What is the difference between @react-navigation/stack vs @react-navigation/native-stack?
2 min readSep 13, 2023
@react-navigation/stack and @react-navigation/native-stack are two different stack navigation libraries used in React Native applications with the React Navigation library. Both provide stack-based navigation, which allows to manage the navigation flow in your app by pushing and popping screens onto and from a stack.
- Dependency - Origin:
- @react-navigation/stack is the official stack navigator library provided by the React Navigation team. It’s a part of the core React Navigation library.
- @react-navigation/native-stack is a third-party stack navigator library developed by the community and is not an official part of the React Navigation library.
2. Compatibility:
- @react-navigation/stack is designed to work seamlessly with other official React Navigation navigators, such as createBottomTabNavigator or createDrawerNavigator.
- @react-navigation/native-stack is also designed to be compatible with React Navigation, but it’s a separate package and may require additional configuration to work with other React Navigation navigators.
3. Performance:
- @react-navigation/native-stack is known for its improved performance compared to @react-navigation/stack. It uses a native stack view component (such as react-native-screens) to render screens, which can result in smoother animations and better memory management, especially in complex navigation flows.
4. Customization:
- Both libraries offer a high degree of customization for stack navigation behavior and appearance. However, the configuration and options might differ slightly between the two.
