AI Skill Report Card
Setting Up React Native
React Native Setup
Quick Start15 / 15
For beginners (Expo CLI):
Bashnpm install -g expo-cli expo init MyApp cd MyApp npm start
For native development:
Bashnpm install -g react-native-cli react-native init MyApp cd MyApp react-native run-ios # or run-android
Recommendation▾
Reduce verbose explanations of basic concepts - assume Claude knows what Node.js, Xcode, and Android Studio are
Workflow13 / 15
Expo CLI Setup (Recommended for beginners)
Progress:
- Install Node.js 10 LTS or greater
- Install Expo CLI:
npm install -g expo-cli - Create project:
expo init ProjectName - Start development server:
npm start - Install Expo app on phone and scan QR code
React Native CLI Setup (For native modules)
Progress:
- Install Node.js 8.3+
- Install platform-specific tools (Xcode/Android Studio)
- Install React Native CLI:
npm install -g react-native-cli - Set up environment variables
- Create project:
react-native init ProjectName - Run on device/simulator
Recommendation▾
Consolidate the platform-specific requirements section - it's quite lengthy for setup instructions
Examples15 / 20
Example 1: Expo Project Input: New developer wants to build cross-platform app Output:
Bashexpo init WeatherApp cd WeatherApp npm start # Scan QR code with Expo app
Example 2: Native Project with Specific Version Input: Need React Native 0.61.5 with custom native modules Output:
Bashreact-native init MyApp --version 0.61.5 cd MyApp react-native run-ios
Recommendation▾
Add more concrete examples showing specific error scenarios and their solutions rather than just successful setups
Platform-Specific Requirements
iOS (macOS only)
- Xcode 9.4+
- iOS Simulator
- Xcode Command Line Tools
- CocoaPods:
sudo gem install cocoapods
Android (All platforms)
- Android Studio with SDK
- Android SDK Platform 28+
- Android SDK Build-Tools 28.0.3
- Intel HAXM (for emulator)
- Java Development Kit 8+
Environment Variables (Android)
Bash# ~/.bash_profile or ~/.bashrc export ANDROID_HOME=$HOME/Library/Android/sdk # macOS export ANDROID_HOME=$HOME/Android/Sdk # Linux export PATH=$PATH:$ANDROID_HOME/emulator export PATH=$PATH:$ANDROID_HOME/tools export PATH=$PATH:$ANDROID_HOME/platform-tools
Best Practices
- Use Expo for rapid prototyping and learning
- Use React Native CLI when you need custom native modules
- Install Watchman on macOS/Linux for better file watching
- Keep Android SDK and tools updated
- Use physical devices for performance testing
- Set up both iOS and Android environments if targeting both platforms
Common Pitfalls
- Wrong Node version: Ensure Node 8.3+ for React Native CLI, 10+ for Expo
- Missing environment variables: Android builds fail without proper ANDROID_HOME
- Outdated tools: Keep Xcode, Android Studio, and CLI tools current
- Emulator issues: Enable hardware acceleration and allocate sufficient RAM
- Port conflicts: Default Metro bundler runs on port 8081
- Expo limitations: Can't use custom native modules without ejecting
- Case sensitivity: Project names should avoid special characters and spaces