Open Source
RapidNative is built on open-source foundations and contributes back to the React Native ecosystem. The core technology that powers RapidNative's instant browser preview is fully open source and available for anyone to use.
browser-metro
browser-metro is the open-source, client-side bundler for Expo projects at the heart of RapidNative's preview experience. It runs entirely in the browser, with no Node.js server required.
What it does:
- Bundles React Native code in the browser using the same module resolution as Metro
- Supports TypeScript, JSX, NativeWind, and Expo Router out of the box
- Provides hot module replacement (HMR) for instant feedback while editing
- Handles npm package resolution and caching for fast subsequent builds
browser-metro is what makes it possible to go from typing a prompt to seeing a running app in seconds, all without installing anything locally.
reactnative.run
reactnative.run is a free, browser-based React Native playground powered by browser-metro. It lets anyone write, preview, and share React Native code directly in the browser.
Use it for:
- Prototyping React Native components without local setup
- Sharing runnable code examples with your team
- Learning React Native with instant visual feedback
- Testing NativeWind styles and Expo Router navigation
You can also explore the reactnative.run documentation for a deeper look at how the bundler works.
How it powers RapidNative
When you use RapidNative's editor, the preview panel uses browser-metro to compile and render your app in real time. Every prompt you send generates React Native code that browser-metro bundles and displays instantly. This is the same pipeline that runs on reactnative.run, just integrated into RapidNative's AI workflow.
Licensing
browser-metro is released under the MIT License. You're free to use it in your own projects, contribute improvements, or build on top of it.