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Local Development Setup

Prerequisites​

Before setting up the Plum Village App locally, ensure you have:

  • Node.js (LTS version recommended)
  • Yarn package manager
  • Git for version control
  • macOS (required for iOS development)
  • Xcode (for iOS development)
  • Android Studio (for Android development)
  • Ruby (for iOS CocoaPods)

Initial Setup​

Complete these steps once to set up your development environment:

1. Set Up React Native Environment​

Follow the React Native CLI Quickstart guide:

  • Select your development OS and target platform(s)
  • Skip the "Creating a new application" section
  • Install required dependencies if not already present

2. Clone the Repository​

git clone https://github.com/plumvillage/plumvillage-app.git
cd plumvillage-app

3. Install Dependencies​

yarn install

Platform-Specific Setup​

iOS Setup (macOS Only)​

  1. Install Ruby version (if needed):

    ruby --version
    # If version mismatch, install required Ruby version
    rbenv install  # or your Ruby version manager equivalent

  2. Install CocoaPods dependencies:

    yarn pod-install

  3. Add Firebase configuration:

    • Download GoogleService-Info.plist from Firebase Console
    • Place it at ios/GoogleService-Info.plist

Android Setup​

  1. Generate signing key:

    # Follow React Native signing key guide
    keytool -genkeypair -v -storetype PKCS12 -keystore my-release-key.keystore -alias my-key-alias -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

  2. Configure keystore:

    • Move my-release-key.keystore to android/app/
    • Create android/keystore.properties: 
      storePassword=YOUR_STORE_PASSWORD
      keyPassword=YOUR_KEY_PASSWORD
      keyAlias=my-key-alias
      storeFile=my-release-key.keystore

  3. Add Firebase configuration:

    • Download google-services.json from Firebase Console
    • Place it at android/app/google-services.json

Running the App​

Once setup is complete, you can run the app on simulators or physical devices.

iOS​

yarn ios
  • Opens iOS Simulator automatically
  • Use Xcode for different simulator models or physical devices
  • Requires macOS and Xcode

Android​

yarn android
  • Starts Android emulator automatically
  • Will also run on a real device if connected and paired for development

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

  • Metro bundler issues: Try yarn start --reset-cache
  • iOS build failures: Clean build folder in Xcode
  • Android signing errors: Verify keystore.properties paths
  • Pod install errors: Try cd ios && pod install --repo-update

Getting Help​

If you encounter issues:

  1. Check the React Native troubleshooting guide
  2. Search existing issues in the repository
  3. Create a new issue with detailed error information