TurboModules
ELI5 - The Vibe Check
TurboModules are React Native's rewrite of native modules so they load lazily and talk to JavaScript directly through JSI instead of shipping across the old bridge. Your app only initializes the native camera module when you actually use the camera, not on every single app launch. Faster startup, less wasted work.
Real Talk
TurboModules are the New Architecture's replacement for React Native's legacy Native Modules system. They are lazily instantiated, loaded on first use instead of at startup, and communicate with JavaScript through JSI rather than the asynchronous bridge, enabling synchronous method calls and eliminating JSON serialization overhead.
When You'll Hear This
"Converting our Bluetooth module to a TurboModule cut cold start time noticeably." / "TurboModules load lazily, so check the module actually gets requested before debugging why it 'never loads.'"
Related Terms
Fabric
Fabric is React Native's new rendering system, the one that finally lets JavaScript and the native UI tree talk to each other synchronously instead of shou...
JSI
JSI is the direct phone line React Native's new architecture uses instead of passing paper notes back and forth like the old bridge did.
Native Modules
Native modules are escape hatches that let you write actual Swift/Kotlin code when your cross-platform framework can't do something.
React Native
React Native lets you build iPhone and Android apps using React and JavaScript. It's like React put on a disguise and snuck into the App Store.