Shopify Shifts from React Native to Native Development to Leverage LLM Agents

On September 10, 2026, Shopify announced that it is transitioning to Swift/Kotlin native development, judging that the cross-platform maintenance benefits of React Native have diminished due to the rapid improvement in LLM agents' code generation and reference capabilities. The 'develop twice' cost structure from its 2020 adoption has been re-evaluated with the introduction of AI, making the accessibility of platform features and the advantages of first-party tools in native development more important.

Migration Strategy and Case Studies

Shopify adopted a Greenfield approach rather than rewriting existing code. This was because LLMs were effective in building features in Swift/Kotlin by referencing existing React Native code.

• Shop app: Took 12 weeks from Proof of Concept to App Store release with AI assistance
• Shopify app: Includes over 300 screens, with the native version scheduled for release by the end of this year
• Other apps: Sequential migration is underway for apps such as Point of Sale and Inbox

Helix System: LLM-Based Incremental Migration

The approach of having LLMs convert code in one shot failed because it generated unmaintainable code. To resolve this, Shopify introduced the Helix system, an incremental approach.

• Checkpoint splitting: Screens are divided into small units; progression to the next stage requires passing tests, visual review, passing two adversarial code reviewers, and human approval
• Increased autonomy: Review feedback is remembered, increasing the agent's autonomous workload as migration progresses
• Resolving simulator bottlenecks: Business logic is separated from the UI to run headlessly on desktops, allowing app state to be checked and controlled via CLI in milliseconds

Open Source Library Support Plan

Support for the existing React Native open source ecosystem will continue.

• React Native Skia: Sponsorship will be maintained until the end of 2026, after which it will be transferred to the community
• FlashList: A library recording approximately 2 million downloads per week; only critical issues are being fixed while long-term stewardship is under discussion
• Restyle: Support is scheduled to end at the end of 2026 due to a small user base