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# React Native CLI
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React Native CLI is the official command-line interface for React Native development. It provides essential commands for project initialization, configuration management, debugging, and development workflow automation. The CLI serves as both a programmatic API and a comprehensive set of command-line tools that handle the complete React Native development lifecycle.
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## Package Information
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- **Package Name**: @react-native-community/cli
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- **Package Type**: npm
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- **Language**: TypeScript
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- **Installation**: `npm install @react-native-community/cli`
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## Core Imports
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```typescript
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import { run, loadConfig, loadConfigAsync, createDevServerMiddleware, bin } from "@react-native-community/cli";
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```
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For CommonJS:
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```javascript
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const { run, loadConfig, loadConfigAsync, createDevServerMiddleware, bin } = require("@react-native-community/cli");
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```
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## Basic Usage
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### Programmatic Usage
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```typescript
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import { run, loadConfigAsync } from "@react-native-community/cli";
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// Load React Native project configuration
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const config = await loadConfigAsync();
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console.log("Project root:", config.root);
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console.log("Available platforms:", Object.keys(config.platforms));
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// Run CLI programmatically (typically not needed)
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await run();
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```
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### Command Line Usage
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```bash
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# Initialize a new React Native project
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npx react-native init MyApp
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# Get project information  
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npx react-native info
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# Clean project caches
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npx react-native clean
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# Display current configuration
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npx react-native config
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# Run diagnostics and fix issues
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npx react-native doctor
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```
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## Architecture
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The React Native CLI is built around several key components:
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- **Command System**: Unified command registration using Commander.js with automatic error handling
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- **Configuration Loading**: Async/sync configuration discovery and loading from React Native projects
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- **Plugin Architecture**: Extensible command system through external packages and project configuration
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- **Multi-Platform Support**: Android, iOS, and out-of-tree platform support with conditional command availability
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- **Development Integration**: Metro bundler middleware and development server integration
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## Capabilities
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### Main API Functions
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Core programmatic interface for running the CLI, loading configurations, and integrating with development tools.
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```typescript { .api }
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function run(platformName?: string): Promise<void>;
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function loadConfig(): Config;
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function loadConfigAsync(options?: {selectedPlatform?: string}): Promise<Config>;
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function createDevServerMiddleware(options: MiddlewareOptions): DevServerMiddleware;
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```
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[Main API Functions](./main-api.md)
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### CLI Commands
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Complete command-line interface providing project initialization, configuration management, diagnostics, and maintenance tools.
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```typescript { .api }
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// Project Commands (require React Native project)
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type ProjectCommand = "config" | "clean" | "info";
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// Detached Commands (work standalone)  
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type DetachedCommand = "init" | "doctor";
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```
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[CLI Commands](./cli-commands.md)
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### TypeScript Types
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Comprehensive type system covering CLI configuration, commands, platform definitions, and development tool integration.
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```typescript { .api }
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interface Config {
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  root: string;
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  reactNativePath: string;
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  platforms: Record<string, PlatformConfig>;
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  commands: Command[];
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  dependencies: Record<string, DependencyConfig>;
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}
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interface Command<IsDetached extends boolean = boolean> {
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  name: string;
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  description?: string;
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  func: IsDetached extends true ? DetachedCommandFunction : CommandFunction;
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  detached?: IsDetached;
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  options?: CommandOption[];
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  examples?: Array<{desc: string; cmd: string}>;
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}
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```
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[TypeScript Types](./typescript-types.md)