How Do I Enable Hermes React Native?

Are you looking to optimize your React Native application’s performance? Enabling Hermes can help speed up your app’s startup time and reduce memory usage. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the steps to enable Hermes in your React Native project.

What is Hermes?

Hermes is an open-source JavaScript engine optimized for running React Native applications on Android. It was developed by Facebook and aims to improve the performance of React Native apps by reducing the time it takes for the app to start up and decreasing its memory footprint.

How to Enable Hermes in a React Native Project

To enable Hermes in your React Native project, follow these steps:

Step 1: Update Your React Native Version

Make sure that your React Native version is at least 0.64 or higher. You can check your version by running the following command in your project directory:

  • npm view react-native version

If your version is lower than 0.64, update it by running:

  • npm install react-native@latest –save

Step 2: Install Dependencies

To use Hermes, you need to install additional dependencies. Run the following command in your project directory:

  • npx react-native init MyProject –template react-native-template-typescript –version X.XX.XX (replace X.XX with desired RN version)
  • yarn add hermes-engine@0.6.1 –dev && npx pod-install && cd ios && pod install && cd ..
  • npx react-native run-ios (This will run iOS simulator)

Step 3: Enable Hermes in Your Project

Finally, you need to enable Hermes in your React Native project. To do so, open your app’s android/app/build.gradle file and add the following lines:

  • project.ext.react = [
    • enableHermes: true,
  • ]

Save the changes and rebuild your app:

  • npx react-native run-android (This will run Android simulator)

Note: If you get an error with Hermes, try to add this line in android/gradle.properties file:

  • android.enableDexingArtifactTransform.desugaring=false
  • Conclusion

    Enabling Hermes can significantly improve your React Native application’s performance by reducing startup time and memory usage. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can easily enable Hermes in your project. With faster load times and a smoother user experience, your app is sure to stand out from the crowd.