17 December 2024 Leave a comment Tech-Help
Managing version numbers is a crucial aspect of app development, especially when deploying updates to users. This guide will walk you through the steps to update the version number in a React Native application, specifically focusing on Android configuration.
Understanding VersionCode and VersionName
In Android development, the versionCode and versionName are two essential attributes that you need to manage effectively:
- versionCode: This is an integer value that is used internally to differentiate between versions. It must be incremented with each release.
- versionName: This is a string value that represents the version number shown to users, often following semantic versioning (e.g., “1.0.0”).
Steps to Update Version Numbers
To update the version number in your React Native app, you should modify the build.gradle file located in the android/app directory:
android {
defaultConfig {
versionCode 1
versionName "1.0"
...
}
...
}Ensure that the versionCode is always a whole number, and increment it with each new release. The versionName can be updated to reflect the new versioning scheme you intend to display to users.
Automating Version Management
For those looking to automate the versioning process, consider syncing your version numbers with your package.json or utilizing a script to streamline this process. Here’s a brief overview of how you might set this up:
import groovy.json.JsonSlurper
def getNpmVersion() {
def inputFile = new File("../package.json")
def packageJson = new JsonSlurper().parseText(inputFile.text)
return packageJson["version"]
}
android {
defaultConfig {
versionCode getGitVersion() // calculated from git commits
versionName getNpmVersion()
...
}
}React Native Version Management Tools
For developers managing both iOS and Android versions, tools like react-native-version can be highly beneficial. This tool updates version numbers across both platforms, simplifying the process significantly.
To use react-native-version, update your version number in package.json and run:
$ npx react-native-version --never-amendEnhancing Your Development Workflow with Repeato
As you upgrade your app, ensuring that it functions correctly across different versions is paramount. This is where Repeato can be an invaluable tool. It offers a no-code solution to automate testing for your React Native apps on iOS and Android. By leveraging computer vision and AI, Repeato allows you to quickly create, run, and maintain tests, ensuring your app’s functionality remains consistent with each version update.
Explore more about how Repeato can enhance your testing workflow here.
