[🐛] Expo SDK53 & Firebase 22.2.0 - The Swift pod FirebaseCoreInternal depends upon GoogleUtilities

[reynabk]

Issue

Hi, I am getting error on a new, bare Expo SDK 53 development project when trying to install react native firebase. This error is similar to #8051 however after taking all the necessary steps it is still showing the same error.

I have also set useFrameworks: static in app.json of expo.

Here is a minimal reproducible example repo: https://github.com/reynabk/my-app

run npm run ios and you will see the error:

⚠️  Something went wrong running `pod install` in the `ios` directory.
Command `pod install` failed.
└─ Cause: The following Swift pods cannot yet be integrated as static libraries:

The Swift pod `FirebaseCoreInternal` depends upon `GoogleUtilities`, which does not define modules. To opt into those targets generating module maps (which is necessary to import them from Swift when building as static libraries), you may set `use_modular_headers!` globally in your Podfile, or specify `:modular_headers => true` for particular dependencies.

pod install --repo-update --ansi exited with non-zero code: 1

---

Project Files

Javascript

Click To Expand

package.json:

{
  "name": "my-app",
  "main": "expo-router/entry",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "scripts": {
    "start": "expo start",
    "reset-project": "node ./scripts/reset-project.js",
    "android": "expo run:android",
    "ios": "expo run:ios",
    "web": "expo start --web",
    "lint": "expo lint"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@expo/vector-icons": "^14.1.0",
    "@react-native-firebase/app": "^22.2.0",
    "@react-navigation/bottom-tabs": "^7.3.10",
    "@react-navigation/elements": "^2.3.8",
    "@react-navigation/native": "^7.1.6",
    "expo": "~53.0.9",
    "expo-blur": "~14.1.4",
    "expo-build-properties": "~0.14.6",
    "expo-constants": "~17.1.6",
    "expo-font": "~13.3.1",
    "expo-haptics": "~14.1.4",
    "expo-image": "~2.1.7",
    "expo-linking": "~7.1.5",
    "expo-router": "~5.0.6",
    "expo-splash-screen": "~0.30.8",
    "expo-status-bar": "~2.2.3",
    "expo-symbols": "~0.4.4",
    "expo-system-ui": "~5.0.7",
    "expo-web-browser": "~14.1.6",
    "react": "19.0.0",
    "react-dom": "19.0.0",
    "react-native": "0.79.2",
    "react-native-gesture-handler": "~2.24.0",
    "react-native-reanimated": "~3.17.4",
    "react-native-safe-area-context": "5.4.0",
    "react-native-screens": "~4.10.0",
    "react-native-web": "~0.20.0",
    "react-native-webview": "13.13.5"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@babel/core": "^7.25.2",
    "@types/react": "~19.0.10",
    "eslint": "^9.25.0",
    "eslint-config-expo": "~9.2.0",
    "typescript": "~5.8.3"
  },
  "private": true
}

app.json:

{
  "expo": {
    "name": "my-app",
    "slug": "my-app",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "orientation": "portrait",
    "icon": "./assets/images/icon.png",
    "scheme": "myapp",
    "userInterfaceStyle": "automatic",
    "newArchEnabled": true,
    "ios": {
      "supportsTablet": true,
      "bundleIdentifier": "com.anonymous.myapp"
    },
    "android": {
      "adaptiveIcon": {
        "foregroundImage": "./assets/images/adaptive-icon.png",
        "backgroundColor": "#ffffff"
      },
      "edgeToEdgeEnabled": true,
      "package": "com.anonymous.myapp"
    },
    "web": {
      "bundler": "metro",
      "output": "static",
      "favicon": "./assets/images/favicon.png"
    },
    "plugins": [
      "expo-router",
      [
        "expo-splash-screen",
        {
          "image": "./assets/images/splash-icon.png",
          "imageWidth": 200,
          "resizeMode": "contain",
          "backgroundColor": "#ffffff"
        }
      ],
      "@react-native-firebase/app",
      [
        "expo-build-properties",
        {
          "ios": {
            "useFrameworks": "static"
          }
        }
      ]
    ],
    "experiments": {
      "typedRoutes": true
    }
  }
}

iOS

Click To Expand

ios/Podfile:

• I'm not using Pods
• I'm using Pods and my Podfile looks like:

require File.join(File.dirname(`node --print "require.resolve('expo/package.json')"`), "scripts/autolinking")
require File.join(File.dirname(`node --print "require.resolve('react-native/package.json')"`), "scripts/react_native_pods")

require 'json'
podfile_properties = JSON.parse(File.read(File.join(__dir__, 'Podfile.properties.json'))) rescue {}

ENV['RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED'] = '0' if podfile_properties['newArchEnabled'] == 'false'
ENV['EX_DEV_CLIENT_NETWORK_INSPECTOR'] = podfile_properties['EX_DEV_CLIENT_NETWORK_INSPECTOR']

platform :ios, podfile_properties['ios.deploymentTarget'] || '15.1'
install! 'cocoapods',
  :deterministic_uuids => false

prepare_react_native_project!

target 'myapp' do
  use_expo_modules!

  if ENV['EXPO_USE_COMMUNITY_AUTOLINKING'] == '1'
    config_command = ['node', '-e', "process.argv=['', '', 'config'];require('@react-native-community/cli').run()"];
  else
    config_command = [
      'npx',
      'expo-modules-autolinking',
      'react-native-config',
      '--json',
      '--platform',
      'ios'
    ]
  end

  config = use_native_modules!(config_command)

  use_frameworks! :linkage => podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks'].to_sym if podfile_properties['ios.useFrameworks']
  use_frameworks! :linkage => ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS'].to_sym if ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS']

  use_react_native!(
    :path => config[:reactNativePath],
    :hermes_enabled => podfile_properties['expo.jsEngine'] == nil || podfile_properties['expo.jsEngine'] == 'hermes',
    # An absolute path to your application root.
    :app_path => "#{Pod::Config.instance.installation_root}/..",
    :privacy_file_aggregation_enabled => podfile_properties['apple.privacyManifestAggregationEnabled'] != 'false',
  )

  post_install do |installer|
    react_native_post_install(
      installer,
      config[:reactNativePath],
      :mac_catalyst_enabled => false,
      :ccache_enabled => podfile_properties['apple.ccacheEnabled'] == 'true',
    )

    # This is necessary for Xcode 14, because it signs resource bundles by default
    # when building for devices.
    installer.target_installation_results.pod_target_installation_results
      .each do |pod_name, target_installation_result|
      target_installation_result.resource_bundle_targets.each do |resource_bundle_target|
        resource_bundle_target.build_configurations.each do |config|
          config.build_settings['CODE_SIGNING_ALLOWED'] = 'NO'
        end
      end
    end
  end
end

AppDelegate.m:

// N/A

---

Android

N/A

---

Environment

Click To Expand

react-native info output:

System:
  OS: macOS 15.4.1
  CPU: (10) arm64 Apple M1 Max
  Memory: 429.48 MB / 32.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 20.15.0
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v20.15.0/bin/node
  Yarn: Not Found
  npm:
    version: 10.7.0
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v20.15.0/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2025.04.07.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 24.2
      - iOS 18.2
      - macOS 15.2
      - tvOS 18.2
      - visionOS 2.2
      - watchOS 11.2
  Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2024.3 AI-243.24978.46.2431.13208083
  Xcode:
    version: 16.2/16C5032a
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.14
    path: /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/zulu-17.jdk/Contents/Home/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 2.6.10
    path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 18.0.0
    wanted: ^18.0.0
  react:
    installed: 19.0.0
    wanted: 19.0.0
  react-native:
    installed: 0.79.2
    wanted: 0.79.2
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: false

• Platform that you're experiencing the issue on:
  • iOS
  • Android
  • iOS but have not tested behavior on Android
  • Android but have not tested behavior on iOS
  • Both
• react-native-firebase version you're using that has this issue:
  • 22.2.0
• Firebase module(s) you're using that has the issue:
  • app (firebase core)
• Are you using TypeScript?
  • Y & 5.8.3

---

• 👉 Check out React Native Firebase and Invertase on Twitter for updates on the library.

[Yurii-Lutsyk]

@reynabk
Paste this code in Podfile
config = use_native_modules!
|||| add this
use_frameworks! :linkage => :static
$RNFirebaseAsStaticFramework = true
|||| add this

[mikehardy]

why is expo-build-properties inside the react-native-firebase/app plugin area?
This does not look like it follows the Expo directions on rnfirebase.io
No one else is having this problem either 🤔
I'd take a very careful look at your app.json and make sure it's doing all the right things in the right spots