Migrating from Community CLI#

1. Install dev dependencies:

   npm

   yarn

   pnpm

   bun

   npm install @rnef/cli @rnef/plugin-metro @rnef/platform-android @rnef/platform-ios

2. Remove @react-native-community/cli and related packages.

   npm

   yarn

   pnpm

   bun

   npm remove @react-native-community/cli @react-native-community/cli-platform-ios @react-native-community/cli-platform-android

3. Add .rnef/ folder with caches to .gitignore:

   .gitignore

   .rnef/

4. Add rnef.config.mjs file:

   rnef.config.mjs

   // @ts-check
   import { platformIOS } from '@rnef/platform-ios';
   import { platformAndroid } from '@rnef/platform-android';
   import { pluginMetro } from '@rnef/plugin-metro';
   
   /** @type {import('@rnef/config').Config} */
   export default {
     bundler: pluginMetro(),
     platforms: {
       ios: platformIOS(),
       android: platformAndroid(),
     },
     remoteCacheProvider: 'github-actions',
   };

   Move any project config from react-native.config.js to platform arguments in rnef.config.mjs, for example:

   react-native.config.js

   module.exports = {
     project: {
       ios: {
         sourceDir: 'custom-source',
       },
       android: {
         appName: 'custom',
       },
     },
   };

   translates to:

   rnef.config.mjs

   export default {
     platforms: {
       ios: platformIOS({ sourceDir: 'custom-source' }),
       android: platformAndroid({ appName: 'custom' }),
     },
   };

5. Update Android files:

   In android/app/build.gradle set the cliFile with the new path:

   android/app/build.gradle

   1// cliFile = file("../../node_modules/react-native/cli.js")
   2cliFile = file("../../node_modules/@rnef/cli/dist/src/bin.js")

   In android/settings.gradle change:

   android/settings.gradle

   1// extensions.configure(com.facebook.react.ReactSettingsExtension){ ex -> ex.autolinkLibrariesFromCommand() }
   2extensions.configure(com.facebook.react.ReactSettingsExtension){ ex -> ex.autolinkLibrariesFromCommand(['npx', 'rnef', 'config', '-p', 'android']) }

6. Update iOS files:

   In ios/Podfile change:

   ios/Podfile

   1# config = use_native_modules!
   2config = use_native_modules!(['npx', 'rnef', 'config', '-p', 'ios'])

   In ios/<ProjectName>.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj update the shellScript:

   Bundle React Native code and images

   # shellScript = "set -e\n\nWITH_ENVIRONMENT=\"$REACT_NATIVE_PATH/scripts/xcode/with-environment.sh\"\nREACT_NATIVE_XCODE=\"$REACT_NATIVE_PATH/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh\"\n\n/bin/sh -c \"$WITH_ENVIRONMENT $REACT_NATIVE_XCODE\"\n";
   shellScript = "bash -l -c \"${PROJECT_DIR}/react-native-xcode.sh\"\n";

   Next, create ios/react-native-xcode.sh based on this template. You can move there any custom code you previously had as part of the "Bundle React Native code and images" Build Phase in Xcode.

7. Cleanup native files:

   git clean -fdx ios/ android/

8. Run new commands:

   npx rnef run:android
   npx rnef run:ios

   Additionally rename flags:

   • --mode to --variant for Android commands
   • --mode to --configuration for iOS commands
   • --buildFolder to --build-folder for iOS commands
   • --destination to --destinations for iOS commands
   • --appId to --app-id for Android commands
   • --appIdSuffix to --app-id-suffix for Android commands

   And remove unsupported flags:

   • --interactive/-i – the CLI will prompt you for input where necessary
   • --list-devices - when no devices are connected, you'll be prompt with a full device selection

9. Configure GitHub Actions for remote builds in your workflow

   iOS:

   .github/workflows/build-ios

   - name: RNEF Remote Build - iOS simulator
     id: rnef-remote-build-ios
     uses: callstackincubator/ios@v1
     with:
       destination: simulator
       github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
       configuration: Debug

   Android:

   .github/workflows/build-android

   - name: RNEF Remote Build - Android
     id: rnef-remote-build-android
     uses: callstackincubator/android@v1
     with:
       variant: debug
       github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

   For more setup options see GitHub Actions configuration