Getting Started – A Practical Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Start with a single template to minimize setup and get results fast; open a hello-rust project, then verify it runs by fetching a tiny asset with curl.

Install the runtime and an editor, then pick a target platform and set the initial versions to avoid compatibility issues. after setup, you have a stable starting point, and you can add more tools as you grow.

Follow a lean flow: after you install Rust, create a new project with cargo new hello, add a tiny main that prints a line, and run cargo run. If you pull dependencies, pin them to a small versions set from libraries to keep builds predictable; then add more functionality as you go.

For networking, use curl with the –tlsv12 flag to ensure secure sessions. Then extend your pattern by adding one module at a time; the template approach and linked tutorials help you keep consistency as you extends your project.

Record outcomes for each case and share it with teammates; this gives you data to compare versions and decide which libraries to lock in. When you encounter a tricky scenario, consult the tutorials and try a lightweight template that you can reuse next. If you need a light moment, ferris_sayssay can help break the monotony.

Check Node.js, npm, and Expo CLI versions on your machine

Run node -v, npm -v, and expo –version in your terminal to confirm your baseline. For example, you might see Node v18.16.0, npm 9.6.0, and Expo CLI 6.3.0. If any are missing or outdated, update them to fit your project’s needs.

nodejs is the runtime you rely on; if outputs differ from your group’s requirements, install or switch versions using a manager like nvm. If you are comfortable, document the results for your documentation so the group stays aligned.

To install Expo CLI globally, run npm install -g expo-cli. You can also use yarn global add expo-cli. The expo binary should be reachable from the terminal as expo. If you want to verify again, run expo –version or npx expo –version.

That quick check helps you avoid issues when building sample apps such as hello-rust. The same commands apply across shells, ensuring consistency for interested teammates.

Use Flags like –version with commands to ensure you’re getting the version, not another message. If you need to inspect the node path, run which node (or where node on Windows) to verify the configured PATH.

If you need to update, download the LTS from nodejs.org or use a package manager. After upgrading, delete old global expo-cli if needed to avoid conflicts. Then run the verification steps again to confirm the new versions are in effect.

For project content like indexhtml files, appprops, and server setups, keep a simple sample in a comfortable directory. Place some line of content into indexhtml to preview web output, then serve the files with a small server to verify delivery. Use sample files in a dedicated server folder, ensure the commands reflect the same results, and move any outdated files to a backup location if necessary.

Create a new Expo managed project with expo init and select a template

Install the Expo CLI and run expo init your-app. When prompted, select the Blank (Managed) template to stay comfortable and focus on the basics; this basic setup includes App.tsx and the necessary config to start quickly, so you’re able to begin right away.

After creation, cd your-app and start the dev server with expo start. Test on a device with the Expo Go app, or press w to open the web preview. This workflow keeps editing fast and lets you learn front-end patterns with immediate feedback. You’ll be able to see changes immediately on your device or in the browser. If you add libraries later, installing them uses expo install to pull the necessary native modules. There is also the option to explore web tooling like vites, but the primary Expo workflow remains focused on the managed project.

Explore the project tree: you will see assets and logos you can replace; create new elements in components; keep your place tidy. Edit App.tsx in your editor to render a simple hello-rust banner or a small case study; even if your background is in other languages, this React Native setup remains approachable. For Android, the entry maps to mainactivity, but you won’t touch it for a basic app; you focus on your JS/TS code. If you switch to web templates, you may encounter indexhtml as the entry reference. Some teams experiment with vites for web builds, but Expo’s tooling handles the workflow here. Your learned patterns grow as you iterate and reflect on what works for your app.

Choosing a template

There are templates to fit different cases: Blank for a fast start, Tabs for navigation, and more. Blank suits most newbies; if you need navigation, choose Tabs or the Tabs (TypeScript) variant. The template choice shapes the initial structure: assets, logos, and a few components, all arranged in a tidy front-end friendly folder. Consider your case and pick the one that matches your plan; you can install additional packages later to extend functionality. If you want to skip extra steps, start with Blank and expand later.

From init to first screen

Open App.tsx in your editor and replace the default content with your own layout. Build a small screen using React Native elements such as View, Text, and Button, and wire up a simple interaction. Place images from the assets folder and reference them in code. Save and let expo start reload changes; soon you will see your UI render with comfortable speed. If you want more ideas, check a blog and scrape snippets from their experiments. You can install libraries like react-navigation later when you need proper navigation.

Install Expo-compatible libraries with expo install to match the SDK

Use expo install to lock each library to a version that matches your Expo SDK. Before you install, confirm your sdkVersion in app.json or app.config.js. Then run expo install to fetch the exact version that aligns with your SDK, so you dont risk runtime linking issues when native modules are involved. The command prints the installed version and the compatible range, and youll see the exact version saved in package.json. For common libraries, run expo install react-native-gesture-handler, expo install @expo/vector-icons, and expo install expo-constants to keep these choices in step with the latest conventions. If you need SVG assets later, you can evaluate vitesvg as part of your web workflow, but install core libraries first to prove the setup works. This approach keeps projects and applications in sync across platforms, and youll know soon enough that the setup is solid. If you need to scrape changelogs or docs, you can compare notes before committing to a specific version, and youll have the choice recommended by Expo here. This fact keeps projects sure of compatibility going forward, and youll see the version saved in package.json.

Within a template project, document the library choices and their linking conventions so new teammates follow the same path. Keep a codelab-monitor template in your Projects folder to track versions and prompting updates, and use external_labels in app.json to label groups for the manager during reviews. If a library is called differently in its repo than in Expo docs, verify the exact package name before installing to avoid common errors.

Common pitfalls

Dont mix npm install and expo install for Expo-managed projects; expo install ensures the library version matches the current SDK. If you see error messages like Cannot find module or Unable to resolve, re-run expo install with the exact package name shown in the error, and then run expo doctor to verify the environment. After installation, run npx pod-install on macOS to update iOS native pods and ensure the linking step completes before you run the app.

Be mindful that libraries can behave differently on web and native platforms. Limit your initial set to libraries that Expo explicitly supports, and verify each addition against the project’s conventions. When prompting updates, test in a separate branch to avoid disrupting ongoing work.

Verification and quick checks

After install, check package.json to confirm the dependency version matches the SDK’s recommended range. Run expo start to launch the dev server and load the app on a device or simulator. If you see runtime errors, review the console for linking notes and verify that the library is listed in the project’s dependencies. For SVG assets, confirm vitesvg renders correctly on the web; test on different devices to ensure consistent behavior within the same code path.

Choose package manager (npm or yarn) and align lockfiles for reproducible installs

Recommendation: Use npm with a locked package-lock.json and run npm ci to reproduce installs exactly as recorded. If you prefer Yarn, switch to yarn install –immutable (ή yarn install –frozen-lockfile in older Yarn) to keep yarn.lock aligned and avoid drift in runtime. Ensure every environment uses the same core tooling version for predictable results.

Lockfile alignment steps: After editing dependencies, run the appropriate install command to refresh the lockfile, then commit it so each instance in your team refers to the same dependency graph. If you work with Prometheus, keep a minimal prometheusrulesyml alongside your manifests and monitor for drift with warnings. This approach helps developers stay aligned; they rely on a single lockfile for every build.

For npm users: Ensure package.json uses a coherent exports map if you publish a module, then run npm ci to install exactly what’s locked. If the lockfile changes, run npm install to refresh and then commit, so every developer refers to a single source of truth. This keeps the dependency graph stable across workloads and reduces startup warnings at runtime.

For Yarn users: Χρήση yarn install –immutable to keep yarn.lock matched with package.json; if you need updates, run yarn install locally, then commit the new lockfile. Treat the dependency graph as a single source of truth across environments to maintain a stable runtime and smooth rendering.

Cross-environment tips: Align Node.js versions (via .nvmrc or .tool-versions) so the runtime stays alike across machines, like those used in CI and local workstations. Use a consistent job_name in CI to rate build health, verify that http endpoints are rendering correctly, and ensure the process prints useful warnings rather than silent failures. For local testing, start the dev server with –weblisten-address=127.0.0.1 to guarantee the host rendering and API calls work in isolation. A little setup here yields stable working results for those teams sharing a workstation instance.

Additional notes: When you run scripts, pass the right argument to specify environment mode; for example, run in production ή development. Keep the words in your docs consistent and refer to instructions for new developers, so onboarding is smooth. The exports field, the dependency graph, and the metrics you collect with prometheus help you see rate changes and stay in control. Remember to refer back to the docs whenever you upgrade tools.

Checklist to refer: Enough alignment with one manager; keep a small set of instructions for new developers, and refer to the shared lockfile as the single source of truth. Monitor with prometheus and ensure the prometheusrulesyml continues to trigger only real issues. Use exports to control package boundaries and verify http endpoints in rendering. If you need more context, refer to the official docs and keep this guide as a living reference for every instance of the project.

Add and pin dependencies with exact versions in package.json

Pin dependencies to exact versions to prevent drift across environments, particularly for javascript applications with rendering pipelines. Run npm install react@18.2.0 –save-exact and commit package.json and package-lock.json to keep the endpoint stable.

Enable exact saves by default to avoid accidental loosening: npm config set save-exact true or add save-exact=true to .npmrc. This helps importing these libraries across teams where tests, CI, and local development must match.

1. Determine exact versions that passed tests: for each package, check the version that passed your test suite; in a case where a dependency changes behavior, pick the version that was verified to work with your rendering stack. When you pull a new release, test quickly and, if it fails, revert to the previously passed version to keep signals stable in the endpoint it serves. navigate down the dependency tree to confirm compatibility, and ensure these choices align with your mainactivity and writing workflows.
2. Install with exact version: npm install react@18.2.0 –save-exact; npm install vite@4.0.0 –save-exact; repeat for each direct dependency you need. This writes exact versions to package.json, avoiding ^ or ~. If you maintain scripts, you can run these commands in a loop; these commands ensure the version you see is the one used by the project.
3. Verify package.json and avoid curly quotes: open package.json and confirm every version string appears as “name”: “x.y.z” without a caret or tilde. Ensure quotes are straight, not curly, to prevent parsing issues in tooling. This check matters in teams where multiple editors handle the file, these small details prevent surprises during installs.
4. Lockfile and CI consistency: package-lock.json captures the exact tree; run npm ci in local and CI to reproduce the same versions. This approach keeps each build aligned with the confirmed set, even if npm fetches a newer release under different rules in other commands. In projects using vites configurations, apply the same pinning discipline to the devDependencies as well.
5. Optional global setting and workflow hygiene: if you want every future save to be exact, set npm config set save-exact true or add a global .npmrc. This reduces drift when adding new packages, helping teams where different developers run installs in parallel. You can document these settings in your contributing guidelines so developers write down the same expectations.

Notes and practical checks

• Document the changes in a changelog and reference the exact versions in prometheusrulesyml so your monitoring dashboards reflect bumps when they occur. These records help you spot when a dependency update might affect production endpoints.
• Keep an eye on the reactlogo and related UI assets to ensure the pinned versions do not introduce rendering mismatches. If you work with applications that rely on specific rendering paths, confirm that these assets remain compatible.
• If you maintain auxiliary scripts, such as setcountcount or ferris_sayssay, align them to read the pinned versions from package.json and log the exact numbers written down during installation. This makes audits easier and helps you trace what was deployed.
• For configurations that require threshold signals, update the relevant files when you bump a dependency, and review where these signals are consumed by your tooling. This discipline minimizes surprises during deployment and keeps the pipeline stable.
• In case you work with a case where you must override transitive versions, rely on the lockfile as the single source of truth. If needed, consider npm shrinkwrap for additional enforcement in a multi-project setup and for long-lived deployments.

Run the project on a device or emulator and troubleshoot common install issues

Connect the device or start the emulator, then install dependencies and run the project with the right command for your platform. Verify the device shows up with adb devices (Android) or the emulator is listed (iOS), then run npm install and the platform command (npx react-native run-android or npx react-native run-ios). If you hit a blocker, youll need to check the logs below for the exact step that failed.

Check device readiness

Ensure the device is unlocked, USB debugging is allowed, and the computer is authorized. If the device wont appear in the device list, reconnect USB, switch cables or ports, and restart the ADB server. Confirm the emulator is running and reachable before moving on to the installation and first run; monitor the startup output to catch stalls early.

Troubleshooting checklist and diagnostics

Review installation output against the documentation to locate the failing step. Look for endpoint or host configuration mismatches; update the configuration so the dev server serves the bundle to the running app. Check the network connection, proxy settings, and any environment exports that influence the run. If the app builds but stalls, inspect the object shape and fragments in the starter code, and verify correct props are passed to the root component during importing. When you see errors about importing modules, validate the import paths and their order; exports should align with the target platform. Use monitor data to diagnose performance, for example job_instance_modenode_cpu_secondsavg_rate5m can reveal CPU pressure on the backend. If you encounter a production build issue, switch to the development endpoint first, then re-run the build to confirm the endpoint remains available. Keep an eye on the logs below and consult the documentation for any platform-specific quirks. The starter project often uses a small reactlogo asset to verify visuals; if you don’t see it, recheck the asset import path and the host project configuration. Youll resolve most install glitches by re-running installing steps in the correct order and validating the network path from project to device.