Solved! Build error on expo 54 / react native 0.81 (working build demonstrator script linked in comments now)

[mzaien]

Maintainer edit: there is a build demonstrator now that works 100% with Expo 53, 54, 55 - see this comment ---> #8657 (comment) (the main trick is expo-build-properties usage, with configuration to forceStaticLinking for the correct pods, all commented in the demonstrator script)

Issue

build fails on the new preview of expo 54 / react native 0.81

Project Files

Javascript

Click To Expand

package.json:

using latest version using bunx expo install expo@next --check and updated firebase to latest

 "@react-native-firebase/analytics": "^23.0.1",
    "@react-native-firebase/app": "^23.0.1",
    "@react-native-firebase/messaging": "^23.0.1",

firebase.json for react-native-firebase v6:

{
  "react-native": {
    "messaging_ios_auto_registration_for_remote_messages": true
  }
}

iOS

Click To Expand

ios/Podfile:

• I'm not using Pods
• I'm using Pods and my Podfile looks like:

require File.join(File.dirname(`node --print "require.resolve('expo/package.json')"`), "scripts/autolinking")
require File.join(File.dirname(`node --print "require.resolve('react-native/package.json')"`), "scripts/react_native_pods")

require 'json'
podfile_properties = JSON.parse(File.read(File.join(__dir__, 'Podfile.properties.json'))) rescue {}

ENV['RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED'] = '0' if podfile_properties['newArchEnabled'] == 'false'
ENV['EX_DEV_CLIENT_NETWORK_INSPECTOR'] = podfile_properties['EX_DEV_CLIENT_NETWORK_INSPECTOR']
ENV['RCT_USE_RN_DEP'] = '1' if podfile_properties['ios.buildReactNativeFromSource'] != 'true' && podfile_properties['newArchEnabled'] != 'false'
ENV['RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE'] = '1' if podfile_properties['ios.buildReactNativeFromSource'] != 'true' && podfile_properties['newArchEnabled'] != 'false'
platform :ios, podfile_properties['ios.deploymentTarget'] || '15.1'

prepare_react_native_project!

target 'App' do
  use_expo_modules!
# @generated begin add Moyasar SDK to Podfile - expo prebuild (DO NOT MODIFY) sync-40c0c3dbaa1d7876902dba7e94b7185d377221a0
pod 'MoyasarSdk', git: 'https://github.com/moyasar/moyasar-ios-pod.git', :tag => 'v3.0.0'
# @generated end add Moyasar SDK to Podfile

  if ENV['EXPO_USE_COMMUNITY_AUTOLINKING'] == '1'
    config_command = ['node', '-e', "process.argv=['', '', 'config'];require('@react-native-community/cli').run()"];
  else
    config_command = [
      'npx',
      'expo-modules-autolinking',
      'react-native-config',
      '--json',
      '--platform',
      'ios'
    ]
  end

  config = use_native_modules!(config_command)

  use_frameworks! :linkage => podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks'].to_sym if podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks']
  use_frameworks! :linkage => ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS'].to_sym if ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS']

  use_react_native!(
    :path => config[:reactNativePath],
    :hermes_enabled => podfile_properties['expo.jsEngine'] == nil || podfile_properties['expo.jsEngine'] == 'hermes',
    # An absolute path to your application root.
    :app_path => "#{Pod::Config.instance.installation_root}/..",
    :privacy_file_aggregation_enabled => podfile_properties['apple.privacyManifestAggregationEnabled'] != 'false',
  )

  post_install do |installer|
    react_native_post_install(
      installer,
      config[:reactNativePath],
      :mac_catalyst_enabled => false,
      :ccache_enabled => podfile_properties['apple.ccacheEnabled'] == 'true',
    )
  end
end

AppDelegate.swift:

import Expo
// @generated begin Intercom header - expo prebuild (DO NOT MODIFY) sync-f6fd06e08d30c2c66260b72f45072d393b20a2dc
import intercom_react_native
// @generated end Intercom header
import Security
import FirebaseCore
import React
import ReactAppDependencyProvider


...

    window = UIWindow(frame: UIScreen.main.bounds)
// @generated begin @react-native-firebase/app-didFinishLaunchingWithOptions - expo prebuild (DO NOT MODIFY) sync-10e8520570672fd76b2403b7e1e27f5198a6349a
clearKeychainIfNecessary()
FirebaseApp.configure()
// @generated end @react-native-firebase/app-didFinishLaunchingWithOptions

Environment

Click To Expand

react-native info output:

System:
  OS: macOS 15.6
  CPU: (12) arm64 Apple M2 Pro
  Memory: 308.64 MB / 16.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 22.17.0
    path: ~/.local/share/mise/installs/node/22.17.0/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.22
    path: ~/.yarn/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 10.9.2
    path: ~/.local/share/mise/installs/node/22.17.0/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2025.08.11.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 24.5
      - iOS 18.5
      - macOS 15.5
      - tvOS 18.5
      - visionOS 2.5
      - watchOS 11.5
  Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2025.1 AI-251.26094.121.2512.13840223
  Xcode:
    version: 16.4/16F6
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.11
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 3.4.5
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/ruby/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 15.1.3
    wanted: ^15.1.2
  react:
    installed: 19.1.0
    wanted: 19.1.0
  react-native:
    installed: 0.81.0
    wanted: 0.81.0
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true

• Platform that you're experiencing the issue on:
  • iOS
  • Android
  • iOS but have not tested behavior on Android
  • Android but have not tested behavior on iOS
  • Both
• react-native-firebase version you're using that has this issue:
  • e.g. 5.4.3
• Firebase module(s) you're using that has the issue:
  • e.g. Instance ID
• Are you using TypeScript?
  • Y/N & VERSION

---

• 👉 Check out React Native Firebase and Invertase on Twitter for updates on the library.

[MichaelVerdon]

Hi there, can you try "Allow Non-modular Includes in Framework Modules" in your project's build settings?

[JustJoostNL]

Can confirm this too. Manually changing Xcode settings in an Expo Managed workflow isn’t ideal and I wasn’t able to solve this.

[mzaien]

I made a plugin to make it work with expo, got the fixes from #6933

const {withPodfile} = require('@expo/config-plugins');
const {applyImplementation} = require('./utils');

module.exports = function withSwiftKeychainClear(config) {
    return withPodfile(config, config => {
        // firebase static framework
        config.modResults.contents = applyImplementation(
            config.modResults.contents,
            "use_frameworks! :linkage => ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS'].to_sym if ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS']",
            '  $RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true',
        );
        config.modResults.contents = applyImplementation(
            config.modResults.contents,
            `react_native_post_install(
      installer,
      config[:reactNativePath],
      :mac_catalyst_enabled => false,
      :ccache_enabled => podfile_properties['apple.ccacheEnabled'] == 'true',
    )`,
            `    installer.pods_project.build_configurations.each do |config|
      config.build_settings["CLANG_ALLOW_NON_MODULAR_INCLUDES_IN_FRAMEWORK_MODULES"] = "YES"
    end`,
        );
        return config;
    });
};
 

applyImplementation code

function applyImplementation(contents, find, add, replace, addBefore = false) {
    // Make sure the project does not have the settings already
    if (!contents.includes(add)) {
        if (replace) {
            return contents.replace(find, add);
        }
        if (addBefore) {
            return contents.replace(find, `${add}\n${find}`);
        }
        return contents.replace(find, `${find}\n${add}`);
    }

    return contents;
}

module.exports = {
    applyImplementation,
};

[MichaelVerdon]

Hey there @mzaien does this mean your issue is resolved?

[JustJoostNL]

While the config plugin solution will probably work, I don’t think it is something for the long-term, because everyone has to add that. Ideally some fix gets implemented in this library.

[mzaien]

@MichaelVerdon I thought I was done but got new errors

❌  (node_modules/@react-native-firebase/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessaging+AppDelegate.h:26:21)

  24 | @interface RNFBMessagingAppDelegate : NSObject <UIApplicationDelegate>
  25 | 
> 26 | @property _Nullable RCTPromiseRejectBlock registerPromiseRejecter;
     |                     ^ declaration of 'RCTPromiseRejectBlock' must be imported from module 'RNFBApp.RNFBAppModule' before it is required
  27 | @property _Nullable RCTPromiseResolveBlock registerPromiseResolver;
  28 | @property(nonatomic, strong) NSCondition *conditionBackgroundMessageHandlerSet;
  29 | @property(nonatomic) BOOL backgroundMessageHandlerSet;

› Compiling @react-native-firebase/messaging Pods/RNFBMessaging » RNFBMessaging+AppDelegate.m

❌  (node_modules/@react-native-firebase/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessaging+AppDelegate.h:26:21)

  24 | @interface RNFBMessagingAppDelegate : NSObject <UIApplicationDelegate>
  25 | 
> 26 | @property _Nullable RCTPromiseRejectBlock registerPromiseRejecter;
     |                     ^ declaration of 'RCTPromiseRejectBlock' must be imported from module 'RNFBApp.RNFBAppModule' before it is required
  27 | @property _Nullable RCTPromiseResolveBlock registerPromiseResolver;
  28 | @property(nonatomic, strong) NSCondition *conditionBackgroundMessageHandlerSet;
  29 | @property(nonatomic) BOOL backgroundMessageHandlerSet;


❌  (node_modules/@react-native-firebase/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessaging+AppDelegate.m:101:10)

   99 |   if (_registerPromiseResolver != nil) {
  100 |     _registerPromiseResolver(@(
> 101 |         [RCTConvert BOOL:@([UIApplication sharedApplication].isRegisteredForRemoteNotifications)]));
      |          ^ declaration of 'RCTConvert' must be imported from module 'RNFBApp.RCTConvert_FIRApp' before it is required
  102 |     _registerPromiseResolver = nil;
  103 |     _registerPromiseRejecter = nil;
  104 |   }

› Compiling react-native-device-info Pods/RNDeviceInfo » RNDeviceInfo-dummy.m
› Compiling react-native-device-info Pods/RNDeviceInfo » DeviceUID.m
› Compiling @react-native-firebase/messaging Pods/RNFBMessaging » RNFBMessagingModule.m

❌  (node_modules/@react-native-firebase/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessaging+AppDelegate.h:26:21)

  24 | @interface RNFBMessagingAppDelegate : NSObject <UIApplicationDelegate>
  25 | 
> 26 | @property _Nullable RCTPromiseRejectBlock registerPromiseRejecter;
     |                     ^ declaration of 'RCTPromiseRejectBlock' must be imported from module 'RNFBApp.RNFBAppModule' before it is required
  27 | @property _Nullable RCTPromiseResolveBlock registerPromiseResolver;
  28 | @property(nonatomic, strong) NSCondition *conditionBackgroundMessageHandlerSet;
  29 | @property(nonatomic) BOOL backgroundMessageHandlerSet;


❌  (node_modules/@react-native-firebase/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessagingModule.m:33:1)

  31 | #pragma mark Module Setup
  32 | 
> 33 | RCT_EXPORT_MODULE();
     | ^ type specifier missing, defaults to 'int'; ISO C99 and later do not support implicit int [-Wimplicit-int]
  34 | 
  35 | - (id)init {
  36 |   self = [super init];