How Do I Add Hermes to React Native?

React Native is a popular framework for developing mobile applications using the power of React. If you’re looking to integrate your React Native application with Hermes, the new JavaScript engine from Facebook, then you’ve come to the right place.

What is Hermes?

Hermes is a lightweight and optimized JavaScript engine designed by Facebook specifically for running React Native applications on Android devices. It’s designed to reduce startup time, decrease memory usage, and increase overall performance of your application.

Why Use Hermes with React Native?

Using Hermes with React Native can provide a number of benefits for your application. Here are just a few:

  • Reduced bundle size
  • Faster application startup time
  • Improved memory usage
  • Better overall performance on Android devices

How Do I Add Hermes to My React Native Application?

Adding Hermes to your React Native application is a fairly simple process. Here are the steps you’ll need to follow:

Step 1: Update Your React Native Version

First, you’ll need to make sure that you’re using a version of React Native that supports Hermes. Currently, this means using version 0.60 or later.

If you’re not already using version 0.60 or later, you’ll need to upgrade your project by following the instructions in the official documentation.

Step 2: Enable Hermes in Your Project

Once you’re using a compatible version of React Native, enabling Hermes in your project is as simple as adding a single line of code to your `android/app/build.gradle` file:

project.ext.react = [
enableHermes: true
]

This line should be added inside the `android` block at the top of the file, alongside any other configuration options you may have.

Step 3: Verify Your Build

After enabling Hermes in your project, you’ll need to verify that your build is working correctly. To do this, run the following command from your project directory:

npx react-native run-android –variant=hermesDebug

This will build and launch your application using the Hermes engine. If everything is working correctly, you should see your application running on an Android device or emulator.

Conclusion

In conclusion, adding Hermes to your React Native application can provide a number of benefits for performance and memory usage. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily enable Hermes in your project and start taking advantage of these benefits today.