expo-cli is the de facto standard for bootstrapping react-native apps
running on devices is easier than ever when using expo as it will allow for easy install of all native modules
required in most mobile applications(ie. maps, current location, push notifications etc.). For managing native modules
expo is the way to go:
npx expo install expo-notifications
you can use both expo and react-native to bootstrap a react-native project but the easiest to start with is
expo because it wraps the repetitive tasks
if you need to optimize for app size you will eventually need to dive into the finer details of the differences
between react-native cli and expo