This tutorial shall help deploying your React Native App binaries to the App Store (iOS) and Play Store (Android).
We are NOT covering
- how to set up an Apple Developer Account (https://developer.apple.com/) or Google Developer Account (https://play.google.com/apps/publish/)
- how to create an App in App Store Connect, former iTunes Connect (https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/), or in Google Play Console (https://play.google.com/apps/publish/signup/)
- how to add Meta Data and Promo Pictures / Videos to your created App
- how to handle testing groups for
- Apple: TestFlight for a closed testing group
- Google: Alpha Release for a closed testing group, Beta Release for open testing
This tutorial is the last step in my little React Native tutorial series:
- React Native Setup: https://github.com/herrkraatz/react-native-setup
- React Native Styling: https://github.com/herrkraatz/react-native-styling
- React Native Deployment: https://github.com/herrkraatz/react-native-deployment
It shows you how to build your
- Apple App Store package IPA (iPhone Application Archive) and
- Google Play Store package APK (Android PacKage)
for upload into the Stores.
Preferences:
- Your React Native App was developed using one of the three options in https://github.com/herrkraatz/react-native-setup
- Your software / tools / frameworks with that you developed the React Native App are still installed.
Ok, now let's dive into it.
-
The Standard: Use Expo's
exp build
commandSee great documentation on https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/building-standalone-apps.html
And please jump to Deployment of Apps built with
Expo
here in this tutorial -
Advanced: If you need to integrate your
Create React Native App
(CRNA) into an existing native iOS / Android application OR want to create custom native modules beyond the standard React Native Components / APIs,- you need to "eject" from
Create React Native App
usingnpm run eject
: See https://github.com/react-community/create-react-native-app/blob/master/react-native-scripts/template/README.md#ejecting-from-create-react-native-app - you need to use
react-native-cli
along with Xcode and Android tools:- See https://github.com/herrkraatz/react-native-setup#chapter1c
- See Tab "Building Projects with Native Code" on https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/getting-started.html
- when done, jump to Deployment of Apps built with
React Native CLI
here in this tutorial
One disadvantage of ejecting is that after you've ejected from CRNA, you don't get to use CRNA's tools and it won't take care of upgrades for you in the future.
- you need to "eject" from
First see great documentation on https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/building-standalone-apps.html
Here's a quick summary of it:
-
Install
exp
Open a Terminal window and run:
> npm install -g exp
-
Configure app.json
{ "expo": { "name": "Your App Name", "icon": "./path/to/your/app-icon.png", "version": "1.0.0", "slug": "your-app-slug", "sdkVersion": "XX.0.0", "ios": { "bundleIdentifier": "com.yourcompany.yourappname" }, "android": { "package": "com.yourcompany.yourappname" } } }
See https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/building-standalone-apps.html#2-configure-appjson for details
-
Make the build
Run for iOS:
> exp build:ios
Run for Android:
> exp build:android
-
Download the IPA / APK file from Expo Server
-
Final test on Device or Simulator / Emulator
-
Prepare the Stores
- Create the App within App Store Connect and Google Play Console
- iOS: Make sure to use the same bundle ID as in bundleIdentifier of app.json file (above).
-
Submit it to the Stores
First please see https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/app-stores.html
Also you need to add this to your App:
- Adding Launcher App Icons: https://docs.expo.io/versions/v28.0.0/guides/app-icons
Probably these, too:
- Adding Splash Screens: https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/splash-screens
- Configuring Status Bar: https://docs.expo.io/versions/v28.0.0/guides/configuring-statusbar
-
iOS
-
Add Launcher App Icons: Go to Xcode >> Project Folder >> Images.xcassets >> AppIcon and add all necessary Launcher App Icons you generated. I can recommend "Icon Slate" App to generate all sizes of Launcher App Icons.
-
Add Splash Screens:
- Check out https://github.com/crazycodeboy/react-native-splash-screen OR
- Go to Xcode >> Project Folder >> LaunchScreen.xib and manually create your own Splash Screen
-
Now create an App in the App Store Connect, in order to upload the IPA into it. Make sure to use the same bundle ID as in your Xcode project.
Of course you initially built your App (and Xcode Project) first by running:
> react-native run-ios
-
Then check out instructions here: https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/running-on-device.html#building-your-app-for-production
-
Once all is configured, you can deploy your App from Xcode (from your machine):
- First create an Archive by running "Product" => "Archive" in Xcode.
- From the popped up Archive Explorer you can then upload the App to App Store Connect (former iTunes Connect).
- Read more under https://help.apple.com/xcode/mac/current/#/dev442d7f2ca
-
-
Android
-
Add Launcher App Icons: Go to Android Studio >> android >> app >> src >> main >> res Folder and add all necessary Launcher App Icons you generated. I can recommend "Icon Slate" App to generate all sizes of Launcher App Icons.
-
Add Splash Screens:
- Check out https://github.com/crazycodeboy/react-native-splash-screen OR
- Go to Android Studio >> android >> app >> src >> main >> java >> com >> Project Folder >> MainActivity.java and insert Splash Screen sections there
-
Now create an App in the Google Play Console, in order to upload the APK into it.
-
Then build and sign the App.
Of course you initially built your App first by running:
> react-native run-android
Signing is done to ensure your uploaded APK is clearly indentified:
See instructions:
- https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/signed-apk-android
- https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/running-on-device.html#building-your-app-for-production-1
Your APK will be placed here:
android/app/build/outputs/apk/app-release.apk
-
Manually upload the APK into the created App in Google Play Console
-
Apple App Store:
- Developer Account: https://developer.apple.com/
- App Store Connect: https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/
- Upload an App: https://help.apple.com/xcode/mac/current/#/dev442d7f2ca
Google Play Store:
- Developer Account/Play Console: https://play.google.com/apps/publish/
- Upload an App: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/113469?hl=en
Deployment:
- Maximilian Schwarzmüller, Udemy Course: "React Native - The Practical Guide": https://www.udemy.com/react-native-the-practical-guide/
- React Native: https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/running-on-device.html
- Expo: https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/building-standalone-apps.html
- Expo: https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/app-stores.html
Debugging:
- How To: https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/debugging.html
- How To: https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/running-on-device.html
- Standalone React Developer Tools for a proper React "DOM tree" and more: https://github.com/facebook/react-devtools/tree/master/packages/react-devtools
- Standalone React Native Debugger for integrated React "DOM" manipulation and Redux: https://github.com/jhen0409/react-native-debugger
Create React Native App (CRNA) Starter Kit:
- See Tab "Quickstart" on https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/getting-started.html
- CRNA Repo: https://github.com/react-community/create-react-native-app
- https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/running-on-device.html
- React Native Home: https://facebook.github.io/react-native
- React Native Repo: https://github.com/facebook/react-native
Expo:
- Home: https://expo.io/
- List of components: https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/sdk/index.html (left column)
React Native CLI:
- See Tab "Building Projects with Native Code" on https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/getting-started.html
- https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/running-on-device.html
- React Native Home: https://facebook.github.io/react-native
- React Native Repo: https://github.com/facebook/react-native