Microsoft is Retiring App Center: What React Native Developers Should Use Instead
Article Summary
Jamon Holmgren from Infinite Red breaks down Microsoft's App Center shutdown and maps out the migration path React Native developers need to take before March 2025.
Microsoft is pulling the plug on Visual Studio App Center after years of providing free build, distribution, and CodePush services to React Native developers. Infinite Red's CTO shares battle-tested alternatives based on their consulting experience, recommending a modern stack that's actually sustainable.
Key Takeaways
- EAS Build replaces App Center's cloud builds for both Expo and bare React Native projects
- EAS Update provides OTA updates similar to CodePush with better React Native integration
- Sentry offers superior error monitoring with session replay coming to React Native
- GitHub Actions costs 8-10x more for iOS builds versus Android on Linux containers
- Both EAS and Sentry offer self-hosting options if free tiers become limiting
Critical Insight
The recommended migration stack is EAS for builds and OTA updates, GitHub Actions or CircleCI for CI/CD, and Sentry for crash reporting and performance monitoring.
