Skip to main content

Running on Android

This guide applies to Instamobile React Native CLI templates running on Android devices and emulators.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin, make sure you already have:

  • Android Studio installed
  • Android SDKs configured
  • an emulator or a physical Android device
  • Node and Yarn installed

If this is your first React Native Android project, complete the shared setup guide first:

1. Install Dependencies​

From the root of the downloaded template:

yarn install

If the project includes an .nvmrc, run:

nvm use

2. Start Metro​

In one terminal:

yarn start --reset-cache

Keep Metro running while you work.

3. Boot an Emulator or Connect a Device​

You can use either:

  • an Android emulator started from Android Studio
  • a physical Android device with USB debugging enabled

Useful check:

adb devices

4. Run the App​

In a second terminal:

yarn android

Some templates also ship with additional Android flavors, for example:

yarn android:amazon

5. Android Studio Usage​

It is safe to open modern React Native templates in Android Studio if you need:

  • SDK Manager
  • Logcat
  • Device Manager
  • build output inspection

For day-to-day running and scripting, React Native CLI and Gradle should still be your source of truth.

6. Common Android Troubleshooting​

No device is detected​

adb devices

If the list is empty, boot an emulator or reconnect your device.

Gradle build cache is stale​

cd android
./gradlew clean
cd ..

Then restart Metro and rebuild.

Metro cache is stale​

yarn start --reset-cache

Notes​

  • Debug Android variants should use Metro during development
  • Release builds bundle JavaScript automatically
  • If your template includes Expo modules, that is still compatible with a React Native CLI workflow