react-native-upgrader

React Native Upgrader

A Claude Code plugin that automates React Native upgrades using AI-powered analysis and execution.

Features

• Two-phase approach — Analyze the upgrade impact before committing to changes
• Smart diff application — Uses rn-diff-purge diffs to apply precise, version-to-version changes
• Release notes summary — Fetches and summarizes breaking changes across all intermediate versions
• Complexity assessment — Rates upgrades as Simple, Moderate, or Complex so you know what to expect
• Safe skip strategy — Preserves your source code (App.tsx, src/, etc.) and only modifies template/config files
• Multi-package-manager support — Automatically detects and works with npm, yarn, pnpm, and Bun
• Error recovery — Handles failures gracefully with clear reporting and manual fallback options

Installation

claude plugin add webartdesign/react-native-upgrader

Usage

From your React Native project directory, start Claude Code and ask it to upgrade:

upgrade React Native to 0.79

Other trigger phrases that activate the skill:

• "analyze what upgrading React Native involves"
• "migrate to React Native 0.78"
• "update RN version"

How It Works

Phase 1: Analysis (always runs)

1. Detects versions — Reads your current version from package.json and validates the target
2. Validates the diff — Fetches the rn-diff-purge diff between your current and target versions
3. Summarizes release notes — Dispatches a subagent to fetch release notes for all intermediate versions and identify breaking changes
4. Presents a summary — Shows complexity assessment, breaking changes, and asks if you want to proceed

Phase 2: Execution (opt-in)

1. Applies the diff — Updates dependencies, configuration files, Android native code, and iOS native code in sequence
2. Skips user code — Leaves your application source files untouched
3. Runs cleanup — Reinstalls dependencies, runs pod install, cleans Gradle and Metro caches
4. Reports results — Lists all modified files, skipped files, and any remaining manual steps

When NOT to Use

• Expo managed workflow — Use expo upgrade or npx expo install instead
• Single dependency updates — This is for full React Native version upgrades, not individual package updates
• Brownfield / hybrid apps — Assumes a standard RN template structure; heavily customized native projects need manual planning
• Downgrading — Only supports upgrading to newer versions

License

MIT