diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/README.md b/packages/core-cli-utils/README.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 10ea4acc7570..000000000000
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-# @react-native/core-cli-utils
-
-![npm package](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/@react-native/core-cli-utils?color=brightgreen&label=npm%20package)
-
-A collection of utilites to help Frameworks build their React Native CLI tooling. This is not intended to be used directly use users of React Native.
-
-## Usage
-
-```js
-import { Command } from 'commander';
-import cli from '@react-native/core-cli-utils';
-import debug from 'debug';
-
-const android = new Command('android');
-
-const frameworkFindsAndroidSrcDir = "...";
-const tasks = cli.clean.android(frameworkFindsAndroidSrcDir);
-const log = debug('fancy-framework:android');
-
-android
-    .command('clean')
-    .description(cli.clean.android)
-    .action(async () => {
-        const log = debug('fancy-framework:android:clean');
-        log(`🧹 let me clean your Android caches`);
-        // Add other caches your framework needs besides the normal React Native caches
-        // here.
-        for (const task of tasks) {
-            try {
-                log(`\t ${task.label}`);
-                // See: https://github.com/sindresorhus/execa#lines
-                const {stdout} = await task.action({ lines: true })
-                log(stdout.join('\n\tGradle: '));
-            } catch (e) {
-                log(`\t ⚠️ whoops: ${e.message}`);
-            }
-        }
-    });
-```
-
-And you'd be using it like this:
-
-```bash
-$ ./fancy-framework android clean
-🧹 let me clean your Android caches
-    Gradle: // a bunch of gradle output
-    Gradle: ....
-```
-
-## Features
-- `"@react-native/core-cli-utils/version.js"` contains the platform and tooling version requirements for react-native.
-
-## Contributing
-
-Changes to this package can be made locally and linked against your app. Please see the [Contributing guide](https://reactnative.dev/contributing/overview#contributing-code).
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/package.json b/packages/core-cli-utils/package.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 794add883bde..000000000000
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/package.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "@react-native/core-cli-utils",
-  "version": "0.87.0-main",
-  "description": "React Native CLI library for Frameworks to build on",
-  "license": "MIT",
-  "keywords": [
-    "cli-utils",
-    "react-native"
-  ],
-  "homepage": "https://github.com/facebook/react-native/tree/HEAD/packages/core-cli-utils#readme",
-  "bugs": "https://github.com/facebook/react-native/issues",
-  "repository": {
-    "type": "git",
-    "url": "git+https://github.com/facebook/react-native.git",
-    "directory": "packages/core-cli-utils"
-  },
-  "main": "./src/index.flow.js",
-  "exports": {
-    ".": "./src/index.js",
-    "./package.json": "./package.json",
-    "./version.js": "./src/public/version.js"
-  },
-  "publishConfig": {
-    "main": "./dist/index.js",
-    "exports": {
-      ".": "./dist/index.js",
-      "./package.json": "./package.json",
-      "./version.js": "./dist/public/version.js"
-    }
-  },
-  "files": [
-    "dist"
-  ],
-  "scripts": {
-    "prepack": "node ../../scripts/build/prepack.js"
-  },
-  "dependencies": {},
-  "devDependencies": {},
-  "engines": {
-    "node": "^22.13.0 || ^24.3.0 || >= 26.0.0"
-  }
-}
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/index.flow.js b/packages/core-cli-utils/src/index.flow.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 966caa905129..000000000000
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/index.flow.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
- *
- * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
- * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
- *
- * @flow strict-local
- * @format
- */
-
-// @babel/register doesn't like export {foo} from './bar'; statements,
-// so we have to jump through hoops here.
-import {tasks as _android} from './private/android.js';
-import {tasks as _app} from './private/app.js';
-import {tasks as _apple} from './private/apple.js';
-import {tasks as _clean} from './private/clean.js';
-import * as _version from './public/version.js';
-
-export const android = _android;
-export const app = _app;
-export const apple = _apple;
-export const clean = _clean;
-export const version = _version;
-
-export type {Task} from './private/types';
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/index.js b/packages/core-cli-utils/src/index.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 8d76ba451f1b..000000000000
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/index.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
- *
- * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
- * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
- *
- * @flow strict-local
- * @format
- */
-
-/*::
-export type * from './index.flow';
-*/
-
-if (process.env.BUILD_EXCLUDE_BABEL_REGISTER == null) {
-  require('../../../scripts/shared/babelRegister').registerForMonorepo();
-}
-
-module.exports = require('./index.flow');
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.js b/packages/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.js
deleted file mode 100644
index a5aa0613fa52..000000000000
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
- *
- * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
- * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
- *
- * @flow strict-local
- * @format
- */
-
-/*::
-export type * from './version.flow';
-*/
-
-if (process.env.BUILD_EXCLUDE_BABEL_REGISTER == null) {
-  require('../../../../scripts/shared/babelRegister').registerForMonorepo();
-}
-
-module.exports = require('./version.flow');
diff --git a/packages/react-native/react-native.config.js b/packages/react-native/react-native.config.js
index 452c5ffbf379..713290231165 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/react-native.config.js
+++ b/packages/react-native/react-native.config.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import type {Command} from '@react-native-community/cli-types';
 // depending on and injecting:
 // - @react-native-community/cli-platform-android
 // - @react-native-community/cli-platform-ios
-// - @react-native/community-cli-plugin (via the @react-native/core-cli-utils package)
+// - @react-native/community-cli-plugin
 // - codegen command should be inhoused into @react-native-community/cli
 //
 // This is a temporary workaround.
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/cli.js b/packages/rn-tester/cli.js
index 72cfc6f7c139..34eadcc36e6f 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/cli.js
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/cli.js
@@ -12,30 +12,11 @@
 import {Command} from 'commander';
 */
 
-// eslint-disable-next-line @react-native/monorepo/sort-imports
-const {patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON} = require('./scripts/monorepo');
-
-function injectCoreCLIUtilsRuntimePatch() {
-  patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON(true);
-  const cleared = {
-    status: false,
-  };
-  ['exit', 'SIGUSR1', 'SIGUSR2', 'uncaughtException'].forEach(event => {
-    if (cleared.status) {
-      return;
-    }
-    patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON(false);
-    cleared.status = true;
-  });
-}
-
 if (process.env.BUILD_EXCLUDE_BABEL_REGISTER == null) {
   // $FlowFixMe[cannot-resolve-module]
   require('../../scripts/shared/babelRegister').registerForMonorepo();
 }
 
-injectCoreCLIUtilsRuntimePatch();
-
 const program /*: Command */ = require('./cli.flow.js').default;
 
 if (require.main === module) {
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/package.json b/packages/rn-tester/package.json
index db6034fbac64..26b5b7bd97cc 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/package.json
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/package.json
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
     "@react-native-community/cli": "20.0.0",
     "@react-native-community/cli-platform-android": "20.0.0",
     "@react-native-community/cli-platform-ios": "20.0.0",
+    "@react-native/core-cli-utils": "*",
     "commander": "^12.0.0",
     "listr2": "^6.4.1",
     "rxjs": "npm:@react-native-community/rxjs@6.5.4-custom"
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/scripts/monorepo.js b/packages/rn-tester/scripts/monorepo.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 7c0d72c2824b..000000000000
--- a/packages/rn-tester/scripts/monorepo.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
- *
- * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
- * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
- *
- * @flow strict-local
- * @format
- */
-
-// To be able to execute the cli as a yarn script, we have to strip our yarn types.
-// This causes problems for some of our dependencies, because they live in Meta internals,
-// Github and in NPM:
-// - Github and Meta: dynamicly transpile our dependencies. They each have to register on the monorepo
-// - NPM: `yarn run build`, and it should update the package.json's exports, main and files
-function patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON(patch /*: boolean */) {
-  const fs = require('fs');
-  const log = require('debug');
-  const pkg = JSON.parse(
-    fs.readFileSync('../core-cli-utils/package.json', 'utf8'),
-  );
-  const target = patch ? './src/monorepo.js' : './src/index.flow.js';
-  if (pkg.main === target) {
-    return;
-  }
-  pkg.main = target;
-  pkg.exports['.'] = target;
-  log(
-    `Patched: ${JSON.stringify(
-      {main: pkg.main, exports: pkg.exports},
-      null,
-      2,
-    )}`,
-  );
-  fs.writeFileSync(
-    '../core-cli-utils/package.json',
-    JSON.stringify(pkg, null, 2),
-  );
-}
-
-module.exports.patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON = patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON;
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/.eslintrc.json b/private/core-cli-utils/.eslintrc.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/.eslintrc.json
rename to private/core-cli-utils/.eslintrc.json
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/.gitignore b/private/core-cli-utils/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/.gitignore
rename to private/core-cli-utils/.gitignore
diff --git a/private/core-cli-utils/README.md b/private/core-cli-utils/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..545affa2aa5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# @react-native/core-cli-utils
+
+A reference implementation of React Native CLI tooling. This package provides composable, ordered `Task` objects for common CLI operations including Android Gradle builds, iOS Xcode/CocoaPods workflows, Metro bundling with Hermes support, and cache cleaning.
+
+This is not published to npm. Framework authors can use this code as a starting point for their own CLI tooling, but should not depend on it as a versioned API.
+
+## Modules
+
+- **`android`** — Gradle-based Android build tasks (assemble, build, install)
+- **`apple`** — Xcode/CocoaPods-based iOS tasks (bootstrap, build, install)
+- **`app`** — Metro bundler tasks (watch mode, bundle mode, Hermes bytecode compilation)
+- **`clean`** — Cache-cleaning tasks (Android/Gradle, Metro, npm, Watchman, Yarn, CocoaPods)
+- **`version`** — Semver version requirements for platform toolchains (Android NDK/SDK, Xcode, Node, etc.)
+
+## Consumers
+
+- [`private/helloworld/`](../helloworld/) — the primary consumer, using Android, iOS, and Metro modules
+- [`packages/rn-tester/`](../../packages/rn-tester/) — uses iOS bootstrap for CocoaPods setup
diff --git a/private/core-cli-utils/package.json b/private/core-cli-utils/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..725bf2650b5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "name": "@react-native/core-cli-utils",
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "description": "Reference implementation of React Native CLI tooling",
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "main": "./src/index.js",
+  "exports": {
+    ".": "./src/index.js",
+    "./package.json": "./package.json",
+    "./version.js": "./src/public/version.js"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "metro-babel-register": "^0.84.3"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {},
+  "engines": {
+    "node": "^22.13.0 || ^24.3.0 || >= 26.0.0"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/private/core-cli-utils/src/index.js b/private/core-cli-utils/src/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3a963b26c27b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/src/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ *
+ * @flow strict-local
+ * @format
+ */
+
+/*::
+export type {Task} from './private/types';
+*/
+
+const {tasks: android} = require('./private/android.js');
+const {tasks: app} = require('./private/app.js');
+const {tasks: apple} = require('./private/apple.js');
+const {tasks: clean} = require('./private/clean.js');
+const version = require('./public/version.js');
+
+module.exports = {android, app, apple, clean, version};
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/android.js b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/android.js
similarity index 83%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/android.js
rename to private/core-cli-utils/src/private/android.js
index c9ea7a7e59ed..2b520b49945a 100644
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/android.js
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/android.js
@@ -8,12 +8,15 @@
  * @format
  */
 
+/*::
 import type {Task} from './types';
 import type {ExecaPromise} from 'execa';
+*/
 
-import {isWindows, task} from './utils';
-import execa from 'execa';
+const {isWindows, task} = require('./utils');
+const execa = require('execa');
 
+/*::
 type AndroidBuildMode = 'Debug' | 'Release';
 
 type Path = string;
@@ -27,12 +30,13 @@ type Config = {
   newArchitecture?: boolean,
   sdk?: Path,
 };
+*/
 
 function gradle(
-  taskName: string,
-  args: Args,
-  options: {cwd: string, env?: {[k: string]: string | void}},
-): ExecaPromise {
+  taskName /*: string */,
+  args /*: Args */,
+  options /*: {cwd: string, env?: {[k: string]: string | void}} */,
+) /*: ExecaPromise */ {
   const gradlew = isWindows ? 'gradlew.bat' : './gradlew';
   return execa(gradlew, [taskName, ...args], {
     cwd: options.cwd,
@@ -40,11 +44,11 @@ function gradle(
   });
 }
 
-function androidSdkPath(sdk?: string): string {
+function androidSdkPath(sdk /*: ?string */) /*: string */ {
   return sdk ?? process.env.ANDROID_HOME ?? process.env.ANDROID_SDK ?? '';
 }
 
-function boolToStr(value: boolean): string {
+function boolToStr(value /*: boolean */) /*: string */ {
   return value ? 'true' : 'false';
 }
 
@@ -53,9 +57,8 @@ const FIRST = 1;
 //
 // Android Tasks
 //
-export const tasks = (
-  config: Config,
-): ({
+/*::
+type AndroidTasks = {
   assemble: (...gradleArgs: Args) => {
     run: Task<ExecaPromise>,
   },
@@ -65,8 +68,11 @@ export const tasks = (
   install: (...gradleArgs: Args) => {
     run: Task<ExecaPromise>,
   },
-}) => ({
-  assemble: (...gradleArgs: Args) => ({
+};
+*/
+
+const tasks = (config /*: Config */) /*: AndroidTasks */ => ({
+  assemble: (...gradleArgs /*: Args */) => ({
     run: task(FIRST, 'Assemble Android App', () => {
       const args = [];
       if (config.hermes != null) {
@@ -82,7 +88,7 @@ export const tasks = (
       });
     }),
   }),
-  build: (...gradleArgs: Args) => ({
+  build: (...gradleArgs /*: Args */) => ({
     run: task(FIRST, 'Assembles and tests Android App', () => {
       const args = [];
       if (config.hermes != null) {
@@ -101,10 +107,11 @@ export const tasks = (
   /**
    * Useful extra gradle arguments:
    *
+   *
    * -PreactNativeDevServerPort=8081 sets the port for the installed app to point towards a Metro
    *                                 server on (for example) 8081.
    */
-  install: (...gradleArgs: Args) => ({
+  install: (...gradleArgs /*: Args */) => ({
     run: task(FIRST, 'Installs the assembled Android App', () =>
       gradle(`${config.name}:install${config.mode}`, gradleArgs, {
         cwd: config.cwd,
@@ -118,3 +125,5 @@ export const tasks = (
   // CLI's code:
   // https://github.com/react-native-community/cli/blob/54d48a4e08a1aef334ae6168788e0157a666b4f5/packages/cli-platform-android/src/commands/runAndroid/index.ts#L272C1-L290C2
 });
+
+module.exports = {tasks};
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/app.js b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/app.js
similarity index 85%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/app.js
rename to private/core-cli-utils/src/private/app.js
index 0491ae577cd6..afb792541432 100644
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/app.js
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/app.js
@@ -8,17 +8,20 @@
  * @format
  */
 
+/*::
 import type {Task} from './types';
 import type {ExecaPromise} from 'execa';
+*/
 
-import {task} from './utils';
-import debug from 'debug';
-import execa from 'execa';
-import fs from 'fs';
-import path from 'path';
+const {task} = require('./utils');
+const debug = require('debug');
+const execa = require('execa');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
 
 const log = debug('core-cli-utils');
 
+/*::
 type BundlerOptions = {
   // Metro's config: https://metrobundler.dev/docs/configuration/
   config?: string,
@@ -65,24 +68,37 @@ type BundlerBuild = {
 
 type Bundler = BundlerWatch | BundlerBuild;
 
+type Bundle = {
+  validate?: Task<void>,
+  javascript: Task<ExecaPromise>,
+  sourcemap?: Task<void>,
+  validateHermesc?: Task<ExecaPromise>,
+  convert?: Task<ExecaPromise>,
+  compose?: Task<ExecaPromise>,
+};
+*/
+
 const FIRST = 1,
   SECOND = 2,
   THIRD = 3,
   FOURTH = 4;
 
-function getNodePackagePath(packageName: string): string {
+function getNodePackagePath(packageName /*: string */) /*: string */ {
   // $FlowFixMe[prop-missing] type definition is incomplete
   return require.resolve(packageName, {cwd: [process.cwd(), ...module.paths]});
 }
 
-function metro(...args: ReadonlyArray<string>): ExecaPromise {
+function metro(...args /*: ReadonlyArray<string> */) /*: ExecaPromise */ {
   log(`🚇 metro ${args.join(' ')} `);
   return execa('npx', ['--offline', 'metro', ...args]);
 }
 
-export const tasks = {
-  bundle: (options: BundlerOptions, ...args: ReadonlyArray<string>): Bundle => {
-    const steps: Bundle = {
+const tasks = {
+  bundle: (
+    options /*: BundlerOptions */,
+    ...args /*: ReadonlyArray<string> */
+  ) /*: Bundle */ => {
+    const steps /*: Bundle */ = {
       /* eslint-disable sort-keys */
       validate: task(FIRST, 'Check if Metro is available', () => {
         try {
@@ -103,29 +119,16 @@ export const tasks = {
   },
 };
 
-type Bundle = {
-  validate?: Task<void>,
-  javascript: Task<ExecaPromise>,
-  sourcemap?: Task<void>,
-  validateHermesc?: Task<ExecaPromise>,
-  convert?: Task<ExecaPromise>,
-  compose?: Task<ExecaPromise>,
-};
-
 const bundleApp = (
-  options: BundlerOptions,
-  ...metroArgs: ReadonlyArray<string>
+  options /*: BundlerOptions */,
+  ...metroArgs /*: ReadonlyArray<string> */
 ) => {
   if (options.outputJsBundle === options.outputBundle) {
     throw new Error('outputJsBundle and outputBundle cannot be the same.');
   }
-  // When using Hermes, Metro should generate the JS bundle to an intermediate file
-  // to then be converted to bytecode in the outputBundle. Otherwise just write to
-  // the outputBundle directly.
   let output =
     options.jsvm === 'hermes' ? options.outputJsBundle : options.outputBundle;
 
-  // TODO: Fix this by not using Metro CLI, which appends a .js extension
   if (output === options.outputJsBundle && !output.endsWith('.js')) {
     log(
       `Appending .js to outputBundle (because metro cli does it if it's missing): ${output}`,
@@ -134,7 +137,7 @@ const bundleApp = (
   }
 
   const isSourceMaps = options.outputSourceMap != null;
-  const bundle: Bundle = {
+  const bundle /*: Bundle */ = {
     javascript: task(SECOND, 'Metro generating an .jsbundle', () => {
       const args = [
         '--platform',
@@ -146,7 +149,6 @@ const bundleApp = (
         output,
       ];
       if (options.jsvm === 'hermes' && !options.dev) {
-        // Hermes doesn't require JS minification
         args.push('--minify', 'false');
       } else {
         args.push('--minify', options.minify ? 'true' : 'false');
@@ -166,9 +168,9 @@ const bundleApp = (
     throw new Error('If jsvm == "hermes", hermes config must be provided.');
   }
 
-  const hermes: HermesConfig = options.hermes;
+  const hermes /*: HermesConfig */ = options.hermes;
 
-  const isHermesInstalled: boolean = fs.existsSync(hermes.path);
+  const isHermesInstalled /*: boolean */ = fs.existsSync(hermes.path);
   if (!isHermesInstalled) {
     throw new Error(
       'Hermes Pod must be installed before bundling.\n' +
@@ -176,11 +178,8 @@ const bundleApp = (
     );
   }
 
-  const hermesc: string = path.join(hermes.path, hermes.hermesc);
+  const hermesc /*: string */ = path.join(hermes.path, hermes.hermesc);
 
-  /*
-   * Hermes only tasks:
-   */
   let composeSourceMaps;
   if (isSourceMaps) {
     bundle.sourcemap = task(
@@ -244,3 +243,5 @@ const bundleApp = (
 
   return bundle;
 };
+
+module.exports = {tasks};
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/apple.js b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/apple.js
similarity index 81%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/apple.js
rename to private/core-cli-utils/src/private/apple.js
index 9bea66afbb12..a8a1d933b8d2 100644
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/apple.js
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/apple.js
@@ -8,14 +8,17 @@
  * @format
  */
 
+/*::
 import type {Task} from './types';
 import type {ExecaPromise} from 'execa';
+*/
 
-import {assertDependencies, isOnPath, task} from './utils';
-import execa from 'execa';
-import fs from 'fs';
-import path from 'path';
+const {assertDependencies, isOnPath, task} = require('./utils');
+const execa = require('execa');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
 
+/*::
 type AppleBuildMode = 'Debug' | 'Release';
 
 type AppleBuildOptions = {
@@ -50,10 +53,11 @@ type AppleOptions = {
   // The environment variables to pass to the build command
   env?: {[key: string]: string | void, ...},
 };
+*/
 
 function checkPodfileInSyncWithManifest(
-  lockfilePath: string,
-  manifestLockfilePath: string,
+  lockfilePath /*: string */,
+  manifestLockfilePath /*: string */,
 ) {
   try {
     const expected = fs.readFileSync(lockfilePath, 'utf8');
@@ -63,8 +67,8 @@ function checkPodfileInSyncWithManifest(
         'Please run: yarn bootstrap ios, Podfile.lock and Pods/Manifest.lock are out of sync',
       );
     }
-  } catch (e) {
-    throw new Error('Please run: yarn run bootstrap ios: ' + e.message);
+  } catch (e /*: unknown */) {
+    throw new Error('Please run: yarn run bootstrap ios: ' + String(e));
   }
 }
 
@@ -74,23 +78,36 @@ const FIRST = 1,
   FOURTH = 4,
   FIFTH = 5;
 
-function getNodePackagePath(packageName: string): string {
+function getNodePackagePath(packageName /*: string */) /*: string */ {
   // $FlowFixMe[prop-missing] type definition is incomplete
   return require.resolve(packageName, {cwd: [process.cwd(), ...module.paths]});
 }
 
+/*::
+type BootstrapTasks = {
+  cleanupBuildFolder: Task<void>,
+  runCodegen: Task<void>,
+  validate: Task<void>,
+  installRubyGems: Task<ExecaPromise>,
+  installDependencies: Task<ExecaPromise>,
+};
+
+type BuildTasks = {
+  validate: Task<void>,
+  hasPodsInstalled: Task<void>,
+  build: Task<ExecaPromise>,
+};
+
+type InstallTasks = {
+  validate: Task<void>,
+  install: Task<ExecaPromise>,
+};
+*/
+
 /* eslint sort-keys: "off" */
-export const tasks = {
+const tasks = {
   // 1. Setup your environment for building the iOS apps
-  bootstrap: (
-    options: AppleBootstrapOption,
-  ): {
-    cleanupBuildFolder: Task<void>,
-    runCodegen: Task<void>,
-    validate: Task<void>,
-    installRubyGems: Task<ExecaPromise>,
-    installDependencies: Task<ExecaPromise>,
-  } => ({
+  bootstrap: (options /*: AppleBootstrapOption */) /*: BootstrapTasks */ => ({
     cleanupBuildFolder: task(FIRST, 'Cleanup build folder', () => {
       execa.sync('rm', ['-rf', 'build'], {
         cwd: options.cwd,
@@ -125,7 +142,7 @@ export const tasks = {
       }),
     ),
     installDependencies: task(FIFTH, 'Install CocoaPods dependencies', () => {
-      const env: {[string]: string | void} = {
+      const env /*: {[string]: string | void} */ = {
         RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED: options.newArchitecture ? '1' : '0',
         USE_FRAMEWORKS: options.frameworks,
         USE_HERMES: options.hermes ? '1' : '0',
@@ -143,13 +160,9 @@ export const tasks = {
 
   // 2. Build the iOS app using a setup environment
   build: (
-    options: AppleBuildOptions,
-    ...args: ReadonlyArray<string>
-  ): {
-    validate: Task<void>,
-    hasPodsInstalled: Task<void>,
-    build: Task<ExecaPromise>,
-  } => ({
+    options /*: AppleBuildOptions */,
+    ...args /*: ReadonlyArray<string> */
+  ) /*: BuildTasks */ => ({
     validate: task(
       FIRST,
       "Check you've run xcode-select --install for xcodebuild",
@@ -165,8 +178,8 @@ export const tasks = {
             /* eslint-disable-next-line no-bitwise */
             fs.constants.F_OK | fs.constants.R_OK,
           );
-        } catch (e) {
-          throw new Error('Please run: yarn run bootstrap ios: ' + e.message);
+        } catch (e /*: unknown */) {
+          throw new Error('Please run: yarn run bootstrap ios: ' + String(e));
         }
       }
       checkPodfileInSyncWithManifest(
@@ -185,7 +198,6 @@ export const tasks = {
         _args.push('-scheme', options.scheme);
       }
       if (options.destination != null) {
-        // The user doesn't want a generic target, they know better.
         switch (options.destination) {
           case 'simulator':
             _args.push('-sdk', 'iphonesimulator');
@@ -204,9 +216,7 @@ export const tasks = {
 
   // 3. Install the built app on a simulator or device
   ios: {
-    install: (
-      options: AppleInstallApp,
-    ): {validate: Task<void>, install: Task<ExecaPromise>} => ({
+    install: (options /*: AppleInstallApp */) /*: InstallTasks */ => ({
       validate: task(
         FIRST,
         "Check you've run xcode-select --install for xcrun",
@@ -225,3 +235,5 @@ export const tasks = {
     }),
   },
 };
+
+module.exports = {tasks};
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/clean.js b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/clean.js
similarity index 67%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/clean.js
rename to private/core-cli-utils/src/private/clean.js
index aade0a1e2e1c..31019e75615a 100644
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/clean.js
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/clean.js
@@ -8,19 +8,27 @@
  * @format
  */
 
+/*::
 import type {Task} from './types';
 import type {ExecaPromise, Options as ExecaOptions} from 'execa';
-
-import {assertDependencies, isMacOS, isOnPath, isWindows, task} from './utils';
-import execa from 'execa';
-import {existsSync, readdirSync, rm} from 'fs';
-import os from 'os';
-import path from 'path';
+*/
+
+const {
+  assertDependencies,
+  isMacOS,
+  isOnPath,
+  isWindows,
+  task,
+} = require('./utils');
+const execa = require('execa');
+const {existsSync, readdirSync, rm} = require('fs');
+const os = require('os');
+const path = require('path');
 
 const FIRST = 1,
   SECOND = 2;
 
-const rmrf = (pathname: string) => {
+const rmrf = (pathname /*: string */) => {
   if (!existsSync(pathname)) {
     return;
   }
@@ -31,13 +39,13 @@ const rmrf = (pathname: string) => {
  * Removes the contents of a directory matching a given pattern, but keeps the directory.
  * @private
  */
-export function deleteDirectoryContents(
-  directory: string,
-  filePattern: RegExp,
-): () => Promise<void> {
+function deleteDirectoryContents(
+  directory /*: string */,
+  filePattern /*: RegExp */,
+) /*: () => Promise<void> */ {
   return async function deleteDirectoryContentsAction() {
     const base = path.dirname(directory);
-    const files = readdirSync(base).filter((filename: string) =>
+    const files = readdirSync(base).filter((filename /*: string */) =>
       filePattern.test(filename),
     );
     for (const filename of files) {
@@ -50,7 +58,7 @@ export function deleteDirectoryContents(
  * Removes a directory recursively.
  * @private
  */
-export function deleteDirectory(directory: string): () => Promise<void> {
+function deleteDirectory(directory /*: string */) /*: () => Promise<void> */ {
   return async function cleanDirectoryAction() {
     rmrf(directory);
   };
@@ -60,14 +68,15 @@ export function deleteDirectory(directory: string): () => Promise<void> {
  * Deletes the contents of the tmp directory matching a given pattern.
  * @private
  */
-export function deleteTmpDirectoryContents(
-  filepattern: RegExp,
-): () => Promise<void> {
+function deleteTmpDirectoryContents(
+  filepattern /*: RegExp */,
+) /*: () => Promise<void> */ {
   return deleteDirectoryContents(os.tmpdir(), filepattern);
 }
 
 const platformGradlew = isWindows ? 'gradlew.bat' : 'gradlew';
 
+/*::
 type CocoaPodsClean = {
   clean: Task<ExecaPromise>,
 };
@@ -104,14 +113,15 @@ type CleanTasks = {
   yarn: (projectRootDir: string) => YarnClean,
   cocoapods?: (projectRootDir: string) => CocoaPodsClean,
 };
+*/
 
 // The tasks that cleanup various build artefacts.
 /* eslint sort-keys: "off" */
-export const tasks: CleanTasks = {
+const tasks /*: CleanTasks */ = {
   /**
    * Cleans up the Android Gradle cache
    */
-  android: (androidSrcDir: ?string, opts?: ExecaOptions) => ({
+  android: (androidSrcDir /*: ?string */, opts /*: ?ExecaOptions */) => ({
     validate: task(FIRST, 'Check gradlew is available', () => {
       assertDependencies(isOnPath(platformGradlew, 'Gradle wrapper'));
     }),
@@ -150,37 +160,43 @@ export const tasks: CleanTasks = {
   /**
    * Cleans up the `node_modules` folder and optionally garbage collects the npm cache.
    */
-  npm: (projectRootDir: string) => ({
+  npm: (projectRootDir /*: string */) => ({
     node_modules: task(
       FIRST,
       '🧹 Clean node_modules',
       deleteDirectory(path.join(projectRootDir, 'node_modules')),
     ),
-    verify_cache: task(SECOND, '🔬 Verify npm cache', (opts?: ExecaOptions) =>
-      execa('npm', ['cache', 'verify'], {cwd: projectRootDir, ...opts}),
+    verify_cache: task(
+      SECOND,
+      '🔬 Verify npm cache',
+      (opts /*: ?ExecaOptions */) =>
+        execa('npm', ['cache', 'verify'], {cwd: projectRootDir, ...opts}),
     ),
   }),
 
   /**
    * Stops Watchman and clears its cache
    */
-  watchman: (projectRootDir: string) => ({
-    stop: task(FIRST, '✋ Stop Watchman', (opts?: ExecaOptions) =>
+  watchman: (projectRootDir /*: string */) => ({
+    stop: task(FIRST, '✋ Stop Watchman', (opts /*: ?ExecaOptions */) =>
       execa(isWindows ? 'tskill' : 'killall', ['watchman'], {
         cwd: projectRootDir,
         ...opts,
       }),
     ),
-    cache: task(SECOND, '🧹 Delete Watchman cache', (opts?: ExecaOptions) =>
-      execa('watchman', ['watch-del-all'], {cwd: projectRootDir, ...opts}),
+    cache: task(
+      SECOND,
+      '🧹 Delete Watchman cache',
+      (opts /*: ?ExecaOptions */) =>
+        execa('watchman', ['watch-del-all'], {cwd: projectRootDir, ...opts}),
     ),
   }),
 
   /**
    * Cleans up the Yarn cache
    */
-  yarn: (projectRootDir: string) => ({
-    clean: task(FIRST, '🧹 Clean Yarn cache', (opts?: ExecaOptions) =>
+  yarn: (projectRootDir /*: string */) => ({
+    clean: task(FIRST, '🧹 Clean Yarn cache', (opts /*: ?ExecaOptions */) =>
       execa('yarn', ['cache', 'clean'], {cwd: projectRootDir, ...opts}),
     ),
   }),
@@ -190,13 +206,22 @@ if (isMacOS) {
   /**
    * Cleans up the local and global CocoaPods cache
    */
-  tasks.cocoapods = (projectRootDir: string) => ({
-    // TODO: add project root
-    clean: task(FIRST, '🧹 Clean CocoaPods pod cache', (opts?: ExecaOptions) =>
-      execa('bundle', ['exec', 'pod', 'deintegrate'], {
-        cwd: projectRootDir,
-        ...opts,
-      }),
+  tasks.cocoapods = (projectRootDir /*: string */) => ({
+    clean: task(
+      FIRST,
+      '🧹 Clean CocoaPods pod cache',
+      (opts /*: ?ExecaOptions */) =>
+        execa('bundle', ['exec', 'pod', 'deintegrate'], {
+          cwd: projectRootDir,
+          ...opts,
+        }),
     ),
   });
 }
+
+module.exports = {
+  deleteDirectory,
+  deleteDirectoryContents,
+  deleteTmpDirectoryContents,
+  tasks,
+};
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/types.js b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/types.js
similarity index 97%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/types.js
rename to private/core-cli-utils/src/private/types.js
index 2c2987e1d306..9a5e1fb6956b 100644
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/types.js
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/types.js
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@
  * @format
  */
 
+/*::
 export type Task<R = unknown> = {
   order: number,
   label: string,
   action: () => R,
 };
+*/
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/utils.js b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/utils.js
similarity index 58%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/utils.js
rename to private/core-cli-utils/src/private/utils.js
index 78cadf5ebaae..6acc1fcf861c 100644
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/private/utils.js
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/src/private/utils.js
@@ -8,16 +8,18 @@
  * @format
  */
 
+/*::
 import type {Task} from './types';
+*/
 
-import execa from 'execa';
-import os from 'os';
+const execa = require('execa');
+const os = require('os');
 
-export function task<R>(
-  order: number,
-  label: string,
-  action: Task<R>['action'],
-): Task<R> {
+function task /*:: <R> */(
+  order /*: number */,
+  label /*: string */,
+  action /*: Task<R>['action'] */,
+) /*: Task<R> */ {
   return {
     action,
     label,
@@ -25,19 +27,24 @@ export function task<R>(
   };
 }
 
-export const isWindows = os.platform() === 'win32';
-export const isMacOS = os.platform() === 'darwin';
+const isWindows = os.platform() === 'win32';
+const isMacOS = os.platform() === 'darwin';
 
-export const toPascalCase = (label: string): string =>
+const toPascalCase = (label /*: string */) /*: string */ =>
   label.length === 0 ? '' : label[0].toUpperCase() + label.slice(1);
 
+/*::
 type PathCheckResult = {
   found: boolean,
   dep: string,
   description: string,
 };
+*/
 
-export function isOnPath(dep: string, description: string): PathCheckResult {
+function isOnPath(
+  dep /*: string */,
+  description /*: string */,
+) /*: PathCheckResult */ {
   const cmd = isWindows ? ['where', [dep]] : ['command', ['-v', dep]];
   try {
     return {
@@ -54,8 +61,8 @@ export function isOnPath(dep: string, description: string): PathCheckResult {
   }
 }
 
-export function assertDependencies(
-  ...deps: ReadonlyArray<ReturnType<typeof isOnPath>>
+function assertDependencies(
+  ...deps /*: ReadonlyArray<ReturnType<typeof isOnPath>> */
 ) {
   for (const {found, dep, description} of deps) {
     if (!found) {
@@ -63,3 +70,12 @@ export function assertDependencies(
     }
   }
 }
+
+module.exports = {
+  assertDependencies,
+  isMacOS,
+  isOnPath,
+  isWindows,
+  task,
+  toPascalCase,
+};
diff --git a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.flow.js b/private/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.js
similarity index 89%
rename from packages/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.flow.js
rename to private/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.js
index 05a0bd98b389..fae43fbf5a21 100644
--- a/packages/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.flow.js
+++ b/private/core-cli-utils/src/public/version.js
@@ -26,17 +26,17 @@
 //
 // For react-native@0.75.0 you have to have a version of XCode >= 12
 
-export const android = {
+const android = {
   ANDROID_NDK: '>= 23.x',
   ANDROID_SDK: '>= 33.x',
 };
 
-export const apple = {
+const apple = {
   COCOAPODS: '>= 1.10.0',
   XCODE: '>= 12.x',
 };
 
-export const common = {
+const common = {
   BUN: '>= 1.0.0',
   JAVA: '>= 17 <= 20',
   NODE_JS: '>= 18',
@@ -45,8 +45,10 @@ export const common = {
   YARN: '>= 1.10.x',
 };
 
-export const all = {
+const all = {
   ...apple,
   ...android,
   ...common,
 };
+
+module.exports = {all, android, apple, common};
diff --git a/private/helloworld/cli.js b/private/helloworld/cli.js
index 72cfc6f7c139..34eadcc36e6f 100644
--- a/private/helloworld/cli.js
+++ b/private/helloworld/cli.js
@@ -12,30 +12,11 @@
 import {Command} from 'commander';
 */
 
-// eslint-disable-next-line @react-native/monorepo/sort-imports
-const {patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON} = require('./scripts/monorepo');
-
-function injectCoreCLIUtilsRuntimePatch() {
-  patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON(true);
-  const cleared = {
-    status: false,
-  };
-  ['exit', 'SIGUSR1', 'SIGUSR2', 'uncaughtException'].forEach(event => {
-    if (cleared.status) {
-      return;
-    }
-    patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON(false);
-    cleared.status = true;
-  });
-}
-
 if (process.env.BUILD_EXCLUDE_BABEL_REGISTER == null) {
   // $FlowFixMe[cannot-resolve-module]
   require('../../scripts/shared/babelRegister').registerForMonorepo();
 }
 
-injectCoreCLIUtilsRuntimePatch();
-
 const program /*: Command */ = require('./cli.flow.js').default;
 
 if (require.main === module) {
diff --git a/private/helloworld/package.json b/private/helloworld/package.json
index a37652822ec2..63cdc897f1ee 100644
--- a/private/helloworld/package.json
+++ b/private/helloworld/package.json
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     "@babel/preset-env": "^7.25.3",
     "@babel/runtime": "^7.25.0",
     "@react-native/babel-preset": "0.87.0-main",
-    "@react-native/core-cli-utils": "0.87.0-main",
+    "@react-native/core-cli-utils": "*",
     "@react-native/eslint-config": "0.87.0-main",
     "@react-native/metro-config": "0.87.0-main",
     "@react-native/typescript-config": "0.87.0-main",
diff --git a/private/helloworld/scripts/monorepo.js b/private/helloworld/scripts/monorepo.js
deleted file mode 100644
index bd3d88bc6f4e..000000000000
--- a/private/helloworld/scripts/monorepo.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
- *
- * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
- * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
- *
- * @flow strict-local
- * @format
- */
-
-// To be able to execute the cli as a yarn script, we have to strip our yarn types.
-// This causes problems for some of our dependencies, because they live in Meta internals,
-// Github and in NPM:
-// - Github and Meta: dynamicly transpile our dependencies. They each have to register on the monorepo
-// - NPM: `yarn run build`, and it should update the package.json's exports, main and files
-function patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON(patch /*: boolean */) {
-  const log = require('debug');
-  const fs = require('fs');
-  const path = require('path');
-
-  function repositoryPath(relativePath /*: string */) {
-    return path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', '..', relativePath);
-  }
-
-  const packageJsonPath = repositoryPath(
-    'packages/core-cli-utils/package.json',
-  );
-
-  const pkg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(packageJsonPath, 'utf8'));
-  const target = patch ? './src/monorepo.js' : './src/index.flow.js';
-  if (pkg.main === target) {
-    return;
-  }
-  pkg.main = target;
-  pkg.exports['.'] = target;
-  log(
-    `Patched: ${JSON.stringify(
-      {main: pkg.main, exports: pkg.exports},
-      null,
-      2,
-    )}`,
-  );
-  fs.writeFileSync(packageJsonPath, JSON.stringify(pkg, null, 2));
-}
-
-module.exports.patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON = patchCoreCLIUtilsPackageJSON;
diff --git a/scripts/build/config.js b/scripts/build/config.js
index 499da73c399b..e4fd32091dfb 100644
--- a/scripts/build/config.js
+++ b/scripts/build/config.js
@@ -41,10 +41,6 @@ const buildConfig: BuildConfig = {
     'community-cli-plugin': {
       target: 'node',
     },
-    'core-cli-utils': {
-      emitTypeScriptDefs: true,
-      target: 'node',
-    },
     'debugger-shell': {
       emitTypeScriptDefs: true,
       target: 'node',
diff --git a/scripts/e2e/init-project-e2e.js b/scripts/e2e/init-project-e2e.js
index af396bb34cf4..34468725f695 100644
--- a/scripts/e2e/init-project-e2e.js
+++ b/scripts/e2e/init-project-e2e.js
@@ -219,12 +219,18 @@ function _prepareHelloWorld(
   // and update the dependencies and devDependencies of packages scoped as @react-native
   // to the version passed as parameter
   for (const key of Object.keys(packageJson.dependencies)) {
-    if (key.startsWith('@react-native/')) {
+    if (
+      key.startsWith('@react-native/') &&
+      packageJson.dependencies[key] !== '*'
+    ) {
       packageJson.dependencies[key] = version;
     }
   }
   for (const key of Object.keys(packageJson.devDependencies)) {
-    if (key.startsWith('@react-native/')) {
+    if (
+      key.startsWith('@react-native/') &&
+      packageJson.devDependencies[key] !== '*'
+    ) {
       packageJson.devDependencies[key] = version;
     }
   }