initialRouteName has no effect

[ep1kt3t0s]

Which package manager are you using? (Yarn is recommended)

npm

Summary

On a fresh Expo project with tabs and Typescript, the unstable_settings.initialRouteName has no effect.

I also tested <Stack initialRouteName=...> and it also has no effect.

Basically, any directory with parenthesis (something) alphabetically at the top becomes the default route, unless there is an index directory.

This doesn't correlate with what's described in the documentation: https://expo.github.io/router/docs/features/routing/#layout-settings

Minimal reproducible example

Steps to reproduce:

Step 1, Environment

$ npx expo --version
0.7.3

$ npx expo init --npm
Select: tabs (TypeScript)

Step 2, Testing the effect

Duplicate (tabs) directory and rename the duplicate to (a) Update some text in (a)/index.ts Add <Stack.Screen name="(a)" options={{ headerShown: false }} /> into the <Stack>

Result: (a) will be the default route without unstable_settings.initialRouteName is updated. You can set anything to unstable_settings.initialRouteName, there is no effect.

[eridr]

Only when both unstable_settings and initialRouteName in the Stack is used then it works. 🤷‍♂️

[NiklasEi]

I am running into this when deep linking from one tab with its own stack to another tab with its own stack. There is no back button for the deep linked page although, unstable_settings.initialRouteName and initialRouteName on the deep linked Stack are configured.

[suhail135]

import { Redirect } from "expo-router";

const Index = () => {
    return <Redirect href="/onboarding" />;
};
export default Index;

i know it's not a proper solution. for now am going with this.

check out : https://github.com/expo/router/issues/428

[matthewhausman]

I'm able to use this to impact the router history with groups. My initial problem was I couldn't figure out how to have proper pop/push animations. I always wanted anything in (auth) group to pop and anything in (tabs) to push. Turned out I just had to export this in the root layout:

export const unstable_settings = {
  initialRouteName: '(auth)',
}

[Zenb0t]

Well, I'm running into the same issue. After running a few investigations, if you console.log each route component, you see that the components are really mounting, but the redirect is being redirected again to the index of (tabs), for some unknown reason.

The render order is "initial route" > "login" > "(tabs)/index". I tested both reloading and from a fresh start. Clearing the cache with -c had no effect. However, if you don't navigate when the app loads, and you do a fast refresh from a change in the code, the route properly initiates in the correct route. However, any attempt to open the app defaults to tabOne in the template.

Navigating from the Expo Go app, you go straight to "(tabs)/index".

package.json

   "expo": "~50.0.4",
   "expo-router": "~3.4.6",

[dominictobias]

Same issue, I set initialRouteName and in unstable_settings on every _layout (unclear which to use) and none have any effect, the initial route is always "/"

[jimpala]

The React Navigation -> Expo Router migration guide seems to imply that the initialRouteName on navigators like <Stack> is a no-op - it's whatever index is for a navigator that determines the initial route. And it seems that the same property in unstable_settings is purely there to determine where the back button goes to on an initial render in the case of something like deep linking - it doesn't seem to dictate anything to do with what renders first on an ordinary boot of the app.

With this in mind I think (tabs)/index as the initial route would be the expected behaviour because (tabs) is a group and hence doesn't contribute to a routing URL segment, therefore (tabs/index) is effectively index? And if there is no index it just looks for the first screen at the top level alphabetically?

The docs could probably be a bit clearer that initialRouteName on the navigators don't have any effect? And unstable_settings.initialRouteName seems a bit of a misleading name. Idk

[eybel]

I have a case where my new app goes to (auth) >. index.tsx instead of (tabs) > index.tsx. initialRouteName doesnt work

[curiosbasant]

I have a case where my new app goes to (auth) >. index.tsx instead of (tabs) > index.tsx. initialRouteName doesnt work

In that case, specify the initial route like this, (auth)/index.

[eybel]

I have a case where my new app goes to (auth) >. index.tsx instead of (tabs) > index.tsx. initialRouteName doesnt work

In that case, specify the initial route like this, (auth)/index.

But I wanted to go to (tabs)/index.tsx. I set the initialRouteName up to "(tabs)". I have up and used redirections

[kyranjamie]

Very confusing.

Not only it doesn't work, but initialRouteName is accepted on <Stack />, <Slot />, and unstable_settings yet does nothing.

[Fusinix]

I encountered the same issue with initialRouteName not working properly in my Expo Router setup. Here is how I solved it:

1. Loading Fonts and Authentication State in app/_layout.tsx

• In the _layout.tsx file of the app directory, I kept the splash screen on while loading fonts via expo-font.
• Additionally, I checked the authenticated state of the user (optional).
• All this is happens while the splash screen is still visible tho.

import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
import { SplashScreen } from "expo";
import * as Font from "expo-font";
import { Stack } from "expo-router";

//keep the splash screen on
SplashScreen.preventAutoHide();

export default function RootLayout() {
  const [fontsLoaded, setFontsLoaded] = useState(false);
  const [isAuthenticated, setIsAuthenticated] = useState(null);
  const router = useRouter();

  useEffect(() => {
    const loadFonts = async () => {
      await Font.loadAsync({
        // Add your custom fonts here
        "Roboto-Regular": require("./assets/fonts/Roboto-Regular.ttf"),
      });
      setFontsLoaded(true);
    };

    const checkAuthStatus = async () => {
      // Your logic to check if the user is authenticated
      const status = await getAuthStatusFromYourService();
      setIsAuthenticated(status);
    };

    loadFonts();
    checkAuthStatus();
  }, []);

  if (!fontsLoaded) {

    return null;
  }

  return <Stack screenOptions={{ your-prefered-config }} />;
}

Using in app/index.tsx:

• I created an index.tsx file where I used the <Redirect> component from expo-router to navigate to the desired route or route group (tabs) or (main) or (auth) or (whatever-route).
• A loading animation is displayed while checking if useRootNavigationState()?.key hook from Expo Router is not undefined my way of checking is the root navigation is ready.
• If no key is found, the loading animation continues until useRootNavigationState()?.key is not undefined, then it returns the <Redirect> component.

import { Redirect, Slot, Stack, useRootNavigationState } from "expo-router";
import * as SplashScreen from "expo-splash-screen";
import { useEffect, useState } from "react";

import { ActivityIndicator, Platform, StatusBar } from "react-native";
import colors from "@/constants/colors/index";
import { Provider } from "react-redux";
import { store } from "@/redux/store";
import useCustomFonts from "@/hooks/useCustomFonts";
import useAuthStatus from "@/hooks/useAuthStatus";
import ScreenLayout from "@/components/styles/layout/screen-layout";
import CView from "@/components/custom/CView";
import useTheme from "@/utils/hooks/theme/useTheme";

export const unstable_settings = {
  initialRouteName: "(test)",
};

export const platform = Platform.OS;

// Prevent the splash screen from auto-hiding before asset loading is complete.
SplashScreen.preventAutoHideAsync();

export default function RootLayout() {
  const isAuthenticated = useAuthStatus();
  const theme = useTheme();
  const navigation = useRootNavigationState();
  const [isReady, setIsReady] = useState(false);

  useEffect(() => {
    // check if navigation state is ready to prevent flickering when redirecting
    if (!navigation?.key) return;
    // if navigation state is ready, hide splash screen
    SplashScreen.hideAsync();
    setIsReady(true);
  }, [navigation?.key]);

  if (!isReady || isAuthenticated === "loading") {
    return (
      <ScreenLayout>
        <CView _className="flex-1 items-center justify-center">
          <ActivityIndicator size="large" color={colors.accent[theme]} />
        </CView>
      </ScreenLayout>
    );
  }

  return <Redirect href={"/(test)"} />;
}

Fix for Flickering issue during redirects immediately after app launch

Notice I'm rather hiding the splash screen in this file, this is to solve the flickering issue caused by the redirect. You just have to wait for navigation state to be ready (thus useRootNavigationState()?.key must not be undefined)

The trick here is to include an index.tsx file in the route of your group directory to handle redirects.

[carlosriveroib]

Same here

[osmanemin]

I think all solutions are confused. My solutions:

Set the redirect prop of Stack.Screen to true for the index page.

app/_layout.tsx

import { useFonts } from "expo-font";
import { Stack } from "expo-router";
import * as SplashScreen from "expo-splash-screen";
import { useEffect } from "react";
import "react-native-reanimated";

SplashScreen.preventAutoHideAsync();

export default function RootLayout() {
  const [loaded] = useFonts({
    SpaceMono: require("../assets/fonts/SpaceMono-Regular.ttf"),
  });

  useEffect(() => {
    if (loaded) {
      SplashScreen.hideAsync();
    }
  }, [loaded]);

  if (!loaded) {
    return null;
  }

  return (
    <Stack >
      <Stack.Screen name="index" options={{ headerShown: false }} redirect />
      <Stack.Screen name="login" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
      <Stack.Screen name="about" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
      <Stack.Screen name="(tabs)" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
      <Stack.Screen name="+not-found" />
    </Stack>
  );
}

Index page will redirects to first sibling page

[Osama92]

@osmanemin adding redirect did the trick 🎉🎉

[andres-dos-santos]

I just created an index folder at the same level as _layout and added a redirect inside it.

import { type Href, Redirect } from 'expo-router'

import { useUser } from '@/hooks/use-user'

export default function RedirectPage() {
  const { user } = useUser()

  const href = (user ? '(tabs)' : '(auth)') as Href

  return <Redirect href={href} />
}

If initialRouteName worked you wouldn't need this, but it's also a solution.

[ragnarok22]

@andres-dos-santos you are a true hero. It works perfectly. Thank you!

[Mako-L]

What is the status of this will you guys make the initialRouteName or we will keep flash screening people :D.

[aike19115]

Ran into the same issue, it would be good if the prop initialRouteName is removed while it is not functioning as expected

[sekoyo]

We ended up using react navigation directly which after a small amount of setup was much easier than trying to solve these issues and more intuitive regarding nested navigators

[rizbud]

I don't think expo-router is stable and production ready unless this issue is resolved