context and the [`expo` skills plugin](https://expo.dev/expo-skills) configured automatically. The generated **AGENTS.md** points to the versioned Expo docs matching your project's SDK version.

### `--template`

Running `create-expo-app` with a [Node package manager](/more/create-expo.md#node-package-managers-support) initializes and sets up a new Expo project using the default template.

You can use the `--template` option to select one of the following templates or pass it as an argument to the option. For example, `--template default`.

> Looking for more templates? Check out the [`--example`](/more/create-expo.md#--example) option to initialize your project with one of the example apps that demonstrate specific features and integrations.

| Template | Description |
| --- | --- |
| [`default`](https://github.com/expo/expo/tree/main/templates/expo-template-default) | Default template. Designed to build multi-screen apps. Includes recommended tools such as Expo CLI, Expo Router library and TypeScript configuration enabled. Suitable for most apps. |
| [`blank`](https://github.com/expo/expo/tree/main/templates/expo-template-blank) | Installs minimum required npm dependencies without configuring navigation. |
| [`blank-typescript`](https://github.com/expo/expo/tree/main/templates/expo-template-blank-typescript) | A Blank template with TypeScript enabled. |
| [`tabs`](https://github.com/expo/expo/tree/main/templates/expo-template-tabs) | Installs and configures file-based routing with Expo Router and TypeScript enabled. |
| [`bare-minimum`](https://github.com/expo/expo/tree/main/templates/expo-template-bare-minimum) | A Blank template with native directories (**android** and **ios**) generated. Runs [`npx expo prebuild`](/workflow/continuous-native-generation.md) during the setup. |

### `--example`

Use this option to initialize a project using an example from [expo/examples](https://github.com/expo/examples).

For example:

-   Running `npx create-expo-app --example` shows an interactive list of available examples to choose from
-   Running `npx create-expo-app --example with-router` sets up a project with the Expo Router library
-   Running `npx create-expo-app --example with-react-navigation` sets up a project similar to the default template, but configured with plain React Navigation library

#### Expo Skills for AI agents

If you use an AI agent, install [Expo Skills](/skills.md) to teach it the canonical patterns from the examples repository:

[expo-examples](https://github.com/expo/skills/blob/main/plugins/expo/skills/expo-examples/SKILL.md) — Expo's official example projects - the expo/examples repo of ~70 with-\* integrations (Stripe, Clerk, Supabase, OpenAI, maps, Reanimated, SQLite, Skia, NativeWind, and more). — with-\*

### `--version`

Prints the version number and exits.

### `--help`

Prints the list of available options and exits.

## Node package managers support

Creating a new project with `create-expo-app` also handles setting up additional configuration needed for a specific Node package manager.

**If you are migrating from one package manager to another**, you've to manually carry out the additional configuration in your project. **If you are using [EAS](/eas.md)**, you also have to configure your project for any additional required steps manually.

All the additional steps for each package manager are listed below.

### npm

#### Local installation

npm is installed as part of Node.js installation. See [Node.js documentation](https://nodejs.org/en/download/package-manager) for installation instructions.

#### EAS installation

Supported by default if the project directory contains **package-lock.json**.

### Yarn 1 (Classic)

#### Local installation

Yarn 1 (Classic) is usually installed as a global dependency of npm. See [Yarn 1 documentation](https://classic.yarnpkg.com/en/docs/getting-started) for installation instructions.

#### EAS installation

Supported by default if the project directory contains **yarn.lock**.

### Yarn 2+ (Modern)

#### Local installation

See [Yarn documentation](https://yarnpkg.com/getting-started/install) for installation instructions.

Yarn 2+ handles package management differently than Yarn 1. One of the core changes in Yarn 2+ is the [Plug'n'Play (PnP)](https://yarnpkg.com/features/pnp) node linking model that does not work with React Native.

By default, a project created with `create-expo-app` and Yarn 2+ uses [`nodeLinker`](https://yarnpkg.com/features/linkers#nodelinker-node-modules) with its value set to `node-modules` to install dependencies.

```yaml
nodeLinker: node-modules
```

#### EAS installation

Yarn Modern on EAS requires enabling [Corepack](https://github.com/nodejs/corepack) for the build. Set [`corepack`](/eas/json.md#corepack) to `true` in your build profile in **eas.json**:

```json
{
  "build": {
    "production": {
      "corepack": true
    }
  }
}
```

Then, pin the Yarn version in your project's **package.json** using the [`packageManager`](https://nodejs.org/api/packages.html#packagemanager) field. Running `yarn set version <version>` locally will update this field for you:

```json
{
  "packageManager": "yarn@4.14.1"
}
```

After adding both of the above configurations, Corepack automatically downloads and uses the pinned Yarn version when EAS installs dependencies.

### pnpm

#### Local installation

Requires installing Node.js. See [pnpm documentation](https://pnpm.io/installation) for installation instructions.

By default, a project created with `create-expo-app` and pnpm uses [`nodeLinker`](https://pnpm.io/settings#nodelinker) with its value set to `hoisted` to install dependencies.

```yaml
nodeLinker: hoisted
```

> In **SDK 54** and later, Expo supports isolated installations, and you can delete the `nodeLinker` setting if you prefer to use isolated dependencies.

#### EAS installation

Supported by default if the project directory contains **pnpm-lock.yaml**.

### Bun

See [Bun](/guides/using-bun.md) guide for details on creating a new Expo project with `bun`, migration from another package manager, and usage with EAS.