Thinking Expo is just for frontend? Think again! While Expo excels at building cross-platform mobile apps, you *can* leverage its tooling and environment to prototype and even deploy simple backend functionality.
While not a full-fledged backend framework replacement, Expo's ability to run Node.js code means you can create API endpoints using libraries like Express.js within your Expo project. This is especially handy for rapid prototyping and creating simple data APIs without the overhead of a separate backend setup.
**Here's the trick:** Focus on small, self-contained backend functions. Think user authentication (with Expo's AuthSession), data storage (using SQLite with Expo's file system access), or triggering push notifications.
Remember, for production-ready, scalable backends, dedicated backend solutions are still recommended. But for quick demos and internal tools, Expo can surprisingly handle backend tasks. Experiment and see what you can build!
