Expo API Routes FAQs

Name: Expo API Routes
Author: expo

Question 1

Where do I define API routes in an Expo project?

Accepted Answer

API routes are defined within the 'app' directory of an Expo Router project using the '+api.ts' suffix, such as 'app/api/users+api.ts'.

Question 2

How can I test my Expo API routes locally?

Accepted Answer

You can test routes locally by running 'npx expo serve', which starts a development server at localhost:8081 that supports full API route execution and debugging.

Question 3

How do I deploy Expo API routes to production?

Accepted Answer

API routes are deployed using the Expo Application Services (EAS) CLI with the 'eas deploy' command, which hosts your routes on Cloudflare Workers.

Question 4

Are Node.js modules like 'fs' or 'path' available in Expo API routes?

Accepted Answer

No, because Expo API routes run on the Cloudflare Workers runtime, which uses Web-standard APIs. You should use Web APIs for crypto, fetch, and request/response handling instead of native Node.js modules.

Question 5

When should I use Expo API routes instead of direct client calls?

Accepted Answer

Use API routes when you need to handle server-side secrets (like API keys), perform direct database queries, execute heavy computations, or handle webhooks that must remain secure and hidden from the mobile client.

Expo API Routes

Key Features

Use Cases

REST API Design Patterns

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