Exciting Features of React Native 0.60: Autolinking, CocoaPods & AndroidX (2026 Update)

The internet embraced React Native version 0.60 when it landed; it was fast, improved, and updated from the last 0.59 version. The best thing about that release was that it was created from the user's perspective, and it transformed React Native app development services. Facebook's cross-platform framework has a proactive community on GitHub, and the changes in 0.60 relied directly on user demand, which is why developers loved it.

As the Founder and CEO at Acquaint Softtech, a leading React Native app development company, I have watched this single release shape how our teams build cross-platform apps for clients across the USA, UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand - right up to today.

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Before diving deep, a quick recap. React Native is an open-source cross-platform framework from Facebook (now Meta) with the tagline "Code Once & Use It Everywhere." Developers reuse the same code to build apps for iOS, Android, or even Windows. Version 0.60 made that promise smoother, and this guide covers its exciting features, updated with what those changes mean in 2026.

As Alpesh Nakrani, a React Native expert at Acquaint Softtech, put it: version 0.60 arrived with a new Hello World home UI, CocoaPods for iOS, AndroidX via Jetifier, autolinking across platforms, accessibility improvements, geolocation removal, and Fast Refresh — making it one of the most important releases in the framework's history.

Was React Native Autolinking Introduced in Version 0.60? (Yes)

Yes, React Native autolinking was officially introduced in version 0.60, released in July 2019. It fundamentally changed how native modules are managed. Before 0.60, adding libraries with native code meant running react-native link, which often required manual configuration in Xcode or Gradle and led to frequent build errors and merge conflicts.

With autolinking, the React Native CLI automates the whole process. This is the query many developers still search for today — and the answer is simple: 0.60 is where it began.

• Automatic detection: the CLI scans project dependencies during the build process.

• No more manual linking: you no longer run react-native link for modern packages.

• CocoaPods by default: iOS projects migrated to CocoaPods to support this automated injection.

Migration impact: when upgrading from 0.59 or lower to 0.60+, developers had to run react-native unlink <library-name> to remove legacy manual links, letting the new architecture handle native asset injection automatically.

The Exciting Features of React Native 0.60

React Native 0.60 improved almost everything over 0.59, getting simpler with every update. It reduces development cost and time through code reusability, cutting roughly 50% of overall cost — which is why so many business apps are built with it. Here are the standout features, straight from the original release.

CocoaPods for iOS Projects

The most requested feature by the React Native community was compatibility with CocoaPods, and 0.60 delivered it. The app-level dependency manager improved with CocoaPods, offering compatibility with iOS via Swift CocoaPods and Objective-C. 

Working with the Xcode project became easier through internal packages. Developers now open and access the .xcworkspace file to implement iOS platform source code, and this update made React Native a first choice for open-source cross-platform development.

Auto-Linking for Android and iOS

Previously, developers had to select particular libraries for a native or single platform (Android or iOS). React Native 0.60 introduced auto-linking, which links any platform using specific code. This improved React Native app development services because it takes less time and responds faster during development. Improvements on the CLI front made auto-linking more robust, and linking also improved so the backend team could amend pre-existing dependencies.

Improvement in Accessibility

Quality-based improvements for React-based libraries and APIs arrived as accessibility updates. Reducing motion and accessibility flags for iOS helps the operating system, and a new update offered web assistance for APIs that let developers merge platform-specific APIs. 

The most exciting addition for clean coding and quick response was keyboard navigation, allowing fast action on click callbacks and the clickable prop, similar to "Undo" and "Redo" for reducing coding errors. Developers could also add callbacks for user-specific functions to maximize accessibility.

AndroidX + React Native 0.60

One of the most demanded features for Android apps was easy migration for Android libraries, and 0.60 let developers migrate to the Android Extension Library (AndroidX). This enhanced support through the Jetifier tool, a new tool with a quick fix designed for the AndroidX transition. 

Jetifier transforms node modules and accessibility for AndroidX, and also helps library maintainers. If you want this handled by experts, you can hire React Native developers from Acquaint Softtech, onboarded within 48 hours.

Engaging Home Screen UI

There were design changes too. The new "Hello World" UI looked promising and engaging, dedicated to mobile users, with a welcome note and instructions that made it easier for developers. 

The home screen showed useful features, the debug menu, editing App.js, documentation links, and how-to guides, so navigation got easier. A fresh, simple start screen helped newbie developers get to know the features quickly.

Much-Needed Removals (Lean Core)

Every update adds features, but 0.60 also removed some as part of Lean Core. Geolocation was removed from the React Native repository, helping apps follow Apple's App Store guidelines, a win-win. WebView and NetInfo were moved into their own repositories. 

The much-requested removal of Haste was path-breaking, freeing developers to use any type of access in browsers and third-party tools. Polyfills and legacy components were also removed, since the newer JavaScriptCore no longer needed them.

Locking to a Specific 0.60 Patch

The latest stable patch for the 0.60 minor line is v0.60.6. If you are maintaining an older app, you can lock it to this specific patch in your package.json:

"dependencies": {

  "react-native": "0.60.6"

}

What Changed With Autolinking, Step by Step

Autolinking replaced manual native linking with an automated, CLI-driven process. Here is the before-and-after in five simple steps.

1. Before 0.60: you ran react-native link and often edited Xcode or Gradle files by hand.

2. Frequent errors: manual edits caused build failures and merge conflicts across the team.

3. 0.60 arrives: the CLI now scans dependencies automatically during the build.

4. iOS on CocoaPods: iOS projects use CocoaPods by default to support automatic injection.

5. Upgrading: run react-native unlink on legacy libraries so the new system takes over.

React Native 0.60 vs the Latest Version (2026)

React Native has moved far beyond 0.60; the latest stable line in 2026 is 0.86, built entirely on the New Architecture. The ideas 0.60 introduced (autolinking, CocoaPods, AndroidX) are now standard, and the framework has since replaced the old bridge with JSI, Fabric, and TurboModules for near-native speed.

Aspect	React Native 0.60 (2019)	Latest (2026)
Native linking	Autolinking introduced	Autolinking standard
Architecture	Old bridge	New Architecture (JSI/Fabric)
JS engine	Hermes optional	Hermes default (~40% faster start)
React version	React 16	React 19
Status	Legacy line	Actively maintained, ~4.5M weekly downloads

The takeaway: 0.60 was the turning point, but if you are starting fresh in 2026, you should target the latest stable release. If you are on an old version, a planned upgrade to the New Architecture unlocks major performance gains, typically 40%+ faster cold starts.

How to Upgrade or Downgrade Your React Native Version

Use the official React Native Upgrade Helper to move between versions safely. It shows a detailed diff between your current and target versions, which is essential for brownfield apps and complex customizations.

• Upgrade: compare versions in the Upgrade Helper, apply changes, then audit each native package for compatibility.

• Downgrade: pin the exact version in package.json (for example, react-native: "0.60.6"), reinstall, and clear caches.

• Directory metadata: update the React Native Directory entries so unknown packages report their New Architecture support.

Version upgrades are risky to do blind, which is why our version upgrade services handle the migration, testing, and package audits for you.

How React Native 0.60 Transformed Development Services

Every major version changes the process, and 0.60 reshaped React Native app development services for good. React Native reduces development time and cuts overall cost, which is why many stakeholders leverage it. Based on developer feedback, 0.60 fixed real limitations. Here are the changes that transformed the services.

• CocoaPods and AndroidX compatibility: easier code reuse across Android and iOS.

• Accessibility improvements: click callback and clickable prop enable secure, faster iOS development.

• Lean Core removals: removing Geolocation, WebView, and NetInfo supports easier App Store approval.

• Auto-linking: a smoother experience switching between Android and iOS.

•  "Hello World" home screen: a simple UI that helps newbie developers get started.

At Acquaint Softtech, our React Native developers were quick to adopt these features, and we still bring that same eagerness to every build through our dedicated software development teams.

Case Study: Shipping a Cross-Platform App at Scale

A framework's real value shows in a demanding, real-time product. Acquaint Softtech built native iOS and Android apps for a live, real-time chat business handling instant messaging and in-app purchases for a global user base, exactly the kind of high-concurrency workload where React Native's efficiency and a clean native-module setup pay off. This account is drawn from the client's verified Clutch review.

Client	A live, real-time chat business serving users on iOS and Android worldwide.
What we built	Cross-platform apps with a real-time messaging and live-streaming module and secure in-app purchases.
Why it fits RN	Shared codebase, fast iteration, and clean native-module integration, the strengths 0.60 unlocked.
Client feedback	The team "surpassed expectations, both in terms of quality and speed," with responsiveness that set them apart.
Delivery	A dedicated team with a transparent, proactive project-management process and ongoing support.

Company-wide proof: Acquaint Softtech has delivered 1,300+ projects over 13+ years with 70+ in-house engineers and a 5-star Clutch rating across 60+ reviews, as an Official Laravel Partner.

You can explore more mobile, fintech, and SaaS builds on the Acquaint Softtech case studies page.

Why Choose Acquaint Softtech for React Native Development

Choose a partner with public proof, an in-house team, and deep React Native experience; Acquaint Softtech offers all three. Most clients save 60–75% versus hiring equivalent talent in the US, UK, or Australia, without cutting quality.

• Verified trust: 5-star Clutch rating across 60+ reviews and 1,300+ delivered projects.

• In-house talent: 70+ full-time engineers, deployable within 48 hours, not a freelancer marketplace.

• Global reach: serving founders across the USA, UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

• Upgrade expertise: from 0.60 to the New Architecture, we migrate apps safely and fast.

To Sum Up

React Native 0.60 was a turning point. Autolinking, CocoaPods, AndroidX, Fast Refresh, and Lean Core removals made the framework simpler and stronger, and thanks to its contributors and community, it set the stage for everything that followed. In 2026, those ideas are standard, and React Native, now on the New Architecture, is more capable than ever.

If you want to build or modernize a React Native app the right way, that is exactly the kind of project the team at Acquaint Softtech enjoys. Share your idea or your current version, and we will help you build or upgrade it well.

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