react-native init command won't install TS template correctly

Description

I am setting up a new project according to doc https://reactnative.dev/docs/environment-setup but somehow Typescript template name is changed (log shows npm ERR! 404 Not Found - GET https://registry.npmjs.org/react-native-template-react-native-template-typescript - Not found) and basic JS version is installed instead.

npx react-native init rnhuawei --template react-native-template-typescript
This will walk you through creating a new React Native project in C:\sadl\rnhuawei
'yarn' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Installing react-native...
Consider installing yarn to make this faster: https://yarnpkg.com
npm WARN deprecated @hapi/joi@15.1.1: Switch to 'npm install joi'
npm WARN deprecated @hapi/hoek@8.5.1: This version has been deprecated and is no longer supported or maintained
npm WARN deprecated @hapi/topo@3.1.6: This version has been deprecated and is no longer supported or maintained
npm WARN deprecated @hapi/address@2.1.4: Moved to 'npm install @sideway/address'
npm WARN deprecated @hapi/bourne@1.3.2: This version has been deprecated and is no longer supported or maintained
npm WARN deprecated core-js@2.6.12: core-js@<3 is no longer maintained and not recommended for usage due to the number of issues. Please, upgrade your dependencies to the actual version of core-js@3.
npm WARN deprecated fsevents@1.2.13: fsevents 1 will break on node v14+ and could be using insecure binaries. Upgrade to fsevents 2.
npm WARN deprecated urix@0.1.0: Please see https://github.com/lydell/urix#deprecated
npm WARN deprecated resolve-url@0.2.1: https://github.com/lydell/resolve-url#deprecated

> core-js@2.6.12 postinstall C:\sadl\rnhuawei\node_modules\core-js
> node -e "try{require('./postinstall')}catch(e){}"

npm notice created a lockfile as package-lock.json. You should commit this file.
npm WARN optional SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: fsevents@^1.2.7 (node_modules\jest-haste-map\node_modules\fsevents):
npm WARN notsup SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: Unsupported platform for fsevents@1.2.13: wanted {"os":"darwin","arch":"any"} (current: {"os":"win32","arch":"x64"})
npm WARN react-native@0.63.4 requires a peer of react@16.13.1 but none is installed. You must install peer dependencies yourself.
npm WARN use-subscription@1.5.1 requires a peer of react@^16.8.0 || ^17.0.0 but none is installed. You must install peer dependencies yourself.

+ react-native@0.63.4
added 730 packages from 409 contributors and audited 731 packages in 29.365s

14 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details

found 3 low severity vulnerabilities
  run `npm audit fix` to fix them, or `npm audit` for details
info Setting up new React Native app in C:\sadl\rnhuawei
info Fetching template react-native-template-react-native-template-typescript...
(node:6112) Warning: Accessing non-existent property 'padLevels' of module exports inside circular dependency
(Use `node --trace-warnings ...` to show where the warning was created)
npm ERR! code E404
npm ERR! 404 Not Found - GET https://registry.npmjs.org/react-native-template-react-native-template-typescript - Not found
npm ERR! 404
npm ERR! 404  'react-native-template-react-native-template-typescript@latest' is not in the npm registry.
npm ERR! 404 You should bug the author to publish it (or use the name yourself!)
npm ERR! 404
npm ERR! 404 Note that you can also install from a
npm ERR! 404 tarball, folder, http url, or git url.

React Native version:

> react-native info
info Fetching system and libraries information...
(node:27984) Warning: Accessing non-existent property 'padLevels' of module exports inside circular dependency
(Use `node --trace-warnings ...` to show where the warning was created)
System:
    OS: Windows 10 10.0.19042
    CPU: (16) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-10885H CPU @ 2.40GHz
    Memory: 13.32 GB / 31.78 GB
  Binaries:
    Node: 14.15.5 - C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.EXE
    Yarn: Not Found
    npm: 6.14.11 - C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.CMD
    Watchman: Not Found
  SDKs:
    Android SDK:
      API Levels: 28, 29, 30
      Build Tools: 26.0.3, 27.0.3, 28.0.3, 29.0.2, 30.0.3
      System Images: android-26 | Android Wear Intel x86 Atom, android-28 | China version of Wear OS Intel x86 Atom, android-29 | Automotive with Play Store Intel x86 Atom, android-29 | Android TV Intel x86 Atom, android-29 | Google APIs Intel x86 Atom_64, android-29 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom_64, android-30 | Google APIs Intel x86 Atom, android-30 | Google APIs Intel x86 Atom_64, android-30 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom
      Android NDK: Not Found
    Windows SDK:
      AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense: Enabled
      Versions: 10.0.17763.0, 10.0.18362.0, 10.0.19041.0
  IDEs:
    Android Studio: Not Found
    Visual Studio: Not Found
  Languages:
    Java: 1.8.0_211
    Python: 3.9.1
  npmPackages:
    @react-native-community/cli: Not Found
    react: 16.13.1 => 16.13.1
    react-native: 0.63.4 => 0.63.4
    react-native-windows: Not Found
  npmGlobalPackages:
    *react-native*: Not Found

Steps To Reproduce

Provide a detailed list of steps that reproduce the issue.

1. init new ts project

Expected Results

it should look for the correct template name on GH - which still exists https://github.com/react-native-community/react-native-template-typescript

[iepsen]

@dkocich same here, and this is why: https://github.com/react-native-community/cli/blob/5ec3fcf3a623b5a9faef050b72eab3778f241761/packages/cli/src/tools/generator/templates.ts#L56-L64

It works fine by removing react-native-template from the --template option.

Update: by looking @Simek’s comment at https://github.com/facebook/react-native-website/pull/2544 and checking at the version I have, I was stuck on react-native-cli: 2.0.1. By removing it and using npx instead it works fine.

[iepsen]

@dkocich same here, and this is why: https://github.com/react-native-community/cli/blob/5ec3fcf3a623b5a9faef050b72eab3778f241761/packages/cli/src/tools/generator/templates.ts#L56-L64

It works fine by removing react-native-template from the --template option.