react-native/cli not found error caused by `use_native_modules!` in React Native Community CLI

Explanation of the problem

After upgrading a brownfield iOS project from version 0.59.9 to 0.62.0, an error is encountered while executing the pod install command:

[!] Invalid `Podfile` file: [!] /Users/dude/.nvm/versions/node/v12.16.1/bin/node -e try {console.log(require('@react-native-community/cli').bin);} catch (e) {consol
e.log(require('react-native/cli').bin);}

internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:985
  throw err;
  ^

Error: Cannot find module 'react-native/cli'
Require stack:
- /myapp/ios/[eval]
    at Function.Module._resolveFilename (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:982:15)
    at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:864:27)
    at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1044:19)
    at require (internal/modules/cjs/helpers.js:77:18)
    at [eval]:1:87
    at Script.runInThisContext (vm.js:120:20)
    at Object.runInThisContext (vm.js:311:38)
    at Object.<anonymous> ([eval]-wrapper:10:26)
    at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1158:30)
    at evalScript (internal/process/execution.js:94:25) {
  code: 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND',
  requireStack: [ '/myapp/ios/[eval]' ]
}

The error is caused by the following line in the Podfile:

use_native_modules!

A similar error is encountered in an Android project when executing the gradle sync command:

Gradle sync failed: Cause: internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:985  throw err;  
^Error: Cannot find module 'react-native/cli'Require stack:- /myapp/android/[eval]    
  at Function.Module._resolveFilename (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:982:15)    
  at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:864:27)    
  at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1044:19)    
  at require (internal/modules/cjs/helpers.js:77:18)    
  at [eval]:1:13    
  at Script.runInThisContext (vm.js:120:20)    
  at Object.runInThisContext (vm.js:311:38)    
  at Object.<anonymous> ([eval]-wrapper:10:26)    
  at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1158:30)    
  at evalScript (internal/process/execution.js:94:25) {  code: 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND',  requireStack: [    '/myapp/android/[eval]'  ]}
				Consult IDE log for more details (Help

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Problem solution for react-native/cli not found error caused by `use_native_modules!` in React Native Community CLI

The error “react-native/cli not found” caused by the use_native_modules! in React Native Community CLI is likely due to an outdated version of React Native Community CLI. You can resolve this issue by updating the React Native Community CLI to the latest version.

Here are the steps to update React Native Community CLI:

1. Uninstall the current version of React Native Community CLI by running the following command:

npm uninstall -g react-native-cli

2. Install the latest version of React Native Community CLI by running the following command:

npm install -g @react-native-community/cli

3. Once the installation is complete, try running your React Native project again.

This should resolve the “react-native/cli not found” error and allow you to use use_native_modules! in your project without any issues.

Other popular problems with React Native Community CLI

A brief introduction to React Native Community CLI

React Native Community CLI is a command-line interface tool that allows developers to create and manage React Native projects. It provides a set of commands that enable developers to create, run and test their React Native applications. The tool supports a wide range of functionalities, from initial project setup to building and publishing the app.

React Native Community CLI is an open-source tool that integrates with other tools such as Xcode, Android Studio, and Visual Studio Code to provide an end-to-end development experience. The CLI tool provides a streamlined way to manage the entire React Native project lifecycle and helps developers to avoid common pitfalls and challenges. The tool supports various features such as hot-reloading, debugging, and unit testing, making the development process faster and more efficient.

Most popular use cases for React Native Community CLI

1. Setting up a React Native Project: The React Native Community CLI provides an easy way to set up a React Native project. This process involves creating a new project, setting up an environment for development, and installing necessary dependencies. The CLI can be invoked with a simple command line command, npx react-native init <ProjectName>, where <ProjectName> is the name of the new project being created.

npx react-native init MyApp

2. Running the React Native App on a Simulator or Physical Device: The CLI allows developers to run the React Native app on either a simulator or physical device. This is done by using the command line command, npx react-native run-ios or npx react-native run-android. The CLI will take care of setting up the environment, installing the necessary dependencies, and launching the app.

npx react-native run-ios

3. Debugging and Troubleshooting React Native Apps: The React Native Community CLI provides various debugging tools and utilities to help developers troubleshoot their apps. This includes options such as debugging the JavaScript code, viewing the logs, and profiling the performance of the app. The CLI can also be used to inspect the hierarchy of views in the app, and to interact with the React Native components from the developer console.