New React Native project with old version of react native

Question

I am trying to create a new react native project which should utilize an older version of react-native.

The result I would like would be to do something like: react-native init MyProject but have the version of react-native it uses be 0.13.2.

However, there doesn't seem to be any options with react-native-cli for initializing with old versions of react-native.

Performing react-native init MyProject and then dowgrading react-native in package.json also does not work because the init command installs a bunch of xcode templates which are used to build the app and there is no dowgrade command which will dowgrade these templates. (There is an upgrade command.)

I tried downgrading my version of react-native-cli to 0.1.4 which was current when react-native 0.13 was current, but this did not work. From looking at the cli source, it seems it always initializes with just the newest version of react-native.

I realize this is pretty weird to want to start a new project at an old version, but I have a weird set of requirements that are forcing this.

AFAIK, I couldn't find some kind of 'downgrade of react-native'. But when you init a project, `$ react-native init ProjectName --version 0.39.0` ref: https://github.com/facebook/react-native/blob/master/react-native-cli/index.js#L51 — roy, Jan 05 '17 at 08:12

score 65 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 15 '18 at 16:33

65

There is a new parameter in react-native init that allows just this. Try:

react-native init --version="react-native@0.36.0" MyNewApp

Here my source. I have successfully tested it with react-native-cli 2.0.1.

edited Jul 15 '18 at 16:33

Tom Aranda

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answered Jan 07 '17 at 20:56

martinarroyo

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nice answer.it helped. – Biplov Kumar Oct 10 '20 at 19:04
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this did not help me. instead react-native init newproject --version X.XX.X worked for me – Shamendra Mar 24 '21 at 08:00

score 37 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 03 '16 at 21:15

37

rninit is a replacement for react-native init that allows you to specify a particular version of react-native to use.

Install rninit globally:

npm install -g rninit

Specify which version of react-native to use:

rninit init [Project Name] --source react-native@0.14.2

Thanks to @vanson-wing-leung for pointing me to rninit

answered Jun 03 '16 at 21:15

emmby

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Or just `react-native init blank --version react-native@0.14.2`. – daserge Nov 02 '16 at 11:14
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@daserge this should be the accepted answer. I've just tried it with init blank --version react-native@0.24.0 and it worked as expected. Maybe move it outside the comments so OP can accept it? – Dagobert Renouf Nov 24 '16 at 12:27
Indeed, react-native seems to be able to handle this on it's own. – Tom Jan 11 '17 at 12:32
Is it the method to create a new project or redefining the version for the existing project ? – DEEPAN KUMAR Apr 10 '18 at 02:56
Didn't worked with latest react native cli – Sumanta Jun 14 '21 at 12:57

score 27 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 15 '18 at 16:29

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Use the --version flag.

react-native init blank --version react-native@0.14.2

edited Jul 15 '18 at 16:29

Tom Aranda

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answered Jan 16 '17 at 12:07

Benjamin J. Benoudis

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use this instead react-native init newproject --version X.XX.X – Shamendra Mar 24 '21 at 08:00

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 10 '15 at 23:15

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Try this:

If you install the version of react-native that you want in your project, you can then navigate to (project)/node_modules/react-native/local-cli. Here you will see three generator folders which enclose the exact files RN would have used to initiate a project.

It's a bit manual, but at least you'll have access to the original files.

answered Dec 10 '15 at 23:15

John Shammas

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This is a good start, thanks! I have formally submitted an issue to react native asking for native support of this feature. https://github.com/facebook/react-native/issues/4723 – Jordan Ell Dec 10 '15 at 23:46

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 22 '18 at 07:32

2

specify react-native version at the time of installing

something like this

react-native init --version="react-native@0.52.0" ExampleApp

answered Sep 22 '18 at 07:32

omkar yadav

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score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Jun 14 '21 at 13:03

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The only solution that works with react native latest cli is

react-native init NewProject --version X.XX.X

e.g

react-native init NewProject --version 0.61.5

Thanks @Shamendra

answered Jun 14 '21 at 13:03

Sumanta

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score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 22 '22 at 03:26

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Here's the command as of April 2022.

npx react-native init newproject --version="0.66.4"

answered Apr 22 '22 at 03:26

projectds

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score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 03 '19 at 05:07

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react-native init MyApp --version react-native@0.58.6

answered Apr 03 '19 at 05:07

Ashutosh Dash

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score -1 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 25 '19 at 18:03

-1

For existing react native project to downgrade run

npm install react-native@0.13.2

Then verify the version by running

react-native -version

answered Mar 25 '19 at 18:03

hzak

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New React Native project with old version of react native

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