React Native

Build cross-platform mobile apps with React Native and Expo. Generate native mobile experiences with proper navigation, gestures, and device APIs — previewed in the browser via react-native-web.

Getting Started

Select React Native as your framework when creating a new app. Describe your mobile app idea in plain English and GenMB generates a complete React Native project with proper components, navigation, and styling.

Choose React Native

When creating a new app, select “React Native” from the framework picker. This tells the AI to generate mobile-first code using React Native components.

Describe your mobile app

Describe the screens, navigation flow, and features you want. For example: “Create a fitness tracker with a dashboard showing daily steps, a workout log screen, and a settings screen with profile info.”

Preview in the browser

The generated app renders in the preview panel using react-native-web. You can interact with it, navigate between screens, and test functionality directly in the browser.

Refine and export

Use chat to iterate on the design and features. When ready, export the project and run it natively with Expo on iOS or Android.

How It Works

React Native apps are generated as TypeScript projects using Expo conventions. The code uses React Native core components and renders in the GenMB preview via react-native-web, a compatibility layer that maps native components to web equivalents.

●Entry point — App.tsx is the root component. index.html and src/main.tsx handle web bootstrap for preview.
●Components — Uses React Native core: View, Text, ScrollView, FlatList, TextInput, TouchableOpacity, Image, and more.
●Preview — react-native-web renders the app in the browser. Most React Native APIs work identically on web.
●Build tool — Vite handles bundling for the web preview. Expo handles native builds when running on devices.

Web preview limitations

Some device-specific APIs (camera, accelerometer, push notifications) are not available in the web preview. These features work when running the exported app natively with Expo.

Components & Styling

React Native uses its own component library and styling system instead of HTML elements and CSS. The AI generates proper mobile patterns automatically.

Web (React)	React Native
<div>	<View>
<p>, <span>	<Text>
<input>	<TextInput>
<button>	<TouchableOpacity>
<img>	<Image>
<ul> with map()	<FlatList>
CSS / Tailwind	StyleSheet.create()
localStorage	AsyncStorage

Styling approach

React Native uses flexbox by default (column direction). All styling is done through StyleSheet.create() with JavaScript objects — no CSS files, no className, no Tailwind. The AI handles this automatically.

React Native apps use @react-navigation for screen navigation instead of hash-based routing. The AI generates proper navigation structures based on your app description.

●Stack Navigator — Push/pop screen transitions, ideal for linear flows (e.g., list → detail → edit).
●Tab Navigator — Bottom tab bar for top-level sections (e.g., Home, Search, Profile).
●Drawer Navigator — Side menu for apps with many sections.

Screens are organized in src/screens/. The AI picks the appropriate navigator type based on your app's structure and creates a NavigationContainer at the root.

What You Can Build

React Native is ideal for mobile-first experiences. Here are some examples of what you can generate.

●Fitness & Health — Workout trackers, step counters, meal planners with progress charts.
●Social Apps — Feed-based apps, messaging interfaces, profile screens with image galleries.
●Productivity — Todo lists, note-taking apps, habit trackers with notifications.
●E-Commerce — Product catalogs, shopping carts, order tracking with native scroll performance.
●Dashboards — Data visualization, analytics screens, admin panels optimized for touch.
●Content Apps — News readers, recipe apps, learning platforms with card-based navigation.

Export & Run Natively

Export your React Native app and run it on real devices using Expo.

Export the project

Click the download button in the editor toolbar to get a ZIP file with the complete React Native project.

Install dependencies

Unzip the project, open a terminal in the project folder, and run npm install.

Run with Expo

Run npx expo start to start the Expo development server. Scan the QR code with Expo Go on your phone to see the app running natively.

Build for production

Use npx expo build or EAS Build to create production builds for the App Store and Google Play.

Web preview still works

The exported project includes a Vite configuration for web preview. Run npm run dev to start the web version, or npx expo start for native.

FAQs

Can I run the generated React Native app on a real device?▾

Yes. Export your app and run it with Expo Go on iOS or Android. The generated code uses standard React Native components and Expo libraries, so it works on real devices without modification.

How is React Native different from the React framework option?▾

React generates web apps using HTML, CSS, and DOM elements. React Native generates mobile-first apps using native components (View, Text, FlatList) with StyleSheet for styling instead of CSS/Tailwind. The preview uses react-native-web to render in the browser.

Does React Native support all GenMB plugins?▾

Most plugins work with React Native since they use HTTP APIs. However, plugins that depend on DOM-specific features (like some analytics or maps plugins) may need adaptation. The AI automatically uses mobile-compatible patterns when generating React Native code.

Can I use Tailwind CSS with React Native?▾

No. React Native uses StyleSheet.create() for styling instead of CSS classes. The AI automatically generates proper React Native styles with flexbox layout, which is the standard approach for React Native development.

Ready to build?

Create your first app for free — no credit card required.

Video Generation PWA & Offline