Overview

The React Native TVOS package provides support for developing applications specifically for Apple TV and Android TV within React Native. This package is a full fork of the main React Native repository, with modifications tailored to meet the unique requirements of TV platforms. React Native TVOS releases align with public releases of React Native and offer additional functionalities for TV development, including Hermes JS support and compatibility with the new architecture (Fabric).

Features

• Apple TV and Android TV Support: Full maintenance and support for developing applications on Apple TV and Android TV within React Native.
• Hermes JS Support: Enabled by default from the 0.71 release, Hermes JS is fully functional for both Apple TV and Android TV.
• React Native New Architecture (Fabric) Support: Instructions to modify the app’s Podfile to enable support for the new architecture on Apple TV and Android TV.
• Typescript Types: Typescript types for TV-specific components and APIs are available in the package.
• General TV Support: Intended to make existing React Native applications work seamlessly on TV platforms with minimal changes required.
• RNTester App Support: Modifications to enable Apple TV and Android TV support within the RNTester app.
• Build Changes: Instructions for building projects for Apple TV and Android TV, including configuring Xcode projects and utilizing global installation of yarn for React Native projects.

Installation

To install the React Native TVOS package, follow these steps:

1. Update your package.json imports to include react-native-tvos instead of the core react-native package.

   npm install react-native-tvos
   

2. Make necessary modifications in your app’s Podfile for Apple TV and in the gradle.properties file for Android TV.
3. Ensure Hermes JS support is enabled from the 0.71 release onwards.
4. Incorporate TV-specific typescript types for enhanced development capabilities.

Summary

React Native TVOS provides dedicated support for building applications on Apple TV and Android TV through a full fork of the main React Native repository. With specialized features like Hermes JS support, Fabric architecture compatibility, and TV-specific typescript types, developers can seamlessly create and deploy apps on TV platforms with React Native. The package also offers modifications and guidelines for building projects targeting Apple TV and Android TV, ensuring a smooth development experience for TV application development in React Native.