Roadmap for react-native-worklets 0.12 / Reanimated 4.6 support in Expo SDK 57+ #49224

Hi @miguelartazos!

Thank you for providing such a clear breakdown and step-by-step reproduction details.

The issue you're hitting is due to internal API breaking changes in react-native-worklets 0.12.x, specifically regarding native execution methods on C++ runtimes (WorkletRuntime::executeSync). Because expo-modules-core (v57.0.12) relies on this method inside WorkletJSCallInvoker.cpp for its worklet adapter bindings on Android, CMake compilation fails when linked against Worklets 0.12+.

Here are answers to your questions and options to unblock your workflow:

Answers to Your Questions
Is Worklets 0.12 support planned for an Expo SDK 57 patch/canary?

Yes, compatibility updates for underlying JSI libraries like Worklets and Reanimated are typically handled via patch updates to expo-modules-core or canary releases. Given that Reanimated 4.6 enforces react-native-worklets 0.12, an expo-modules-core patch update will be necessary.

What is the approved migration from WorkletRuntime::executeSync?

In react-native-worklets 0.12, execution dispatch methods were refactored to align with updated thread-guard safety models. Calls to workletRuntime->executeSync(...) should be migrated to workletRuntime->runGuarded(...) or the designated schedule API depending on thread-context checks.

Would the Expo team accept a focused PR updating this adapter?

Yes! Community PRs updating expo-modules-core adapters for upstream JSI releases are highly encouraged. A PR updating expo-modules-core/android/src/main/cpp/worklets/WorkletJSCallInvoker.cpp (and checking equivalent iOS implementation, if applicable) would accelerate compatibility for SDK 57 users.

Are other Expo Modules APIs affected?

Worklet interaction within Expo is primarily encapsulated inside expo-modules-core. However, modules that register frame processors or JSI worklet listeners (such as expo-camera or expo-video) should also be tested to verify that no direct C++/JSI Worklet dependencies break during clean release builds.

Recommended Immediate Steps
Option A: Roll Back Dependencies (Stable Workaround)
Until a patch for expo-modules-core is released or merged, keep your package.json pinned to the supported SDK 57 version matrix:

JSON
"react-native-reanimated": "~4.5.3",
"react-native-worklets": "~0.10.2"
Option B: Patch expo-modules-core via patch-package
If upgrading to Reanimated 4.6 / Worklets 0.12 is critical for your application today, you can use patch-package to update WorkletJSCallInvoker.cpp directly in your project's node_modules:

Update node_modules/expo-modules-core/android/src/main/cpp/worklets/WorkletJSCallInvoker.cpp to replace executeSync(...) with the new 0.12 C++ execution handle.

Run npx patch-package expo-modules-core.

Re-run ./gradlew :app:assembleRelease.