Setting up the React Native development environment for Android development

If you’re a Mac user, you’ve probably heard of package managers, and Homebrew is definitely one of the most popular choices out there.
To keep things simple and avoid any annoying conflicts, it’s usually best to stick with just one type of package manager.
While some folks swear by Chocolatey on Windows, I stick to Homebrew for my Mac.
Getting started with Homebrew is super easy—just head over to its homepage, copy the installation script, and paste it in your terminal to get rolling.
Plus, don’t forget about Homebrew’s feature called Cask; it lets you install desktop apps with ease..

Getting your React Native environment up and running on a Mac is super straightforward.
First off, instead of hunting around for installers, you can use Cask to grab your apps right from the terminal.
Just kick things off by installing the Android SDK and Android Studio —you can do this easily with the command brew install --cask android-studio.
After you’ve gotten Android Studio installed, it’ll usually ask if you want to set up the Android SDK; just hit ‘yes’ there.
Next, don’t forget to set up some environment variables for Android in your .zshrc file, with ANDROID_DK_ROOT being one of the important ones.
And if you want to keep things neat, consider creating a dedicated script file in your home directory’s script folder to manage those variables efficiently..

If you’re diving into Android development, you’re going to need Java version 8 .
You can easily install it using the Cask command with brew install.
It’s also a good idea to have Java version 11 handy for other tasks.
Want to see what Java versions you’ve got installed? Just do a capital V search in your terminal.
Plus, there’s this neat custom function called Java change that makes switching between versions a breeze.
While Java version 8 is your go-to default for Android, you can quickly switch to version 11 whenever you need..

So, first up, you’ll want to install ‘scr CPI’ using Homebrew—this really helps you with screen mirroring and gives you control over your Android devices straight from your Mac.
It’s a game-changer for anyone into Android development since it lets you interact directly with your devices.
Now, let’s talk about Node.js; this usually comes installed by default, but it’s essential for React Native development.
To manage different versions of Node.js for your projects, you’ll want to use Node Version Manager (NVM), which makes this process super effortless.
Installing NVM is a breeze; just head over to its GitHub page, grab the installation script, paste it in your terminal, and hit enter.
Oh, and the best part? Once NVM is set up, it automatically takes care of adding all the right settings to your shell files, so you won’t have to do anything manually!.

Hey there! If you want to see what Node versions you’ve got hanging around, just type nvm ls, and it’ll show you all the versions you’ve got installed, plus the cool LTS options available.
For React Native projects, it’s a good idea to stick with Node version 12 and its LTS version.
Before jumping into a new project, always double-check that you’re on the latest within Node version 12.
If you want to switch to a specific version like 12.2.1 , just run nvm use 12.2.1, but only if you’ve got it installed already.
If not, don’t worry! Just hit nvm install 12.2.1, and you’ll be good to go!.

Getting your React Native environment running is easier than you think! First up, once you install Node, it automatically gets activated on your system, and you’ll see the version in your terminal.
Next, dive into installing some handy Node packages by running npm install gan, and if you’re feeling fancy, you can set up Yarn for even smoother sailing.
Now, let’s create your project folder by running npx react-native init SerialCom, but don’t forget that project names should be in camel case.
If you want to spice things up a bit, you can include a template using ‘react-native-template-typescript’, just keep an eye on your command syntax to steer clear of any mistakes.
Lastly, always double-check those command entries to make sure everything is spot on, especially when you’re dealing with templates!.

Setting up Node.js and mirroring with React Native can seem a bit tricky, but we’ll break it down! To kick off, if you’re using a TypeScript template, don’t forget that you’ll need CocoaPods for iOS.
No need to stress about any errors during this setup—they’re usually not a big deal.
Once that’s done, you can create a .nvmrc file super easily by running echo 12.12.10 > .nvmrc to specify your Node.js version.
This file helps make sure you’re using the right Node version with the command nvm use.
Now, to keep your screen active, you can set up a mirroring program that performs certain actions.
And remember, using the adb reverse tcp:8081 tcp:8081 command is key for kicking off the mirroring process!.

So, you clicked on ‘Run Android,’ and guess what? It builds and runs your React Native project right on an Android device! During the session, we even chatted about connecting cool devices like Android and Arduino to hardware.
The main focus was all about getting development rolling for embedded Android using React Native.
We also dove into how to set up the development environment needed to create those awesome Android apps.
And stay tuned, because our next session will break down the development process and which packages you’ll need.
Plus, we’ve got plans to explain some development-specific packages and how to set them up in the near future!.