Why you don't need Flipper in your React Native app
Article Summary
Jamon Holmgren from Infinite Red just dropped a comprehensive guide that's going to change how you debug React Native apps. Flipper's out—but you're not losing any functionality.
React Native removed Flipper from its core in 2024 after years of it causing slow builds, connection issues, and upgrade headaches. This detailed walkthrough shows exactly how to replace every Flipper feature with better, lighter alternatives that won't slow down your development workflow.
Key Takeaways
- Replace React DevTools with standalone npx react-devtools command
- Use Reactotron for network inspection with CURL export capability
- Access native logs via Android Studio logcat and Xcode Console.app
- New React Native JS Inspector launching 2024 as official debugger
- Flipper still works if manually installed for edge cases
Critical Insight
Every Flipper feature has a faster, more reliable alternative—from React DevTools to network monitoring to crash reporting—without the compilation overhead.
