React Native 0.85 Debuts Shared Animation Engine, Marks Breaking Changes

Meta today released React Native 0.85, a major update that introduces a new shared animation backend, moves the Jest testing preset to a dedicated package, and delivers significant DevTools improvements. The release is already available for developers on the experimental channel, with the full version coming in 0.85.1.

Animation Backend Overhaul

React Native 0.85 ships with the new Shared Animation Backend, developed in collaboration with Software Mansion. This internal engine now powers both the Animated and Reanimated libraries, centralizing animation update logic within React Native core.

React Native 0.85 Debuts Shared Animation Engine, Marks Breaking Changes

“By moving the main animation update logic to React Native core, Reanimated can land performance improvements that were not possible before, and ensures the update reconciliation process is properly tested and stays stable with future RN updates,” said Chris Wu, a React Native core contributor.

For the first time, developers can animate layout props such as flexbox and position properties using the native driver in Animated. A code snippet demonstrates how to animate width from 100 to 300 using useNativeDriver: true. Previously, this was not supported due to limitations in the old animation system.

Jest Preset Moved to Dedicated Package

In a breaking change, the Jest preset has been extracted from the main react-native package into a new package: @react-native/jest-preset. Developers must update their test configuration to import the preset from the new location.

This separation reduces the main package’s dependency footprint and allows faster iteration on testing tools. “This move aligns with our broader effort to modularize React Native,” explained Maria Gonzalez, a senior engineer at Meta.

DevTools and Infrastructure Updates

React Native DevTools now supports multiple simultaneous Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) connections, enabling tools like VS Code and AI agents to connect concurrently without session conflicts. The desktop app has been compiled for macOS 26, with native tab support accessible via Window > Merge All Windows.

Additionally, request body previews in the Network Panel have been restored on Android after a regression. The Metro dev server now accepts a TLS configuration object, enabling HTTPS and secure WebSocket support for Fast Refresh during development.

Breaking Changes

Alongside the Jest preset move, React Native 0.85 drops support for end-of-life Node.js versions (12, 13, 14, 15, 17, and 19). StyleSheet.absoluteFillObject has been removed. Developers should review the full list of changes in the official release notes.

Background

React Native has long struggled with animation performance, particularly when combining JavaScript-driven Animated with native-thread Reanimated. The fragmented system sometimes led to inconsistencies across updates. This release consolidates both libraries under one shared backend, promising smoother animations and easier long-term maintenance.

The Jest preset move follows a pattern of decoupling testing utilities from the core framework, similar to the previous extraction of the Metro bundler configuration. The TLS support for Metro addresses a long-standing request from developers working with secure local development environments.

What This Means

For app developers, the new animation backend unlocks native-driver layout animations—a frequent request— and sets the stage for future performance gains without worrying about breaking changes between Animated and Reanimated. Teams should expect smoother transitions and fewer edge-case bugs.

The Jest preset migration requires a one-time configuration update but simplifies dependency management going forward. DevTools improvements enhance developer experience, especially for teams using multiple debugging tools simultaneously. The breaking Node.js version drop aligns with industry best practices, but teams on older LTS releases must upgrade their toolchains.

Overall, React Native 0.85 is a forward-looking release that prioritizes architectural consistency and developer productivity, though it demands immediate action for those using the Jest preset or older Node.js versions.

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