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ReactNative.run – Browser Metro bundler that runs React Native

ReactNative.run – Browser Metro bundler that runs React Native

by sanketsahu·Mar 26, 2026·3 points·0 comments
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AI Analysis

●●●BangerWizardryBig BrainSlick

Client-side Metro bundler beats Expo Snack's server-side approach with full HMR.

Strengths
  • •Web Worker architecture means zero server costs for bundling operations
  • •Fetch interception enables API routes without service workers or backend
  • •On-demand npm resolution via ESM server handles any package instantly
Weaknesses
  • •Web preview only — no iOS/Android device preview yet
  • •Requires trust in client-side bundling for production code
Target Audience

React Native developers

Similar To

Expo Snack · CodeSandbox · StackBlitz

Post Description

We built browser-metro, a Metro-like bundler that runs entirely in a Web Worker. It supports full HMR with React Refresh, Expo Router with file-based routing, and on-demand npm package resolution via an ESM server. API routes run in-browser through fetch interception — no server or service worker needed. Unlike Expo Snack (server-side bundling) or CodeSandbox, everything here happens client-side. Currently web-preview only; native device preview is on the roadmap.

Open source (MIT): https://github.com/RapidNative/reactnative-run

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