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Guide · Open source

How to use react-native-debugger: install and debug React Native apps

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

React Native Debugger is a standalone desktop app for debugging React Native apps. It wraps the official Remote Debugger and adds React Inspector for the component tree and Redux DevTools for Redux state and actions. This guide shows you how to install it, check that your project is compatible, and what the main tools do.

React Native Debuggerjhen0409/react-native-debugger · ★ 10.4k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Confirm your project fits. Check that your react-native version matches the compatibility table and that you are not using Hermes, JSI or the New Architecture.
  2. 2Install the app. On macOS with Homebrew 2.6.0 or newer, run the Cask install command. On Arch-based Linux, install react-native-debugger-bin from the AUR.
  3. 3Open the app. After installation, React Native Debugger.app is placed in your /applications/ folder. Open it from there.
  4. 4Read the Getting Started guide. Follow the README link to docs/getting-started.md for how to connect your app to the debugger.
  5. 5Set up Redux DevTools. If your app uses Redux, follow the Redux DevTools Integration doc to connect its state and actions to the debugger.
  6. 6Use React Inspector. Open the component inspector to browse your app's component tree.

Check compatibility before you install

The app only supports the old Remote Debugger setup. The README says it does not currently support new debugger features such as Hermes, JSI or the New Architecture. If your project uses those, this app is not the right fit yet.

The README's compatibility table pairs React Native Debugger v0.11 and later with react-native 0.62 or newer. Versions v0.10 and earlier pair with react-native 0.61 or older. The README also notes that v0.10 and v0.11 use different auto-update feeds.

  • Use react-native 0.62 or newer with v0.11 and later.
  • Use react-native 0.61 or older with v0.10.
  • Projects on Hermes, JSI or the New Architecture are not supported by the current app, per the README.

Install React Native Debugger on macOS with Homebrew

The README recommends Homebrew Cask on macOS. The command depends on your Homebrew version. Homebrew 2.6.0 or newer uses the first form below. Older versions need the update step first.

The install places React Native Debugger.app in your /applications/ folder.

brew install --cask react-native-debugger

Install on Arch-based Linux

On Arch-based distributions, the README points to the react-native-debugger-bin package in the Arch User Repository (AUR). You can build it with makepkg or install it with an AUR helper such as paru.

paru -S react-native-debugger-bin

Download a prebuilt binary on other systems

For other platforms, the README says to download a prebuilt binary from the project's release page on GitHub. The README does not give separate instructions for Windows, so check the release page for what is available.

Connect the app and use React Inspector and Redux DevTools

The README describes the app as bundling React Inspector, which comes from react-devtools-core, for looking at the component tree. It also includes Redux DevTools, which uses the same API as redux-devtools-extension, so Redux state and actions can be inspected in the same window. Apollo Client DevTools is included as a devtools extension.

For the setup steps, the README links to a Getting Started guide and separate docs for each integration. Read those for the exact connection steps, because the README excerpt does not list them.

  • React Inspector: browse the component tree.
  • Redux DevTools: inspect Redux state and actions.
  • Apollo Client DevTools: included as an extension.

Build from source if you need to

The README does not repeat the build steps. It points to the Development section in docs/contributing.md for building the app from source.

What people use it for

  • Inspecting Redux state and actions while stepping through a React Native app.
  • Browsing the component tree with React Inspector in a separate window.
  • Debugging an older React Native project that still uses the Remote Debugger setup.
  • Giving a team one standalone debugging window instead of several tools.

Frequently asked questions

Is React Native Debugger free?

Yes, it is released under the MIT licence, according to the README. The source is on GitHub and the project accepts sponsors and backers through Open Collective.

Does React Native Debugger work with Hermes?

Not currently. The README says the app only supports the old Remote Debugger, and it points to a GitHub discussion for progress on Hermes, JSI and New Architecture support.

Which React Native version do I need?

According to the README's compatibility table, v0.11 and later need react-native 0.62 or newer. v0.10 pairs with react-native 0.61 or older.

How do I install React Native Debugger on a Mac?

Run brew install --cask react-native-debugger with Homebrew 2.6.0 or newer. The README gives an extra brew update step for older Homebrew versions.

What are the alternatives to React Native Debugger?

The project's comparable tools are React Native DevTools, Flipper and Reactotron. Compare them against your project's needs, such as Redux support and whether it uses Hermes.

Can I use it without Redux?

The README describes React Inspector for the component tree as a bundled feature, so it does not require Redux. Redux DevTools is the part that is specifically for Redux state and actions.

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Our verdict

React Native Debugger suits React Native developers who use Redux and still work with the older Remote Debugger setup, or teams on react-native 0.62 or newer who want one standalone window. If your project uses Hermes, JSI or the New Architecture, the README says this app does not yet support it, so look at the comparable tools listed in the project's analysis.

Install options & downloads