expo-router

Place route files in the app directory where each file exports a default component. Use _layout.tsx files to define Stacks, square brackets like [id].tsx for dynamic routes, and parentheses like (group) for URL-independent grouping.

Import NativeTabs from expo-router/unstable-native-tabs and define a NativeTabs.Trigger per tab with Icon, Label, and Badge children. Nest a Stack inside each tab for headers, and use the role prop for search tabs.

Set presentation to modal or formSheet in Stack.Screen options. For form sheets, configure sheetAllowedDetents, sheetGrabberVisible, and transparent contentStyle for liquid glass on iOS 26.

In SDK 56 and later, do not import from @react-navigation packages directly. Use expo-router/react-navigation instead, which covers native, core, elements, and routers subpackages.

Missing headers mean you need a Stack nested inside each tab. Transparent tab bars on iOS 18 and earlier require the ScrollView to be the first opaque child, or set disableTransparentOnScrollEdge on the trigger.

NativeTabs supports a maximum of 5 tabs on Android, cannot nest inside other native tabs, and requires static tab definitions since dynamic changes remount the navigator and lose state.