Using Expo with react-native-nfc-manager

This repository features how to use react-native-nfc-manager whilst also maintaining the ability to develop with the Expo framework.

• The code has been adapted from this article
• This project uses a custom wrapper over the react-native-nfc-manager library, however usage is the same.

General Overview

Expo is a framework for React Native which provides a set of tools and services to allow us to develop React Native applications. Unfortunately, it does support third-party React Native Modules, meaning that you would have to forego using Expo if you want to use these third-party modules... usually.

The create-expo-native-app npx template provides a set of scripts that allow us to use both React Native Modules and Expo at the same time! By creating stub files, we can make the Babel transpiler use different pieces of code depending on whether the application is running in Native mode, or with Expo.

When running on Expo mode, these stubs will emulate the behaviour of the React Native Module.
When running on Native mode, the actual React Native Module will be used.

Getting Started

You can have a look at the documented steps that I made here

This repository was developed with the Android environment in mind. For iOS, please look at the original article.

When running in native / "ejected mode", the platform-specific builds will need to be installed (i.e. X Code and/or Android Studio). For Android, this means we will have to set up adb, gradle, etc...

Adding in new libraries would require you to rebuild the application in Android Studio, and deploy them onto your device / emulated device. Actual application development (your React code) is however is still performed as usual (automatic packaging with the Metro bundler)

Stub File

A stub version can be written to emulate/handle a native module's functionality.
Whilst native modules won't work in Expo, you will still be able to develop your application using Expo; with emulated module functionality.

Have a look at the stubs/MifareClassicWrapperStub.js and babel.config.js file for an example of how to set this up.

Deployment

You can deploy the application via the CLI or via Android Studio.

Prior to deploying, please run npm run android-native to update the configuration files.
Deployed APKs can be found in android/app/release/