This page will help you install and build your first React Native app. If you already have React Native installed, you can skip ahead to the Tutorial.
This is a short tutorial that walks you through installing Android Studio on a Windows or Mac machine, beginning with downloading the Java SDK. You will also learn how to set up a new project using the Android Studio Project Wizard. With perfect Android emulation on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux and fully integrated support for Google Cloud Platform, Android Studio represents the best SDE package that you can find today for making apps for Android devices.
If you are new to mobile development, the easiest way to get started is with Expo CLI. Expo is a set of tools built around React Native and, while it has many features, the most relevant feature for us right now is that it can get you writing a React Native app within minutes. You will only need a recent version of Node.js and a phone or emulator. If you'd like to try out React Native directly in your web browser before installing any tools, you can try out Snack.
If you are already familiar with mobile development, you may want to use React Native CLI. It requires Xcode or Android Studio to get started. If you already have one of these tools installed, you should be able to get up and running within a few minutes. If they are not installed, you should expect to spend about an hour installing and configuring them.
Assuming that you have Node 10 LTS or greater installed, you can use npm to install the Expo CLI command line utility:
Then run the following commands to create a new React Native project called 'AwesomeProject':
This will start a development server for you.
Running your React Native application
Install the Expo client app on your iOS or Android phone and connect to the same wireless network as your computer. On Android, use the Expo app to scan the QR code from your terminal to open your project. On iOS, follow on-screen instructions to get a link.
Modifying your app
Now that you have successfully run the app, let's modify it. Open App.js in your text editor of choice and edit some lines. The application should reload automatically once you save your changes.
That's it!
Congratulations! You've successfully run and modified your first React Native app.
Now what?
Expo also has docs you can reference if you have questions specific to the tool. You can also ask for help at Expo forums.
These tools help you get started quickly, but before committing to building your app with Expo CLI, read about the limitations.
If you have a problem with Expo, before creating a new issue, please see if there's an existing issue about it:
- in the Expo CLI issues (for issues related to Expo CLI), or
- in the Expo issues (for issues about the Expo client or SDK).
If you're curious to learn more about React Native, continue on to the Tutorial.
Running your app on a simulator or virtual device
Expo CLI makes it really easy to run your React Native app on a physical device without setting up a development environment. If you want to run your app on the iOS Simulator or an Android Virtual Device, please refer to the instructions for 'React Native CLI Quickstart' to learn how to install Xcode or set up your Android development environment.
Once you've set these up, you can launch your app on an Android Virtual Device by running npm run android, or on the iOS Simulator by running npm run ios (macOS only).
Caveats
Because you don't build any native code when using Expo to create a project, it's not possible to include custom native modules beyond the React Native APIs and components that are available in the Expo client app.
If you know that you'll eventually need to include your own native code, Expo is still a good way to get started. In that case you'll just need to 'eject' eventually to create your own native builds. If you do eject, the 'React Native CLI Quickstart' instructions will be required to continue working on your project.
Expo CLI configures your project to use the most recent React Native version that is supported by the Expo client app. The Expo client app usually gains support for a given React Native version about a week after the React Native version is released as stable. You can check this document to find out what versions are supported.
If you're integrating React Native into an existing project, you'll want to skip Expo CLI and go directly to setting up the native build environment. Select 'React Native CLI Quickstart' above for instructions on configuring a native build environment for React Native.
Follow these instructions if you need to build native code in your project. For example, if you are integrating React Native into an existing application, or if you 'ejected' from Expo, you'll need this section.
The instructions are a bit different depending on your development operating system, and whether you want to start developing for iOS or Android. If you want to develop for both iOS and Android, that's fine - you just have to pick one to start with, since the setup is a bit different.
Unsupported
A Mac is required to build projects with native code for iOS. You can follow the Quick Start to learn how to build your app using Expo instead.
Installing dependencies
You will need Node, Watchman, the React Native command line interface, and Xcode.
While you can use any editor of your choice to develop your app, you will need to install Xcode in order to set up the necessary tooling to build your React Native app for iOS.
Installing dependencies
You will need Node, Watchman, the React Native command line interface, a JDK, and Android Studio.
Installing dependencies
You will need Node, the React Native command line interface, a JDK, and Android Studio.
Installing dependencies
You will need Node, the React Native command line interface, Python2, a JDK, and Android Studio.
While you can use any editor of your choice to develop your app, you will need to install Android Studio in order to set up the necessary tooling to build your React Native app for Android.
Node, Watchman, JDK
We recommend installing Node, Watchman, and JDK using Homebrew. Run the following commands in a Terminal after installing Homebrew:
If you have already installed Node on your system, make sure it is Node 8.3 or newer.
Watchman is a tool by Facebook for watching changes in the filesystem. It is highly recommended you install it for better performance.
If you have already installed JDK on your system, make sure it is JDK 8 or newer.
Node
Follow the installation instructions for your Linux distribution to install Node 8.3 or newer.
Node, Python2, JDK
We recommend installing Node and Python2 via Chocolatey, a popular package manager for Windows.
React Native also requires a recent version of the Java SE Development Kit (JDK), as well as Python 2. Both can be installed using Chocolatey.
Open an Administrator Command Prompt (right click Command Prompt and select 'Run as Administrator'), then run the following command:
If you have already installed Node on your system, make sure it is Node 8.3 or newer. If you already have a JDK on your system, make sure it is version 8 or newer.
You can find additional installation options on Node's Downloads page.
The React Native CLI
Node comes with npm, which lets you install the React Native command line interface.
Run the following command in a Terminal:
If you get an error like Cannot find module 'npmlog', try installing npm directly: curl -0 -L https://npmjs.org/install.sh | sudo sh.
The React Native CLI
Node comes with npm, which lets you install the React Native command line interface.
Run the following command in a Command Prompt or shell:
If you get an error like Cannot find module 'npmlog', try installing npm directly: curl -0 -L https://npmjs.org/install.sh | sudo sh.
Xcode
The easiest way to install Xcode is via the Mac App Store. Installing Xcode will also install the iOS Simulator and all the necessary tools to build your iOS app.
If you have already installed Xcode on your system, make sure it is version 9.4 or newer.
Command Line Tools
You will also need to install the Xcode Command Line Tools. Open Xcode, then choose 'Preferences...' from the Xcode menu. Go to the Locations panel and install the tools by selecting the most recent version in the Command Line Tools dropdown.
Java Development Kit
React Native requires version 8 of the Java SE Development Kit (JDK). You may download and install OpenJDK from AdoptOpenJDK or your system packager. You may also Download and install Oracle JDK 8 if desired.
Android development environment
Setting up your development environment can be somewhat tedious if you're new to Android development. If you're already familiar with Android development, there are a few things you may need to configure. In either case, please make sure to carefully follow the next few steps.
1. Install Android Studio
Download and install Android Studio. Choose a 'Custom' setup when prompted to select an installation type. Make sure the boxes next to all of the following are checked:
Android SDKAndroid SDK PlatformPerformance (Intel ® HAXM)(See here for AMD)Android Virtual Device
Android SDKAndroid SDK PlatformAndroid Virtual Device
Then, click 'Next' to install all of these components.
If the checkboxes are grayed out, you will have a chance to install these components later on.
Once setup has finalized and you're presented with the Welcome screen, proceed to the next step.
2. Install the Android SDK
Android Studio installs the latest Android SDK by default. Building a React Native app with native code, however, requires the Android 9 (Pie) SDK in particular. Additional Android SDKs can be installed through the SDK Manager in Android Studio.
The SDK Manager can be accessed from the 'Welcome to Android Studio' screen. Click on 'Configure', then select 'SDK Manager'.
The SDK Manager can also be found within the Android Studio 'Preferences' dialog, under Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → Android SDK.
Select the 'SDK Platforms' tab from within the SDK Manager, then check the box next to 'Show Package Details' in the bottom right corner. Look for and expand the Android 9 (Pie) entry, then make sure the following items are checked:
Android SDK Platform 28Intel x86 Atom_64 System ImageorGoogle APIs Intel x86 Atom System Image
Next, select the 'SDK Tools' tab and check the box next to 'Show Package Details' here as well. Look for and expand the 'Android SDK Build-Tools' entry, then make sure that 28.0.3 is selected.
Finally, click 'Apply' to download and install the Android SDK and related build tools.
3. Configure the ANDROID_HOME environment variable
The React Native tools require some environment variables to be set up in order to build apps with native code.
Add the following lines to your $HOME/.bash_profile or $HOME/.bashrc config file:
.bash_profile is specific to bash. If you're using another shell, you will need to edit the appropriate shell-specific config file.
Type source $HOME/.bash_profile to load the config into your current shell. Verify that ANDROID_HOME has been added to your path by running echo $PATH.
Please make sure you use the correct Android SDK path. You can find the actual location of the SDK in the Android Studio 'Preferences' dialog, under Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → Android SDK.
Open the System pane under System and Security in the Windows Control Panel, then click on Change settings.... Open the Advanced tab and click on Environment Variables.... Click on New... to create a new ANDROID_HOME user variable that points to the path to your Android SDK:
The SDK is installed, by default, at the following location:
You can find the actual location of the SDK in the Android Studio 'Preferences' dialog, under Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → Android SDK.
Open a new Command Prompt window to ensure the new environment variable is loaded before proceeding to the next step.
4. Add platform-tools to Path
Open the System pane under System and Security in the Windows Control Panel, then click on Change settings.... Open the Advanced tab and click on Environment Variables.... Select the Path variable, then click Edit. Click New and add the path to platform-tools to the list.
The default location for this folder is:
Watchman
Follow the Watchman installation guide to compile and install Watchman from source.
Watchman is a tool by Facebook for watching changes in the filesystem. It is highly recommended you install it for better performance and increased compatibility in certain edge cases (translation: you may be able to get by without installing this, but your mileage may vary; installing this now may save you from a headache later).
Creating a new application
Use the React Native command line interface to generate a new React Native project called 'AwesomeProject':
This is not necessary if you are integrating React Native into an existing application, if you 'ejected' from Expo (or Create React Native App), or if you're adding iOS support to an existing React Native project (see Platform Specific Code). You can also use a third-party CLI to init your React Native app, such as Ignite CLI.
[Optional] Using a specific version
If you want to start a new project with a specific React Native version, you can use the --version argument:
Creating a new application
Use the React Native command line interface to generate a new React Native project called 'AwesomeProject':
This is not necessary if you are integrating React Native into an existing application, if you 'ejected' from Create React Native App, or if you're adding Android support to an existing React Native project (see Platform Specific Code). You can also use a third-party CLI to init your React Native app, such as Ignite CLI.
[Optional] Using a specific version
If you want to start a new project with a specific React Native version, you can use the --version argument:
Preparing the Android device
How To Download Android Studio
You will need an Android device to run your React Native Android app. This can be either a physical Android device, or more commonly, you can use an Android Virtual Device which allows you to emulate an Android device on your computer.
Either way, you will need to prepare the device to run Android apps for development.
Using a physical device
If you have a physical Android device, you can use it for development in place of an AVD by plugging it in to your computer using a USB cable and following the instructions here.
Using a virtual device
If you use Android Studio to open ./AwesomeProject/android, you can see the list of available Android Virtual Devices (AVDs) by opening the 'AVD Manager' from within Android Studio. Look for an icon that looks like this:
If you have just installed Android Studio, you will likely need to create a new AVD. Select 'Create Virtual Device...', then pick any Phone from the list and click 'Next', then select the Pie API Level 28 image.
We recommend configuring VM acceleration on your system to improve performance. Once you've followed those instructions, go back to the AVD Manager.
If you don't have HAXM installed, click on 'Install HAXM' or follow these instructions to set it up, then go back to the AVD Manager.
If you don't have HAXM installed, follow these instructions to set it up, then go back to the AVD Manager.
Click 'Next' then 'Finish' to create your AVD. At this point you should be able to click on the green triangle button next to your AVD to launch it, then proceed to the next step.
Running your React Native application
Run react-native run-ios inside your React Native project folder:
You should see your new app running in the iOS Simulator shortly.
react-native run-ios is just one way to run your app. You can also run it directly from within Xcode.
If you can't get this to work, see the Troubleshooting page.
Running on a device
The above command will automatically run your app on the iOS Simulator by default. If you want to run the app on an actual physical iOS device, please follow the instructions here.
Running your React Native application
Run react-native run-android inside your React Native project folder:
If everything is set up correctly, you should see your new app running in your Android emulator shortly.
react-native run-android is just one way to run your app - you can also run it directly from within Android Studio.
If you can't get this to work, see the Troubleshooting page.
Modifying your app
Now that you have successfully run the app, let's modify it.
- Open
App.jsin your text editor of choice and edit some lines. - Hit
⌘Rin your iOS Simulator to reload the app and see your changes!
- Open
App.jsin your text editor of choice and edit some lines. - Press the
Rkey twice or selectReloadfrom the Developer Menu (⌘M) to see your changes!
Modifying your app
Now that you have successfully run the app, let's modify it.
- Open
App.jsin your text editor of choice and edit some lines. - Press the
Rkey twice or selectReloadfrom the Developer Menu (Ctrl + M) to see your changes!
That's it!
Congratulations! You've successfully run and modified your first React Native app.
That's it!
Congratulations! You've successfully run and modified your first React Native app.
Now what?
Turn on Live Reload in the Developer Menu. Your app will now reload automatically whenever you save any changes!
If you want to add this new React Native code to an existing application, check out the Integration guide.
If you're curious to learn more about React Native, continue on to the Tutorial.
Now what?
Turn on Live Reload in the Developer Menu. Your app will now reload automatically whenever you save any changes!
If you want to add this new React Native code to an existing application, check out the Integration guide.
If you're curious to learn more about React Native, continue on to the Tutorial.
You might need a Mac in order to create your own iOS appsSo You Want To Make iPhone Apps? 10 Projects For BeginnersSo You Want To Make iPhone Apps? 10 Projects For BeginnersWant to create iPhone and iPad apps? Start by learning the basics of Swift.Read More, but if you’re more of a green alien sort of guy, the Android IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is also available on OS X (among other platformsHow to Get An Android Development Environment Set Up in Fedora LinuxHow to Get An Android Development Environment Set Up in Fedora LinuxRead More).
If you’re ready to move on from creating iPhone appsSo You Want To Make iPhone Apps? 10 Projects For BeginnersSo You Want To Make iPhone Apps? 10 Projects For BeginnersWant to create iPhone and iPad apps? Start by learning the basics of Swift.Read More, or you’re itching to create the next big thing for Android, installing the IDE is step one of the journey. Or, if we’re moving too fast, why don’t you start with a courseSo, You Want To Develop Android Apps? Here's How To LearnSo, You Want To Develop Android Apps? Here's How To LearnAfter so many years, one would think that the mobile market is now saturated with every app imaginable to man - but that's not the case. There are plenty of niches that still need to...Read More?
Why Bother With Android?
If you’re versed in OS X and iOS development, you might be asking yourself why even bother with Android?
Many iOS developers shy away from Android due to device fragmentation and the need to further patch/re-create apps for different version of the OS — of which there are many. I’m not going to attempt to sell you on which of the two is better, as they both offer numerous benefits for developers, but I will say that for app creators who are looking to make a living from their apps, finding some sort of balance between devices is never a bad idea.
Additionally, you’ll find that the overall experience is far less restrictive with Android. For one, Google Play (Android’s App Store) doesn’t have many of the same restrictions as Apple, nor does it require the $99 annual fee for developers (it’s $25 on Google). Google provides you access to Android’s inner workings (by means of an open source model) which allows you to create things like emulators, boot loaders, and customized docks, icons, start screens — you name it — that just aren’t possible with iOS.
If you’re strictly looking at revenue numbers, Apple’s App Store is still going to be your primary target. While Google Play has 60-percent more annual downloads than the App Store, Apple’s App Store actually accounts for 70-percent more yearly app revenue. That’s not to say you can’t be profitable on Android, or that you should avoid the platform altogether, quite the contrary actually.
While Apps might have higher revenue numbers in the Apple App Store, the download numbers are significantly higher with Google Play, making it an intriguing platform for testing and tuning a free app before launching a premium or freemium version.
Eclipse with ADT or Android Studio?
In days past, you had the ever-confusing choice between a bundled package featuring Eclipse and the ADT (Android Developer Tools) plugin, or the official Android Studio, which was based on the IntelliJ platform – a Java-based IDE.
Luckily, recent iterations have seen the process streamlined a bit with just one release, called Android Studio.
In fact, while the option to use Eclipse still exists, Google is officially recommending you start the migration process to Android Studio as support for ADT is ending. If you need help migrating your projects, this Android Developers Blog post should help you out.
Now, if you’re just looking for the emulators that come bundled with Android Studio, it’s important to note that there are other, more lightweight waysHow to Emulate Android and Run Android Apps on Your PCHow to Emulate Android and Run Android Apps on Your PCIt's actually pretty easy to get Android apps running on your desktop or laptop! Here, we step you through the best methods.Read More to do this on your Windows, OS X, or Linux-based PC without the need for the bulky Android Studio download and install. On a Mac, try BlueStacks, or you can just download and run Android on your Windows PC. If you’re looking for ultra-lightweight Android emulation, try this browser emulator for ChromeHow To Run Android Apps in Chrome on Mac / Linux / WindowsHow To Run Android Apps in Chrome on Mac / Linux / WindowsIt's now possible to run Android apps in the Chrome browser -- it just takes a little bit of work.Read More.
Getting Up and Running with Android Studio
First we must download and install Android Studio, a package that consists of:
- Android Studio IDE
- Android SDK (software development kit)
- Android 5.0 (Lollipop) Platform
- Android 5.0 emulator system image with Google APIs
Let’s get started.
Launch the .dmg file, and drag Android Studio into the Applications folder.
Open Android Studio and follow the steps laid out by the setup wizard. Occasionally, you’ll run into an error saying the file is “damaged” or untrustworthy and should be moved to the trash. If this happens, you’ll just need to adjust your security and privacy settings to allow the application to run by going to System Preferences > Security & Privacy>General and then selecting Anywhere where it says “Allow apps downloaded from:”
If you need to use Android SDK tools from the command line, you can access them by opening up Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and using the following:
/Users/username/Library/Android/sdk/
Just remember to add your username in place of username.
Adding SDK Packages
Android Studio Mac Os
The Android SDK (software development kit), which comes with the Android Studio package, does not include everything you need to start developing Android apps. The SDK itself is a utility used to separate your tools, platforms and components into packages by using the Android SDK Manager.
So, as such, we’ll have to add some packages in order to get everything ready for development. Don’t worry, it’s a simple process.
First open the SDK manager under Tools > Configure > SDK Manager.
Note: From here on, to keep this concise, we’re going to assume that if I don’t mention something specifically, it means one of two things:
- It’s pre-selected and it’ll install automatically once we’re done.
- You don’t need it… at least right now.
Ok, let’s continue. Select the following:
- Android SDK Tools
- Android SDK Platform-tools
- Android SDK Build-tools (highest version)
Open the folder for the highest version of Android in the list (5.1.1 as of this writing) and select:
- SDK Platform
- ARM EABI v7a System Image
Open the Extras directory and download the following APIs for the Android Support Library:
- Android Support Repository
- Android Support Library
Open the Extras directory and download the Google Play services package for even more APIs. Add:
- Google Repository
- Google Play Services
Install the packages
- Click Install 22 packages (or however many the SDK manager reports).
- Click each package name on the left to accept the license terms for each.
- Click Install.
Note: Do not exit the SDK manager until the install is complete!
Once the install is complete, you can dive right in and start developingSo, You Want To Develop Android Apps? Here's How To LearnSo, You Want To Develop Android Apps? Here's How To LearnAfter so many years, one would think that the mobile market is now saturated with every app imaginable to man - but that's not the case. There are plenty of niches that still need to...Read More and even run Android appsHow to Run Android Apps on macOSHow to Run Android Apps on macOSIf you want to run Android apps on your Mac laptop or desktop computer, this is how you do it.Read More right from your trusty Mac (or Hackintosh) running OS X.
Porting iOS Apps to Android
Due to a lack of similarity in the two operating systems, there isn’t anything that offers a plug and play solution for porting apps from the other OS.
However, there is a program called Apportable I felt was worth pointing out. Apportable essentially translates Swift and Objective-C to run ARM and x86 machine code that Android is able to understand. You’ll also find additional plugins for further lightening your development load, such as the SpriteBuilder Plugin. That said, not all Apple APIs are available on Apportable, so while it’s the best we’ve got, it still isn’t a plug and play solution.
The main benefits of Apportable are in faster cross-compiling without the need for emulators, virtual machines or a Java-programmed alternative. While Java makes for great cross-compatibility in mobile apps, it leaves both the iOS and Android versions feeling, well, not native. In fact, most feel like cheap ports from the other OS.
Again, this isn’t a perfect solution, but it should significantly lighten your workload if you must move back and forth between Android and iOS.
Happy developing, and be sure to share what you come up with us here at Make Use Of.
Have you developed an iOS or Android app? Which platform do you believe offers the best tools for developers?
Explore more about: Android Customization, App Development, Programming.
Dont forget Intel's Multi-OS Engine as a way to port to both platforms by coding in Java
Hello,
I am planning to buy MacBook for both android and iOS development. In my budget, I can but MacBook pro. with specifications ( i5, 2.5 GHz processor, 4GB RAM, 500 GB HDD. ). Will this MacBook work smoothly if I run both Android Studio and XCode?