react-native-project-creater

When to use this skill

Use this skill whenever the user wants to:

• Create a new React Native project from scratch
• Choose between React Native CLI and Expo for project initialization
• Configure TypeScript, bundler, and native dependencies
• Set up the initial project structure with navigation and state management

How to use this skill

Workflow

1. Gather requirements: project name, organization, TypeScript preference, Expo vs bare CLI
2. Run the initialization command with appropriate options
3. Install initial dependencies (navigation, state management, etc.)
4. Verify the project builds and runs on a simulator or device

1. Project Creation (CLI)

# Using React Native Community CLI
npx @react-native-community/cli init MyApp

# With TypeScript template
npx @react-native-community/cli init MyApp --template react-native-template-typescript

2. Project Creation (Expo)

# Using Expo (recommended for new projects)
npx create-expo-app MyApp --template blank-typescript

3. Project Structure

MyApp/
├── App.tsx            # Entry point
├── android/           # Android native project
├── ios/               # iOS native project
├── src/               # Application source code
│   ├── screens/
│   ├── components/
│   └── navigation/
├── package.json
├── tsconfig.json
└── metro.config.js    # Metro bundler configuration

4. Initial Setup

# Install dependencies
npm install

# iOS: install CocoaPods
cd ios && pod install && cd ..

# Run on simulators
npx react-native run-ios
npx react-native run-android

Best Practices

• Use consistent naming and package identifiers across platforms
• Lock Node.js and React Native versions for reproducible builds
• Run pod install after adding any native dependency on iOS
• Start with the default template, verify it runs, then incrementally add features
• Set up CI early with both npx react-native run-android and run-ios build steps

Resources

• Environment setup: https://reactnative.dev/docs/environment-setup
• Expo getting started: https://docs.expo.dev/get-started/create-a-project/

Keywords

react native init, project creation, Expo, React Native CLI, initialization, cross-platform, TypeScript, scaffolding