Using TypeScript With React Native

Getting TypeScript working with React Native used to be a multi-step headache. Now it's one command, but the setup details still matter for production apps.

This React Native team guide walks through integrating TypeScript into React Native projects, covering both the modern streamlined approach and the detailed manual setup. Originally written in 2018 and updated to reflect current best practices, it addresses the practical challenges teams face when adding type safety to mobile apps.

Key Takeaways

• Single command setup: npx react-native init with TypeScript template
• Manual configuration still relevant for Babel TypeScript limitations
• Complete testing infrastructure setup using ts-jest and snapshot tests
• Type declarations needed for dependencies like React, Jest, and React Native
• Import syntax quirks between Babel and TypeScript require specific handling

The article reveals why Artsy still uses the manual transformer approach in production despite the easier template option being available.