Native is now the future of mobile at Shopify (2026) - Shopify

This post details Shopify's strategic shift from React Native to native mobile development (Swift and Kotlin) by 2026, driven by significant advancements in AI coding models. It explains the rationale behind the initial React Native adoption and the new decision, highlighting how AI agents can now effectively bridge the cost gap in maintaining parity between platforms. The post introduces Helix, a system designed to facilitate a greenfield migration with AI assistance for implementation, testing, and review. It also outlines the future of Shopify's open-source React Native libraries (React Native Skia, FlashList, Restyle) and the migration strategy for their major mobile apps, emphasizing a focus on performance, stability, and accessibility.