I am readying an app for release to the app stores and I'm concerned with CI/CD pipeline and Code-Push.
How does this scenario play out:
If a developer makes NPM dependency updates and there is a package updated that has native code changes that the JS relies on, will Code-Push still update the JS bundle on user devices ahead of their device downloading the native code updates?
Just so my question is clear, I'm not trying to OTA update native code - I'm referring to a situation where some package like react-native-device-info has native Java/Swift code and also has JS code that requires some api or event constant from the native code. If you bump the package version for react-native-device-info to a new release and there is changes to both native and JS code, would code-push have any way to know to not update the bundle until the native code/app was updated because the JS bundle has code that depends on the native code?
Or, am I thinking of using the tool Code-Push wrong?
The way codepush works is that it updates the JS bundle of your app. Your requirement is to update a NPM package which has a native change and update only your client side which is not possible.
If you do this you will probably end up with a crash of your app when the JS contacts the native code.
would code-push have any way to know to not update the bundle until the native code/app was updated because the JS bundle has code that depends on the native code?
Simple answer NO
Codepush is targeted on a version number so your new version which hits the stores will have a new version number so no point of updating the bundle of the old version of the app.
If you really want all your users to move to a new version push an alert or some sort of message using codepush asking the user to update.
Related
Before i continue, let me let you know that i know the code to deply to a targeted build for codepush
appcenter codepush release-react -a aountName/appName -d Production -m --description "CommentHere" -t versionName
I have tried to figure this out on my own and i have not been able to.
I have several versions of my app which i have deploy using CodePush and everything works well but I started having fears of crashes when i installed new packages on the latest build.
This implies the current code base would have new native differences as compaird to the old version.
The question is how can i deploy my new build with new native codes
and packages present to an old version of my app which does not have those
native packages without running into several crashes from all the users using the old version of the app...
I ask this cos i have a feeling if i push the new build with the new changes in UI and native chnages to the old version of my app, the app old app would crash.
If a bug comes in for an old version, how do I fix it and deploy it
for the old version only? Bugs may be critical and not everyone will
have the latest version of the app Or, the bug may only exist on a old
version of the app.
I await your response.
Code push will not affect any native code written within the Android or the iOS projects of a React-Native application. If you read the documentations carefully, it specifically says that it does not change / modify / update the native portion of the app.
Why?
This is because of the way the CodePush mechanism works. In essence, CodePush only stores and triggers the update of the JS bundle of the React-Native application.
This is why we wrap only the JS main app instance with CodePush HOC (Higher Order Component). This is what's happening when you do:
CodePush(MyApp); //wrapping the js bundle at app-root
So, unfortunately in your case, if there are native codes involved, regardless of deployment to a new or old version of the app, it has to be a AppStore / Playstore driven deployment.
I have been using RN 0.61.+ for my android and ios app with Codepush for remote JS updates.
With react native auto-linking enabled in 0.60+. When we add a native library, there is no native code added in the android and ios folders except that we need to do a pod install for iOS.
Does this mean I can simply do update to users with JS Bundle on codepush? Or do I have to still create native builds and release on stores?
Yes you have to create new builds.
Here is why
When you add a new native library that supports auto linking you may not see any change in the Android folder but the magic happens in build time where the cli would go through the dependencies and link everything for you. In the case of ios as you said you install them using pod install.
I can simply do update to users with JS Bundle on codepush
You can do this but there is a high chance your app would crash during run time. Let say you update a library to a newer version and you update your JS Bundle, when your JS code access a newly added method in native code there will be a problem. If both signatures match it might work but its an unwanted risk.
So if you are adding a native library always go for a new build.
When I changed a library (like 'react-native-image-crop-picker') version on package.json and distribute it with code push in users app the version not changed.
They see older version of that library in app.
what should I do?
Code Push only works with JS code. It doesn't allow to push native binaries. In your case, you have to update app bundles in stores to update your native dependencies.
The CodePush plugin helps get product improvements in front of your end users instantly, by keeping your JavaScript and images synchronized with updates you release to the CodePush server.
Taken from Code Push docs.
I'm using react-native-code-push for my app.
I had released several versions that change only a few of js bugs, which worked fine.
Recently I realized that if a code pushed release involves any change of native code other than javascript, the app crashes while updating. I added several react native packages that need manual linking such as react-native-maps, and released update to some targeted versions hoping them to take those, but no luck.
Then what if an update only involves adding light libraries (using npm install) which don't require native linking? I wonder to what extent exactly the code push allows client-side code updating.
Basically, when you want to add some native code involving link you will have to rebuild your apk / ipa and re-upload it to the stores. If you want to add a new plugin without link there should not be any problem
One advice I could give is to only push bug fixes to your production app. You should not push new features with codepush since apple review (almost) all the applications.
I saw somewhere that you can update your code live in production with react-native (I can't remember where I saw it)
However, the javascript is bundled and packaged with the app, I don't think you can update javascript code without a new release.
Does react-native enable you to live update your js code in production or not?
Ya you can manage it with expo or you can use third party continuous deployment tools like code-push from Microsoft.
https://github.com/Microsoft/react-native-code-push
you can easily manage Staging and Production and environment.
you can roll out to some percentage.
can revert back.
all the js code can be updated but no native code.Otherwise you may face crashing issues.