React 0.69‐ 0.74 Upgrade

Overview

This guide outlines the recommended steps for upgrading React Native from version 0.69 to 0.74. This upgrade is essential to take advantage of improved tooling within the ecosystem, particularly for Android development and C++ dependencies management.

Android

Key Enhancements

• NDK Integration: The inclusion of NDK steps in the build process enhances the performance and compatibility of native modules.
• Package Linking: New integrations simplify the process of linking React packages to Android packages, which is crucial for maintaining consistency across dependencies.

Issues and Resolutions

• C++ Dependency Conflicts: Upgrading React Native addresses issues arising from conflicting C++ dependencies when using Native UI libraries. Common problems include inconsistencies with LibStdC++.so. Updating the build tooling ensures a uniform compilation environment, reducing such conflicts.

Upgrading Steps

1. Java Version: Upgrade to Java 17 to align with the latest Android development standards.
2. Gradle Wrapper: Update the gradle.wrapper to the latest version compatible with React Native 0.74. Check the official React Native documentation or GitHub release notes for the specific version.
3. Remove Deprecated Tools: Specifically, remove the react.gradle file from your project, as it is deprecated in newer versions.
4. Plugin Integration: Ensure that the React Native plugin is correctly integrated into both the root project and app-specific folders to facilitate a seamless build process.

iOS

Key Enhancements

• [Details Pending]

Upgrading Steps

• [Details Pending]

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Additional Considerations

• Testing: Thoroughly test all native modules and third-party libraries for compatibility post-upgrade.
• Documentation: Regularly review React Native's official change logs and documentation updates during the upgrade process.
• Community Support: Engage with the React Native community via forums and GitHub to troubleshoot and validate upgrade strategies.