How to setup React Native with Expo on Ubuntu

For any developer who is new to mobile application development using React Native, Expo is a great way to ease your transition. Let’s have a look at how Expo can be used to setup React Native on Ubuntu:

Pre-requisites

• Node.js and npm must be installed prior to setup.

• A smartphone to download the Expo mobile application.

Installation

Step 1 - Expo CLI

Run the following command in your Ubuntu terminal to install the command line interface (CLI) of Expo:

npm install expo-cli --global

The --global flag installs the package globally on the system, ​not just in your current project directory.

Step 2 - Create project

After the successful installation of Expo CLU, it’s time to use the CLI to create an expo project. Run the following command:

expo init PROJECTNAME

Upon running this command, the CLI will ask you to chose a type of template for your project. Choose blank (minimal dependencies).

Next, the CLI will ask you to set a name for your project:

After this, the required dependencies will be installed and your project will finish building.

Step 3 - Run project

In a terminal in your project directory, type the following command to run your project:

expo start

If your project runs successfully, a QR code will appear on your terminal as shown:

Step 4 - Download Expo App

Download the Expo mobile application to your Android or iOS smartphone.

On the mobile app, go to Scan QR Code and a camera screen will appear. Focus the QR code from Step 3 on the camera, and your project will load on your screen. Since it is a basic project, only a blank white screen will be shown.​