React Native 0.85 Unleashes Shared Animation Engine and Streamlines Testing

Breaking News: React Native 0.85 Released

React Native 0.85 is now available, featuring a completely reworked animation backend and a separated Jest preset package. The update promises major performance gains for both Animated and Reanimated libraries, alongside critical developer tooling upgrades.

The new release, announced today, introduces the Shared Animation Backend developed in partnership with Software Mansion. “This is the foundation for smoother, more reliable animations across all React Native apps,” said a core contributor.

New Animation Backend

React Native 0.85 moves the primary animation update logic into core, enabling Reanimated to land previously impossible performance improvements. The update reconciliation process is now thoroughly tested and will remain stable with future releases.

For developers using Animated, layout props such as Flexbox and position properties can now be animated with the native driver. “This removes a long-standing limitation,” noted a React Native team member. To opt in, enable the experimental channel (available from 0.85.1).

Jest Preset Moved to Dedicated Package

In a breaking change, the Jest preset has been relocated from the core to @react-native/jest-preset. Developers must update their jest.config files. “Separating the preset simplifies dependency management and future upgrades,” explained a Meta software engineer.

Other breaking changes include dropped support for end-of-life Node.js versions and removal of StyleSheet.absoluteFillObject. Check the migration guide for full details.

React Native DevTools Improvements

Version 0.85 brings multiple enhancements to the debugging experience:

• Multiple CDP connections: Now supports simultaneous connections from DevTools, VS Code, and AI agents without session interruptions.
• Native tabs on macOS: The desktop app compiles for macOS 26 and enables system-level tab handling via Window › Merge All Windows.
• Request payload previews restored: Network Panel now shows request body previews on Android, fixing a previous regression.

Metro TLS Support

The Metro dev server now accepts a TLS configuration, enabling HTTPS and secure WebSocket (WSS) for Fast Refresh during development. This feature addresses security requirements for apps requiring encrypted connections in local workflows.

Background

React Native’s animation architecture has evolved over years, but core animation updates remained tied to separate libraries. The new Shared Animation Backend consolidates logic, reducing fragmentation and improving cross-library compatibility.

The move to a dedicated Jest preset follows community requests for cleaner package management. Previous versions bundled the preset directly, causing version conflicts for projects using custom Jest setups.

What This Means

For developers, the new backend promises faster, jank-free animations, especially for complex layouts. The performance gains will benefit both Animated users and those relying on Reanimated for advanced animations.

The Jest preset separation reduces upgrade friction and aligns with modern JavaScript tooling practices. Combined with DevTools improvements and Metro TLS, React Native 0.85 sets a solid foundation for future development. The React Native team advises testing apps against the new backend and updating Jest configurations promptly.